A Unique Perspective on Wildlife: Award-Winning Aerial Shots from the Siena Drone Photo Awards 2024
The winner in the Wildlife category of the Siena International Photo Awards 2024 is the photograph “The Ocean Clean Up” by Tobi Nicol. The photo depicts a dead sperm whale that became stranded off the coast of Perth and passed away after four days. The aerial shot captures a tiger shark preparing to feast on the carcass. (Photo: Tobi Nicol).
“Jackal in the Field” by Md Imrul Kayes portrays a golden jackal searching for a hiding spot in a wheat field in Bangladesh. Due to habitat loss, these animals seek refuge in dense grass patches. However, the drone’s aerial view still manages to locate the creature. (Photo: Md Imrul Kayes).
“Pelicanos Blancos” is a photograph of pelicans taken by Guillermo Soberón at the Estero “El Soldado” nature reserve in Guaymas, Sonora, located on the northern west coast of Mexico. In addition to pelicans, various other water birds inhabit the area, including roseate spoonbills and snowy egrets. (Photo: Guillermo Soberón).
“A Dangerous Addiction” by Lakshitha Karunarathna captures the scene of an elephant lying amidst a garbage dump. The author expressed a desire to drive the elephant away from this filthy place using the drone. “I intentionally lowered the drone to a height where the elephant could hear the rotors. But it seemed the animal was only interested in the trash and continued to rummage through it for food without being discouraged,” Karunarathna stated. (Photo: Lakshitha Karunarathna).
“Fly Flamingo” is a photograph by Maurizio Tentorio taken at Lake Magadi in Kenya. The area features extremely high salt levels, creating beautiful white frothy patterns. The moment captures thousands of flamingos soaring over the surreal turquoise waters of Lake Magadi. (Photo: Maurizio Tentorio).
Australian photographer Tim Burgess captured a juvenile humpback whale migrating south towards Antarctica. The playful scene of the whale splashing in the water reminded Burgess of angel wings. He titled the photo to serve as a reminder of nature’s extraordinary beauty. (Photo: Tim Burgess).
“Resting in the safe arms of Mother Nature” is a photograph by Pravin Shanmughandam. From the drone, he captured a herd of elephants sleeping on the grass in the Anamalai Tiger Reserve in southern India. The photographer shared: “The pristine habitat and forest area here are crucial for the survival of Asian elephants in the wild.” (Photo: Pravin Shanmughandam).
This long-nosed shark created a stunning image for Joanna Steidle. The photograph was taken off the eastern coast of the United States, near Southampton, New York. (Photo: Joanna Steidle).
The photograph titled “A Polar Romance” by photographer Florian Ledoux shows two polar bears engaged in the mating season. The courtship and mating behaviors of these animals are time-consuming and strenuous. The image captures the two bears resting after their “union.” (Photo: Florian Ledoux).
