'Luminescent' photo of horseshoe crab wins Wildlife Photographer of the Year award

Camille Fine, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read
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The Natural History Museum's prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition revealed striking images that detail the profound environments and behaviors of creatures around the world.

On Tuesday, French underwater photographer and marine biologist Laurent Ballesta was announced as this year’s winner of the grand title award for her image, called "The golden horseshoe," which captures an “otherworldly image of a tri-spine horseshoe crab accompanied by a trio of golden trevallies,” a statement from the competition said.

Laurent — who was first awarded Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2021 — is only the second photographer in the competition’s 59-year history to be awarded the grand title award twice.

The “luminescent” photo of an endangered tri-spine horseshoe crab — chosen out of 49,957 entries from 95 countries — was “astonishing” to see, Chair of the jury and editor, Kathy Moran, said.

Marine biologist and photographer Laurent Ballesta, winner of the Portfolio Award, went looking for horseshoe crabs in the protected waters of Pangatalan Island in the Philippines.
Marine biologist and photographer Laurent Ballesta, winner of the Portfolio Award, went looking for horseshoe crabs in the protected waters of Pangatalan Island in the Philippines.

“To see a horseshoe crab so vibrantly alive in its natural habitat, in such a hauntingly beautiful way, was astonishing,” Moran said. “We are looking at an ancient species, highly endangered, and also critical to human health.

"The tri-spine horseshoe crab has survived for more than 100 million years but now faces habitat destruction and overfishing for food and for its blue blood, used in the development of vaccines," the statement said. “But, in the protected waters of Pangatalan Island in the Philippines, there is hope for its survival.”

Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023

Seventeen-year-old Carmel Bechler from Israel was awarded Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2023 for his long-exposure image, titled ‘Owls’ road house’, which he took while hiding in the family car.

Carmel Bechler, who won Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, discovered several barn owls in an abandoned concrete building near a busy road in Hof HaSharon, Israel.
Carmel Bechler, who won Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year, discovered several barn owls in an abandoned concrete building near a busy road in Hof HaSharon, Israel.

Wildlife photographers' funniest photos: See global competition finalists

“I hope to share with my photography that the beauty of the natural world is all around us, even in places where we least expect it to be, we just need to open our eyes and our minds,” Carmel said.

American photographer Karine Aigner, who won last year's grand title award for her image called "The big buzz," appeared in this year's competition for her images of an annual hunting competition in Texas.

Karine Aigner, Winner, winner of the Photojournalist Story Award category, documents the annual hunting competitions in Texas. There are a number of prizes, one of which is for the heaviest bobcat. In 2022 the winner of that category took home $35,530.
Karine Aigner, Winner, winner of the Photojournalist Story Award category, documents the annual hunting competitions in Texas. There are a number of prizes, one of which is for the heaviest bobcat. In 2022 the winner of that category took home $35,530.

See other winning photographs and take in more of nature's awe.

Sriram Murali, winner of Behaviour: Invertebrates, showcases a night sky and a forest illuminated with fireflies at Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India.
Sriram Murali, winner of Behaviour: Invertebrates, showcases a night sky and a forest illuminated with fireflies at Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India.
Mike Korostelev, winner of Underwater, reveals a hippopotamus and her two offspring resting in the shallow clear-water lake of Kosi Bay, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa.
Mike Korostelev, winner of Underwater, reveals a hippopotamus and her two offspring resting in the shallow clear-water lake of Kosi Bay, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa.
Bertie Gregory, winner of the Behaviour: Mammals category, tracks a pod of orcas as they prepare to ‘wave wash’ a Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica.
Bertie Gregory, winner of the Behaviour: Mammals category, tracks a pod of orcas as they prepare to ‘wave wash’ a Weddell seal in the Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica.
Rachel Bigsby, winner of Natural Artistry, frames a gannet pair against the guano-painted curves of sandstone cliffs at Noss National Nature Reserve, Shetland, Scotland, UK.
Rachel Bigsby, winner of Natural Artistry, frames a gannet pair against the guano-painted curves of sandstone cliffs at Noss National Nature Reserve, Shetland, Scotland, UK.
Vihaan Talya Vikas, winner of 10 Years and Under, watches as an ornamental tree trunk spider prevents its prey from escaping in Nallur Heritage Tamarind Grove, Karnataka, India.
Vihaan Talya Vikas, winner of 10 Years and Under, watches as an ornamental tree trunk spider prevents its prey from escaping in Nallur Heritage Tamarind Grove, Karnataka, India.

More: Wildlife Photographer of the Year awarded to woman who captured frantic cactus bee ball

Agorastos Papatsanis, winner of the Plants and Fungi category, reveals the magic of a fungus releasing its spores in the forest in Mount Olympus, Pieria, Greece.
Agorastos Papatsanis, winner of the Plants and Fungi category, reveals the magic of a fungus releasing its spores in the forest in Mount Olympus, Pieria, Greece.
Fernando Constantino Martínez Belmar, winner of the Photojournalism category, shows the devastating path of a new cross-country tourist railway line in Paamul, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
Fernando Constantino Martínez Belmar, winner of the Photojournalism category, shows the devastating path of a new cross-country tourist railway line in Paamul, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
Hadrien Lalagüe, winner of the Behaviour: Birds category, is rewarded for his patience with a perfect alignment of grey-winged trumpeters watching a boa slither past at Guiana Space Center, between Kourou and Sinnamary, French Guiana.
Hadrien Lalagüe, winner of the Behaviour: Birds category, is rewarded for his patience with a perfect alignment of grey-winged trumpeters watching a boa slither past at Guiana Space Center, between Kourou and Sinnamary, French Guiana.
Knut-Sverre Horn, winner of the urban wildlife category, offers a glimpse of kittiwake chicks illuminated in an abandoned factory in Vardø, Troms og Finnmark, Norway.
Knut-Sverre Horn, winner of the urban wildlife category, offers a glimpse of kittiwake chicks illuminated in an abandoned factory in Vardø, Troms og Finnmark, Norway.
Amit Eshe, winner of the Animals in their Environment category, witnesses a dramatic cliffside clash between two Nubian ibex in Zin Desert, Israel.
Amit Eshe, winner of the Animals in their Environment category, witnesses a dramatic cliffside clash between two Nubian ibex in Zin Desert, Israel.
Vishnu Gopal, winner of the Animal Portraits category, records the moment a lowland tapir steps cautiously out of the swampy rainforest in Tapiraí, São Paulo, Brazil.
Vishnu Gopal, winner of the Animal Portraits category, records the moment a lowland tapir steps cautiously out of the swampy rainforest in Tapiraí, São Paulo, Brazil.

The sixtieth Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition will open for entries from photographers of all ages, nationalities, and experience levels on Oct. 16, 2023.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Luminescent' image of horseshoe crab wins wildlife photo of the year