A striking image of a humpback whale being freed from entanglement has been awarded first prize in the Nature Conservancy’s 2025 Oceania Photo Contest. The winning photograph, captured by Miesa Grobbelaar off the coast of Ha’apai, Tonga, depicts a moment where the whale appeared to acknowledge its rescuers immediately after being freed.
The Rescue Operation
Grobbelaar and her team responded to a distress call regarding a whale trapped by a heavily rusted chain that was severely cutting into its tail. The rescue team worked methodically to detach the chain, which finally snapped after careful effort. Grobbelaar recounted that the whale “paused and looked at us, as if saying thanks” following its liberation.
Humpback Whale Populations: A Mixed Recovery
While humpback whales are no longer classified as an endangered species overall, some populations remain vulnerable. The whales off Tonga’s coast, numbering in the low thousands, are roughly 30% below historical levels before extensive whaling in the mid-20th century. This demonstrates that even with species-wide recovery, localized populations still face significant threats. The ongoing entanglement risk underscores this reality.
Contest Highlights
The Oceania Photo Contest, open to submissions from Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands, awarded prizes across multiple categories. Other winning entries included a captivating image of a Pluteus velutinornatus mushroom by Nic Wooding, and a kaleidoscopic time-lapse of the night sky over Western Australia’s Windjana Gorge National Park by Scott Portelli. A vibrant photograph of a female peacock mantis shrimp guarding her eggs, taken by Peter McGee in Bali, was also recognized.
“It’s horrific and beautiful, it’s humanity’s relationship with nature at its worst and humanity caring for nature at its best, all at the same time,” said Jarrod Boord, one of the competition’s judges.
The winning photographs not only celebrate the beauty of the Oceania region but also highlight the delicate balance between human impact and conservation efforts. The contest results serve as a visual reminder of the need for continued protection of vulnerable wildlife and their habitats.
