[Animals] The secret behind National Geographic's best wildlife photos of 2023

[FNX Magokiler]

A baby sea otter searches for crabs or snails, which the animal carries to the surface in its armpits.

An adult sea otter eats about a quarter of its weight in shellfish a day, and as its po[CENSORED]tions rebound, tensions with shellfish harvesters increase, according to the report, published in our February issue. Image taken with permit 37946D from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

A curious baby sea otter peeks out from behind a column of algae while searching for crabs or snails in California's Monterey Bay. Each of these hairy marine mammals can eat about 7 kilos of seafood meat a day.

However, in the early 20th century, this scene could be extremely rare, as the fur trade drove these aquatic predators to near extinction. Fortunately, efforts such as the reintroduction of animals into their natural habitat have helped the species recover, although it is not yet out of danger. The southern sea otter, a subspecies, is threatened in California, where only 3,000 animals remain.

Ralph Pace's photography offers a close-up of wildlife in their native habitat. It is also one of 18 photos that National Geographic editors have chosen as the best wildlife photos of the year.

 

 

"The images chosen this year reflect the wide range of stories we cover (across species, ecosystems, geographies and photographic styles) that convey the wonder, surprise, humor and vulnerability of the creatures with which we share the planet" says visual director of natural history and conservation Alexa Keefe.

She hopes these images inspire a love for the natural world. Some of the animals featured represent success stories, such as the endangered African wild dogs, whose po[CENSORED]tions have been stabilized in the Niassa Special Reserve in Mozambique thanks to the investment of local people. Others are endangered, such as the mountain hares of the Scottish Highlands, which have evolved to camouflage themselves in the snow, but could face an uncertain future in a world that is becoming less snowy. Others simply encourage us to take a closer look at the creatures that inhabit our wonderful world, such as the hidden beauty and allure of spiders or the amazing techniques that orcas employ to capture unattainable prey.

 

https://www.nationalgeographic.es/animales/2023/11/mejores-fotos-fauna-vida-salvaje-2023-national-geographic