Winners of the MontPhoto 2020 contest are announced

Wolves stalking through a mountain-range in Italy, a see-through frog protecting its eggs, and seals playing around a hunk of iceberg near Antarctica are among the photos to scoop prizes at a Spanish nature contest. 

The MontPhoto Competition is run every year in Spain that aims to promote conservation by documenting the beauty of the natural world.

Judges recieved 14,000 entries from 68 countries before awarding 11 prizes in five categories – mountains, nature, techincal photogarphy, ecological reporting and art in nature – as well as an overall winner.

The overall winner for 2020 was Italian photographer Lorenzo Shoubridge for his image of wolves near Monte Corchia, 20 miles north of Pisa, which also won the mammals prize as part of the nature category.

‘The coronavirus pandemic changed our lives this year and we were all forced to go online. Despite this, we still managed to deliver a high-quality competition featuring inspiring stories from all over the world,’ Paco Membrives, co-founder of MontPhoto said.

OVERALL WINER & MAMMALS WINNER 

Lorenzo Shoubridge scooped the overall winner award and the top prize in the mammals category for this image of wolves around Monte Corchia, 20 miles north of Pisa. 'Despite being a UNESCO world heritage site, this beautiful park and the surrounding areas are under attack every day from the marble industry,' he said. 'This crumbles away the mountains and pollutes the waters causing irreversible damage. I hope my image inspires change'

Lorenzo Shoubridge scooped the overall winner award and the top prize in the mammals category for this image of wolves around Monte Corchia, 20 miles north of Pisa. ‘Despite being a UNESCO world heritage site, this beautiful park and the surrounding areas are under attack every day from the marble industry,’ he said. ‘This crumbles away the mountains and pollutes the waters causing irreversible damage. I hope my image inspires change’

MAMMALS RUNNER-UP 

Polish photographer Artur Stankiewicz scooped the runner-up award in the mammals category for this image of a giraffe in the Mara River during the annual migration of wildebeest across Northern Serengeti in Tanzania in August 2019

Polish photographer Artur Stankiewicz scooped the runner-up award in the mammals category for this image of a giraffe in the Mara River during the annual migration of wildebeest across Northern Serengeti in Tanzania in August 2019

ECOLOGICAL REPORTING WINNER 

Italian photographer, David Salvatori, won the 'Ecological Reporting' category. His photograph titled 'Entangled' demonstrated the effects littering has on our oceans' wildlife. 'After spending a whole day in the ocean off the coast of Tenerife, we spotted a turtle entangled in a plastic bag,' David said. 'I climbed into the water and helped set him free'

Italian photographer, David Salvatori, won the ‘Ecological Reporting’ category. His photograph titled ‘Entangled’ demonstrated the effects littering has on our oceans’ wildlife. ‘After spending a whole day in the ocean off the coast of Tenerife, we spotted a turtle entangled in a plastic bag,’ David said. ‘I climbed into the water and helped set him free’

ECOLOGICAL REPORTING RUNNER-UP 

A standout entry from the runners-up is Spanish photographer, Joan de le Malla's image, 'Street Shows.' Captured in Surabaya, Indonesia, the image came second in the 'Ecological Reporting' category

A standout entry from the runners-up is Spanish photographer, Joan de le Malla’s image, ‘Street Shows.’ Captured in Surabaya, Indonesia, the image came second in the ‘Ecological Reporting’ category

UNDERWATER WORLD WINNER 

French photographer Greg Lacoeur won in the underwater world category for this image of seals in Antarctica that he took on a trip in March on a small yacht. 'Little is known about how wildlife thrives around these mobile homes. Icebergs fertilize the oceans by carrying nutrients from land that spark blooms of marine life and also provide homes for larger animals, like these crabeater seals,' he said

French photographer Greg Lacoeur won in the underwater world category for this image of seals in Antarctica that he took on a trip in March on a small yacht. ‘Little is known about how wildlife thrives around these mobile homes. Icebergs fertilize the oceans by carrying nutrients from land that spark blooms of marine life and also provide homes for larger animals, like these crabeater seals,’ he said

UNDERWATER WORLD RUNNER-UP 

Franco Banfi, a Swiss photographer, scooped the runner-up prize in the Underwater World category for this image entitled 'sadness' which shows a pilot whale carrying its dead calf through the oceans

Franco Banfi, a Swiss photographer, scooped the runner-up prize in the Underwater World category for this image entitled ‘sadness’ which shows a pilot whale carrying its dead calf through the oceans

BIRDS WINNER 

French photographer Greg Lacoeur, who won in the Underwater World category, also won in the Birds category for this image entitled Wings of the Sea which shows gannets diving for fish under the ocean

French photographer Greg Lacoeur, who won in the Underwater World category, also won in the Birds category for this image entitled Wings of the Sea which shows gannets diving for fish under the ocean

BIRDS RUNNER-UP 

Oscar Diez Martinez, a Spanish wildlife photographer, was awarded the runner-up prize in the birds category for this image

Oscar Diez Martinez, a Spanish wildlife photographer, was awarded the runner-up prize in the birds category for this image

OTHER ANIMALS CATEGORY WINNER 

The 'Other Animals' category was won by Spanish photographer, Jamie Culebras, and his photo, 'Invisible Father.' Captured in Costa Rica, the image featured a glass frog guarding its eggs. 'The photo highlights this species' translucency. This helps them to go unnoticed by predators,' Jamie said

The ‘Other Animals’ category was won by Spanish photographer, Jamie Culebras, and his photo, ‘Invisible Father.’ Captured in Costa Rica, the image featured a glass frog guarding its eggs. ‘The photo highlights this species’ translucency. This helps them to go unnoticed by predators,’ Jamie said

OTHER ANIMALS RUNNER-UP 

Pedro Javier Pascual Hernandez won runner-up in the 'other animals' category for this image, 'Flights at Night'

Pedro Javier Pascual Hernandez won runner-up in the ‘other animals’ category for this image, ‘Flights at Night’

MACRO CATEGORY WINNER 

Spanish photographer, Ruben Perez Novo who won the 'Macro' category with his image, 'Get Down Here,' featuring two praying mantis

Spanish photographer, Ruben Perez Novo who won the ‘Macro’ category with his image, ‘Get Down Here,’ featuring two praying mantis

MACRO CATEGORY RUNNER-UP

Linan Ouyang's photograph 'Moth Egg Hatching' won the runner-up prize in the macro category

Linan Ouyang’s photograph ‘Moth Egg Hatching’ won the runner-up prize in the macro category

PLANT WORLD WINNER 

Brit photographer, Fortunatto Gato, won the 'Plant World' category for his image 'Tundra in the Mist,' captured at Denali National Park, Alaska. 'When the mist rises up at Denali National Park, it looks like a veil that's trying to hide the vibrant colours of the tundra,' Fortunatto said. 'It's always fascinating to portray these wild places with a minimalist touch'

Brit photographer, Fortunatto Gato, won the ‘Plant World’ category for his image ‘Tundra in the Mist,’ captured at Denali National Park, Alaska. ‘When the mist rises up at Denali National Park, it looks like a veil that’s trying to hide the vibrant colours of the tundra,’ Fortunatto said. ‘It’s always fascinating to portray these wild places with a minimalist touch’

PLANT WORLD RUNNER-UP 

Agorastos Papatsanis' 'Rain's Visitors at Dusk,' runner up of the 'Plant World' category

Agorastos Papatsanis’ ‘Rain’s Visitors at Dusk,’ runner up of the ‘Plant World’ category

MOUNTAIN ACTIVITY WINNER 

Txema Trull Poch's 'Steps That Nature Our Soul,' winner of the 'Mountain Activity' category

Txema Trull Poch’s ‘Steps That Nature Our Soul,’ winner of the ‘Mountain Activity’ category

MOUNTAIN ACTIVITY RUNNER-UP 

Wojciech Dopierala's 'End of the World,' runner up in the 'Mountain Activity' category

Wojciech Dopierala’s ‘End of the World,’ runner up in the ‘Mountain Activity’ category

MOUNTAIN VIEW WINNER 

Anne Maenurm's image Winter Wonders won in the Mountain View category. 'This is an area famous for its wildflower fields in summer, when highland meadows are covered by poppies and cornflowers. But for me, winter here can be even more extraordinary when snowfalls and windy days create magic shapes like the one in the foreground of this picture, while Monte Vettore rests in the background,' she said

Anne Maenurm’s image Winter Wonders won in the Mountain View category. ‘This is an area famous for its wildflower fields in summer, when highland meadows are covered by poppies and cornflowers. But for me, winter here can be even more extraordinary when snowfalls and windy days create magic shapes like the one in the foreground of this picture, while Monte Vettore rests in the background,’ she said 

MOUNTAIN VIEW RUNNER-UP 

Fran Rubia's 'Another Planet,' runner up of the 'Mountain View' category

Fran Rubia’s ‘Another Planet,’ runner up of the ‘Mountain View’ category

LANDSCAPE WINNER 

Jose Fragozo's 'Maasai Mara Sky,' winner of the 'Landscape' category

Jose Fragozo’s ‘Maasai Mara Sky,’ winner of the ‘Landscape’ category

LANDSCAPE RUNNER-UP 

Gheorghe Popa's 'Blue Hour,' runner up of the 'Landscape' category

Gheorghe Popa’s ‘Blue Hour,’ runner up of the ‘Landscape’ category

ART IN NATURE WINNER 

Peter Manschot's 'El Baile de las Aguas,' winner of the 'Art in Nature' category

Peter Manschot’s ‘El Baile de las Aguas,’ winner of the ‘Art in Nature’ category

ART IN NATURE RUNNER-UP 

Alfonso Moreno Gomez's 'Fluvial Jets,' runner up of the 'Art in Nature' category

Alfonso Moreno Gomez’s ‘Fluvial Jets,’ runner up of the ‘Art in Nature’ category

source: dailymail.co.uk