2nd Place winner
Rare Encounter
DESCRIPTION
A rare and intimate encounter with a dugong, captured while freediving off the coast of Egypt. With only an estimated 30 individuals remaining in the Red Sea, dugongs face immense threats from habitat loss, pollution, and unsustainable tourism. As a keystone species, they are vital to the health of seagrass meadows, which serve as carbon sinks and critical marine habitats, underscoring the urgent need for strengthened conservation efforts. AUTHOR
Remuna is an artist, award-winning photographer, filmmaker, and passionate advocate for conservation and animal welfare. Her underwater work aims to capture the beauty and fragility of the ocean and the incredible diversity of marine life who inhabit it. Although we are all connected to the ocean, few people truly experience the world beneath the surface or witness the significant impacts we are having on it. Through her photography and film, Remuna hopes to raise awareness and inspire a deeper appreciation and will to protect these critical ecosystems and species. Her favorite subjects are sharks—one of the most misunderstood and threatened species on the planet—and advocating for their conservation by dispelling misconceptions and instilling the same love and fascination she has for them in others. 