Ingrid Kuster, Ancient Eyes (SINGLE SHOT 2024)

Galapagos tortoises are ancient creatures believed to have been around more than 230 million years ago, therefore some of the oldest living creatures on earth. Sadly, their numbers in the wild have drastically declined from approx. 250,000 to 15,000 and are now listed as endangered. This photo was taken at the Taronga Western Plains Zoo. The zoo is committed to the conservation of wildlife in Australia and around the world. I was deeply moved by the impact of this tortoise‘s direct eye contact with me. It was one of those special moments.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.