Mexican Luis Javier Sandoval, 2016 wildlife photographer of the year

Mexican photographer Luis Javier Sandoval was awarded, for the second time, the wildlife photographer of the year, in the international contest held by the Natural History Museum in London.

Sandoval captured curious young sea lions in the Sea of Cortez, Baja California. One of the pups dived down, swimming gracefully with its strong fore-flippers, grabbed a starfish and started throwing it to Sandoval.

In his acceptance speech, Sandoval highlighted the importance of international cooperation to ensure the preservation of marine species, many of which are endangered.

He mentioned how fishermen in the Mexican Caribbean areas have changed their economic activity and now they offer sightseeing trips, becoming “advocates and promoters of the preservation of marine species and its habitat.”

Sandoval was also award the 2013 wildlife photographer of the year for Cold-Blood Animals, a photograph of an endangered green turtle taken off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, near Cancún.

Source: El Universal