The Glance, Animal Portraits (commended)

Two of the young Sulawesi black-crested macaques entered into a boisterous game with an older, stronger male, involving much ear-piercing shrieking and chasing. Though they were in high spirits, Jami had spent weeks with them and could tell that their play was becoming increasingly heated. When the playmates huddled briefly together, she snatched a close-up shot. But as she did, the older male threw her an intense and challenging look.

“I didn’t take this lightly,” Jami says, and she quickly withdrew to a safe distance. Moments later, the older macaque turned rough, and the younger ones scattered, screeching. The real drama is that these characterful primates are at high risk of extinction, both from poaching and forest loss on their Indonesian island home.

Bubble-jetting Emperors, overall winner

This was the image Paul had been so hoping to get: a sunlit mass of emperor penguins charging upwards, leaving in their wake a crisscross of bubble trails. The location was near the emperor colony at the edge of the frozen area of the Ross Sea, Antarctica. It was into the only likely exit hole that he lowered himself. He then had to wait for the return of the penguins, crops full of icefish for their chicks. Paul locked his legs under the lip of the ice so he could remain motionless, breathing through a snorkel so as not to spook the penguins when they arrived. Then it came: a blast of birds from the depths. They were so fast that, with frozen fingers, framing and focus had to be instinctive.

“It was a fantastic sight”, says Paul, “as hundreds launched themselves out of the water and onto the ice above me – a moment that I felt incredibly fortunate to witness and one I’ll never forget.”

Last Wild Picture, Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Wildlife (runner-up)

These 14-month-old Bengal tiger cubs, cooling off in the Patpara Nala watering hole in Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India, turned man-eaters before they were two years old. Between them, they killed three people. But the authorities didn’t kill the tigers. Instead, they captured them and moved them to a facility for ‘problem’ tigers in Bhopal, from which they will never be released.

But elsewhere in India and everywhere in their range, tigers are being killed in huge numbers. Fewer than 3,200 remain in the wild, down from 100,000 a century ago. Three of the nine subspecies (the Bali, Caspian and Javan tigers) are now officially extinct, and the South China tiger almost certainly is. The deaths are due to the devastating impact of the demand for tiger parts for traditional Chinese medicine and sky-rocketing human populations, which have eliminated 93 per cent of the tiger’s historic range during the twentieth century. Settlements, roads, industry and agriculture all encroach on tiger territory, sparking growing human-wildlife conflict. The remaining wild tigers cling on in isolated pockets, their numbers declining rapidly.

Spirit of the Forest, Animals in their Environment (specially commended)

The First Nations people of British Columbia (BC), Canada, have for centuries revered the spirit bear, or Kermode bear, to be found in the Great Bear Rainforest – a vast, old-growth temperate rainforest that runs up from southern BC to Alaska. The spirit bear is a rarity – a black bear with recessive genes that give it a creamy white coat. Its other name, ‘ghost bear’, reflects its elusiveness. Paul encountered this individual in September, at the height of the salmon run, when the bears are feasting on the fish bonanza and fattening up in preparation for hibernation. Spirit bears seem to prefer to escape the busy bear-fishing areas and wander into the forest to savour their meals in peace.

“I followed this bear until it settled down to eat. I was crouched less than a metre away,” says Paul, “but he was very chilled and acted as though I wasn’t there. It was really a dream come true, a dream I’d had since a kid, to walk through the forest with a bear.” The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the largest unspoilt temperate rainforests left, and it’s the only place where spirit bears can be found. First Nations people are using the spirit bear as an ambassador animal in their campaign against a pipeline that will carry oil from Canada’s tar sands in Alberta down to the BC coast. The pipeline and associated infrastructure will destroy forest, but the greatest concern is the risk of an oil spill from a tanker entering the hazardous coastal channel to collect the oil – one spill could wipe out an entire coastal ecosystem.

Here Petrels Dare, Animals in their Environment (commended)

It was blowing a good Southern Ocean gale that December day as Mark’s ship headed south from South Georgia. Huge tabular icebergs, drifting north from the Weddell Sea, gave an extra edge to the windswept journey. Daring snow petrels swooped between them. Mark wanted to capture a shot that would “combine the beauty of the ice, the power of the boiling sea and the elegance of the birds in flight”. He caught the moment when a single bird swept close to the wave-cut base of an enormous berg, “a wonderful contrast to the harshness of the scene of that unforgettable place”.

Snatch and Grab, Behaviour: birds (commended)

Stefan hiked for five kilometres in thick snow in the Sinite Kamani National Park in Bulgaria to reach a hide known to be a golden eagle hotspot. It was one of the coldest winters in recent years, and using a vehicle was out of the question. On the second day, he spent a long while watching a golden eagle eating a carcass. ‘I was able to get some great portrait shots,’ says Stefan, ‘but what happened next took me by surprise.’ A red fox sidled up and tried to snatch the meal, but the eagle was having none of it.

“After a short, fierce spat, the fox fled with the eagle literally hard on its heels.” A golden eagle can kill prey even bigger than a fox, but with a carcass to defend, the eagle was almost certainly just trying to scare the fox away rather than grab it.

Into the mouth of the caiman, Behaviour: cold-blooded animals (winner)

Motionless but alert, a yacare caiman waits, “like a small tyrannosaurus” for fish to come within snapping reach, says Luciano. Caimans are usually seen floating passively on the surface. Under the water, it’s another story. It’s this secret life that has fascinated Luciano ever since he first came face to face with a caiman while snorkelling. Once he’d recovered from the shock, he realised that the reptile was neither aggressive nor fearful – and that he could approach it. Luciano now regularly documents the underwater life of caimans in the shallow, murky waters of Brazil’s Pantanal (the biggest wetland in the world), which contains the largest single crocodilian population on Earth.

Caimans can grow to be three metres in length. Most aren’t aggressive, but some individuals can be. “The safest way to get close is when they are concentrating on a shoal of fish,’ says Luciano. ‘While I was concentrating on this caiman emerging from the gloom, I had a field biologist with me all the time.’ The result was ‘the picture that’s been in my imagination since my father first showed me a caiman 25 years ago”.

Sizing Up, Behaviour: cold-blooded animals (commended)

A scattering of gecko droppings on the sunny veranda of Klaus’s holiday apartment near Etang-Sale-les- Hauts, on the French island of Réunion, had attracted some unusual-looking insects. They were neriid longlegged flies. Klaus settled down with his camera to watch as they interacted.

“Every so often, a couple of males would take a break from feeding and engage in a kind of combat dance that involved spinning around each other,” he says. “They would finish by stretching up to their full one and a half centimetres, then pushing with their mouthparts, shoulders and forelegs until one gained height, before flying away or mating with nearby females. I was so impressed by the harmony in the combat dance that I ended up photographing them for several hours.”

Relaxation, Animal Portraits (commended)

In winter, Japanese macaques in the Jigokudani Valley of central Japan congregate in the hot-spring pools, to stay warm and to socialise. The colder it gets in the mountains, the more of them head for the pools, as do humans. Jasper found about 30 macaques enjoying a steamy soak, their heads covered in fresh snow. “The warm water has a very relaxing effect on the monkeys, and most of them were asleep.”

He watched with delight as this youngster became increasingly drowsy and eventually closed its eyes. “It’s such an honour when an animal trusts you enough to fall asleep in front of you,’ says Jasper. ‘I used a close-up shot to capture the moment of tranquillity and to emphasise the human likeness in both face and pleasure.”

A Swirl of Flammingos, Creative Visions (winner)

In winter, the 22km-long estuary of the Ría Celestún on Mexico’s Yucatán peninsula attracts thousands of Caribbean flamingos, which congregate here to feed on the microscopic life in the shallow, briny water. These flamingos – the largest and pinkest of the five species – also use their time in the estuary to engage in synchronous courtship dancing as a prelude to breeding. To get the aerial shot that he wanted that would show the beauty of the mass aggregation of flamingos, with the birds appearing as if one organism, Klaus joined biologists on a regular flamingo count.

“Taking images out of the door of a plane flying in narrow circles is a challenge,” says Klaus. But lenses with image stabilisers helped overcome the vibration problem, and “the photography in this situation was all about capturing the beauty of pattern, form and colour.”

Gidee-gidee

(Abrus precatorius)

An Australian vine native to higher-rainfall coastal areas, the gidee-gidee houses a toxin in its seeds that indeed causes giddiness, amongst other symptoms including diarrhoea, vomiting, disorientation and even death. Other common names, including crab’s eye or rosary pea, come from the bright red and black shiny seeds, visible when the dark grey fruit pod splits open.

Its perennial nature and centimetre-wide pink, white or purple pea flowers suit it to ornamental gardens, but it is most common as a weed on roadsides and waterways. Native to north-eastern Australia, it is becoming increasingly naturalised in sub-tropical NSW, growing over supporting vegetation to up to ten metres tall.

Broken seeds are toxic when ingested, with one seed containing enough poison to kill an adult. If the seed remains intact, however, the toxin may not be released.

Bushman’s poison

(Acokanthera oblongifolia)

A 2m tall shrub native to South Africa, Bushman’s poison has fragrant white, tubular flowers densely clustered within dark green, leathery leaves. Its olive-like fruit are reddish-purple to black when ripe.

All parts of the plant are poisonous when ingested, causing various symptoms including lethargy and seizures with major effects on the heart. Eating the fruit can result in severe abdominal pain, intestinal irritation and vomiting. When touched, the sap irritates skin and eyes, and was used in Africa on the tips of arrows and spears as it is lethal beneath the skin.

Although its fruit are similar to olives and its leaves similar to bay, it is easily recognised when cut by its dangerous milky white sap.

Foxglove

(Digitalis purpurea)

Foxglove is a commonly cultivated garden annual, native to Europe and North Africa. Its long stalks and bell-shaped pink and purple flowers make it a popular border plant in temperate areas. Its leaves are soft and hairy and the fruit are green capsules housing many tiny seeds.

Any part of the plant that is eaten can cause nausea, lethargy, slowed heart rate and abdominal pain. The clear sap is also a skin irritant.

The glycosides in foxglove and other digitalis species were previously used in cardiac medicine, and extracts are still sometimes used in herbal medication.

Interestingly, the starchy stems were originally used by some native North African peoples to make bread.

Zamia

(Macrozamia species)

Also known as wild pineapple, zamia is a palm-like plant that grows up to one metre tall with a crown of large, long, dark, leathery leaves.

The fruit are cones that resemble elongated, dark pineapples, with large red-yellow seeds. When eaten raw, the fruit causes headaches and severe gastro-intestinal irritation. Liver damage, coma and death have also been recorded. Dogs have been fatally poisoned by eating seeds. The pollen released by the male cone has a fruity scent, and can cause respiratory distress.

Grazing on zamia leaves can cause nerve damage in the spinal column in sheep and cattle. This affects the hind legs and is known as ‘zamia staggers’. Interestingly, poisoning has not been observed in native mammals eating zamia.

Rhubarb

(Rheumx cultorum)

A common, large-leafed perennial herb often grown in home vegie patches, rhubarb is toxic when raw. Originating from China and Tibet, rhubarb was introduced for cultivation to Europe due to its medicinal properties. From the 18th century rhubarb was grown for culinary purposes, and the roots continue to be used medicinally as a purgative in China and Tibet.

Small green to white flowers cluster on the ends of stems, giving way to small, oval berries. The stems are edible when cooked, but all parts of the plant are toxic, especially the leaves. Eating uncooked stems or leaves can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, blood clotting impairment and weakness. Kidneys can be badly damaged and this can be fatal. Contact dermatitis can occur, prompting many gardeners to wear gloves when pruning and harvesting. Rhubarb contains high amounts of dietary fibre and vitamin C.

White cedar

(Melia azedarach)

Native to northern Australia and south-eastern Asia, white cedar is a large deciduous tree grown for its shade, often along streets and in parks, especially in rural NSW and Queensland. It grows to 15 metres tall and produces clusters of small, fragrant, lilac flowers, followed by hanging bunches of hard, pale yellow berries. When ripe, the fruit become brown and dimpled and eventually fall from the tree in autumn or winter.

While all parts are toxic, the most common poisoners are the fruit. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pain, confusion, coma, seizures and even death, and can begin within an hour of ingestion or be delayed by several hours. Although poisonous to humans and farm animals, the fruit are readily eaten by birds, which are relied upon for distribution.

African milk bush

(Synadenium grantii)

A succulent, ornamental shrub native to east central Africa, the African milk bush is cultivated in Australia as an ornamental, sometimes indoor plant. It has since escaped and is now a minor weed growing throughout urban bushland in south-east Queensland.

The African milk bush’s toxicity lies in its highly corrosive, copious amounts of milky sap. The sap is extremely irritating, causing blisters to skin. It can spray during pruning, and has been recorded as irritating eyes, nose and mouth. Convulsions can occur if the sap is swallowed, sometimes several hours later. In Kenya in 1952, during the Mau Mau uprising, the sap was using to kill cattle in biological warfare.

Castor oil plant

(Ricinus communis)

Indigenous to eastern Africa and India, the castor oil plant was introduced to Australia as an ornamental plant. It has since become a common weed in coastal areas, spreading easily over sandy soil and along creek banks. It grows to three metres tall and is known to take over grazing land. The large leaves on the fleshy shrub have a nauseating odour when crushed, and the fruit are soft and spiny, housing small grey seeds.

Ingestion of the seeds causes severe abdominal pain with bleeding in vomit and diarrhoea. Symptoms may occur within hours or may be delayed by days, and can lead to liver and kidney damage and death. When ripe, the fruit explode and the seeds are shot up to several metres.

Lily-of-the-valley

(Convallaria majalis)

Lily-of-the-valley is a highly poisonous woodland plant native throughout temperate Europe and Asia. In Australia it is cultivated in gardens due to its sweetly-scented bell-shaped flowers, and its growth as groundcover in shady areas. The flowers are often used in wedding bouquets.

All parts of lily-of-the-valley are highly toxic, and it’s orange to red berries are often attractive to children. Ingestion of even small amounts can cause vomiting, abdominal pain and reduced heart rate.

Sheep and cattle have been known to occasionally eat lily-of-the-valley, and, as its ingestion can cause death to cattle and sheep, immediate removal from grazing areas is recommended.

Cook tree

(Cascabela thevetia)

Also known as yellow oleander, cook tree is native to tropical South America. Introduced as a domestic and public ornamental spreading shrub, it grows up to 3.5 metres tall, with sweetly-perfumed funnel-shaped yellow flowers and dark green, glossy, slim leaves.

The flowers, leaves, milky sap and black, triangular, plum-like fruit are all toxic if eaten. Ingestion of the seeds has resulted in deaths of children, and lesser symptoms include burning of the mouth, vomiting, diarrhoea and irregular heartbeat. Touching the sap can result in dermatitis and blistering.

It has become a highly invasive weed in Queensland, so much so that its supply or sale is prohibited and is sometimes removed from National Parks and public areas.