2008 One Earth Award - Winner
David Maitland (United Kingdom)
Sacrifice
'Trading in bushmeat is illegal in Gabon, but in the capital Libreville I saw this Gabon black colobus monkey being tossed onto an open fire to strip off the fur. A cloud of acrid smoke filled the air. Then, the glossy jet-black fur caught fire, crinkled and crisped up, and fell off as dust. It was deeply upsetting.' Black colobus monkeys have a distinct, high-pitched roar and frequently call to each other, so human hunters can easily track them down. This helps to make them one of the 10 most threatened primate species in Africa. Most of the world's primates may become extinct within the next 30 years if the bushmeat trade continues at its current levels.
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II; 16-35mm f2.8 lens at 16mm; 1/30 sec at f8; ISO 100.
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The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine.