Napping manatees - Jun Kezuka - Wildlife Photographer of the Year2006

2006: The Gerald Durrell Award for Endangered Species - Highly Commended

Jun Kezuka Enlarge image Napping manatees

Jun Kezuka (Japan)

Napping manatees

One January late afternoon, while snorkelling in Crystal River, Florida, Jun came across these napping manatees. 'They were in a quiet backwater,' says Jun, 'and the water was rather dark. I took this picture very carefully so as not to ripple the mirror-like surface or wake up the sleeping beauties.' Manatees are attracted in winter to the warm springs filtering up through the riverbed. You can be lulled into a false sense of security about the status of American manatees when you encounter so many of them in such a small area of river - Jun encountered up to 70 on one day. But in much of their range, they are threatened by hunting, fishing and pollution, and in Florida by development of their habitat. Jun was astonished to see such extraordinary, friendly animals so close to riverside houses. Quite a few sported fresh wounds caused by outboard propellers of recreational boats.

Nikonos RS with 13mm fisheye lens; 1/8 sec at f5.6; Fujichrome Velvia 100.