In late May, about a quarter of a million snow geese arrive from North America to nest on Wrangel Island, in northeastern Russia.
They form the world’s largest breeding colony of snow geese. Sergey spent two months on the remote island photographing the unfolding dramas. Arctic foxes take advantage of the abundance of eggs and, later, goslings, caching surplus eggs for leaner times. But a goose (here the gander) is easily a match for a fox, which must rely on speed and guile to steal eggs. ‘The battles were fairly equal,’ notes Sergey, ‘and I only saw a fox succeed in grabbing an egg on a couple of occasions, despite many attempts.’ Surprisingly, ‘the geese lacked any sense of community spirit’, he adds, ‘and never reacted when a fox harassed a neighbouring pair nesting close by.’
Russia
Sergey's early years were spent in a Siberian village, but it was in his 30s that he discovered photography as a way to re-engage with nature. He sold his business and took up photography, determined to record the richness of Russia's wilderness. He is widely published, has four books to his name and is a National Geographic contributor. He has been a regular winner since 2007.
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.
