Today is #WorldWildlifeConservationDay, signifying a crucial initiative in the ongoing efforts to safeguard and preserve the dwindling populations of wildlife species worldwide. This observance aims to combat wildlife crime and advocate for the enforcement of the Endangered Species Act. Check out National Geographic's Pictures of the Year Award Winners highlighting our planet's incredible wildlife diversity! 1. The Twilight of Life by Alexander Semenov “Queen of the Arctic Seas” and “Alien Flower.” Both are names that marine biologist Alexander Semenov has used to refer to the lion’s mane jellyfish, one of the largest species of jellyfish. He photographed this one in its final stage of life after it had reproduced and lost hundreds of tentacles, which are said to resemble a lion’s mane. The jellyfish is listed as an “extreme jellyfish” on the Smithsonian’s Ocean Portal website, which states that the largest known specimen measured 120 feet from top to bottom. 2. A Billion Butterflies by Jaime Rojo These are not leaves on trees — they are butterflies. Branches sag under the weight of monarch butterflies at El Rosario Sanctuary, one of many colonies in Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Jaime Rojo, a senior fellow at the International League of Conservation Photographers, took this photo shortly before sunset, outside of the sanctuary’s normal operating hours, according to Nat Geo. Every year, up to a billion monarch butterflies migrate to the reserve, before departing for Eastern Canada in the spring. “During this time, four successive generations are born and die. How they find their way back ... remains a mystery.” 3. Rebuilding Species by David Doubilet This beautiful image of a seven-foot-long zebra shark depicts the story of extraordinary conservation. It glides through an exhibit at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, one of several institutions where endangered zebra sharks are breeding to produce eggs for shipment to Indonesia. There, they will be raised and released into a marine protected area in Raja Ampat to rebuild the wild population. https://lnkd.in/gWARDj34
