The 14-year-old Indian photographer Udayan Rao Pawar made history, as he won the ‘Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013’ for his image ‘Mother’s Little Headful’. The image represents an emotional bonding between the ‘Gharial’ crocodiles on the banks of Chambal River in Madhya Pradesh.
Udayan stayed on the banks of the river overnight to capture the beautiful picture in his camera. “The mother rose to the surface from the murky depths of the river in response to the guttural calls of hatchlings, which then rushed towards her and climbed over her exposed head”, says Udayan.
Judge Tui De Roy was in all praise for Udayan’s image, “The composition and timing of Udayan’s photograph is perfect. The mother’s gaze seems directed at you, appealing to you to let her live and thrive in peace. This image is beautiful and thought-provoking, but at the same time also wonderfully playful, making it a clear winner.”
Meanwhile, South African photographer Greg du Toit won the ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013’ for his image Essence of elephants, a mysterious and energetic portrait of African elephants in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve in Botswana. Wildlife Photographer of the Year is co-owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Worldwide.
