Magical scenes in oceans and rivers revealed by Underwater Photographer of the Year Awards 2020
Harry Pettit, Senior Digital Technology and Science Reporter
A GROUP of seals frolicking around an Antarctic iceberg is the subject of the winning picture in this year's Underwater Photographer of the Year awards.
More than 5,500 photos from dozens of countries were entered into the competition, capturing ravenous sharks, swimming dragons and even an octopus playing football.
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Frenchman Greg Lecouer bagged this year's 'best of show' award with his snap of four crabeater seals dancing around a drifting iceberg
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This octopus was caught trying its tentacle at some keepie uppies
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This tiny Common froglet is less than one centimetre long and was snapped by British photographer Laura Storm
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A male cuckoo wrasse in British waters
The annual competition seeks to celebrate photography beneath the surface of the sea, lakes, rivers and more.
Judge Alex Mustard said this year's entries featured "a real diversity of photos taken in waters from the polar oceans to the swimming pool."
Frenchman Greg Lecouer bagged this year's "best of show" award with his snap of four crabeater seals dancing around a drifting iceberg.
Greg said of the image: "Massive and mysterious habitats, icebergs are dynamic kingdoms that support marine life.
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This basking shark was snapped off the west coast of Scotland
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Humanity's impact on the environment was a recurring theme of the awards
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This photo of a tuna caught in a fishing net won the award for Marine Conservation Photo of the Year
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Lemon shark pups lurking in mangroves in the Bahamas
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Okenia elegans nudibranch is considered a rare species in the UK, but can be quite common around Torbay in south Devon
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A crab-eater seal around the Antarctic Peninsula
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A Minke Whale in Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
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While Komodo Dragons are primarily land reptiles, they will venture into the water if something warrants investigation
"During an expedition in Antarctica Peninsula, we explored and documented the hidden face of this iceberg where crab-eater seals have taken up residence."
Other shots commended by judges included a snap of Lemon shark pups lurking in mangroves and a tragic shot of a tuna fish tangled in a fishing net.
There were plenty of other winners across 13 categories, testing entrants with themes like Wide Angle, Behaviour and Wreck.
British Underwater Photographer of the Year for 2020 went to Nicholas More for his chaotic picture of Rabbit Fish in Indonesia.
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A common lobster hides away in a traffic cone
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A young whale exhales a giant breath off the island of Tonga
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Fotteyo overhangs, with golden bunches of soft corals that you can see in this picture, is a famous spot in the southern MaldivesCredit: OlegGaponyuk/UPY 2020
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This split shot of the Georgios shipwreck was taken in Saudi Arabia
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British Underwater Photographer of the Year for 2020 went to Nicholas More for his chaotic picture of Rabbit Fish in Indonesia
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A jellyfish in a lake on the tiny Pacific island of Palau
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A look under the ice in East Greenland
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Runde Island off Norway is a seasonal home to over half a million seabirds, including these northern gannets
Best Macro photo went to Hannes Klostermann for her shot of a tiny fish peaking out from a coral reef in the Cayman Islands.
Speaking on this year's entries, judge Alex Mustard said the collection was the strongest in the competition's 55-year history.
"This year every single image is worthy of your attention," he said.
"We appreciate and enjoy seeing every image we receive."
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A thorny sea horse snapped in the Philippines
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A psychedelic reef squid at night
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Best Macro photo went to Hannes Klostermann for her shot of a tiny fish peaking out from a coral reef in the Cayman Islands
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The Isles of Scilly offer underwater photographers some of the best opportunities for wide angle photography in the UK
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Uluna Lake in North Sulawesi is famous for its water lilies
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An angry-looking seahorse in the Eastern Scheldt in the Netherlands
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The Unicorn shrimp usually inhabits around 200 to 300 m deep, but they rise to about 40m due to breeding behaviour
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A small great white shark was found dead on the shores in South Africa. Reported by Lower Breede River Conservancy then recovered by Dyer Island Conservation Trust, this small, young shark was then analysed, along with the South African Shark Conservancy
Shark swallowed whole by giant Grouper fish in rare underwater video
