Photographs Promoting Overseas Biodiversity

More than 900 people entered this first edition of the contest to highlight 12 French overseas territories. This high level of participation is proof of people’s real interest in conserving and enhancing protected spaces.

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Regions notable for their wealth of biodiversity

These overseas territories are located in the three major oceans and in all latitudes of the world. Their natural heritage is exceptional. More than 80% of French biodiversity can be found there, and they have more endemic species than in all of Europe. The abundance of this biodiversity can be seen by the fact that the 12 inhabited overseas territories concerned by the contest are home to 18 natural reserves and around 60 protected areas.
Twelve prizewinners
The six members of the jury met in mid-September to select the winning photos representative of the specificity and identity of each overseas territory. Prizes were awarded to 12 photographers of the most beautiful shots taken in protected overseas natural spaces.
In addition to adding stock to Wikimedia France, these photos help to promote free knowledge, as they have all been made part of the creative commons (CC-BY-SA 4.0). The purpose: enable as many people as possible to have access to the photos for free, via the Internet.

A selection of four prizewinners is shown below.

The soft coral Annella mollis, in Mayotte’s Marine Nature Park. (CC-BY-SA-4.0 Frédéric Ducarme)

In the French Southern and Antarctic Lands, emperor penguins with their chicks on their feet, in their brood pouch. (CC-BY-SA-4.0 Ewan Tessier)

In Martinique, a vertical view of the Vauclin – Petite Grenade mangrove. (CC-BY-SA-4.0 Mickaël Bruno)

A humpback whale in the Saint-Barthélemy national Nature Reserve. (CC-BY-SA-4.0 Michel Vély)

Click here to find out the 12 prizewinners selected by territory