UPY 2025

UPY  Save our Seas Foundation Marine Conservation - Commended
'Entangled Sea Lion'
Henley Spiers

A California sea lion pup roars with apparent frustration as it suffers from a painful entanglement with fishing line around its neck. Thankfully, it was eventually freed by Rescate De Lobos Marinos, a Mexican NGO devoted to disentangling pinnipeds.
This image was realised during an assignment to cover the life and threats facing Mexico’s population of sea lions. I joined a rescue mission to better understand and document the threats faced by the sea lions, and the people devoted to helping them.
Young pinnipeds are especially vulnerable to entanglement: as the sea lion continues to grow, the fishing line around their neck acts like a cheese cutter. It took multiple visits and considerable manpower to free this pup, but in the face of a declining population, each disentangled sea lion gains in importance as it can resume its role as a reproductive member of the colony.

Judge's comment: Pointless pain but as, the back story reveals, a positive outcome thanks to dedicated conservation efforts. One life saved and left to reproduce for years to come. Out of pain comes positivity.

Peter Rowlands