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UPY 2026 Smartphone - Commended
'Reef Safe Sunblock'
Billy Rolls
Working for the Maldives Manta Conservation Programme, we use photo-ID to identify individuals by the unique spot patterns on their ventral side. Beyond aiding research, I hope manta photographs like this showcase their beauty and enhance public engagement with conservation. This image was taken in Hanifaru Bay, a protected area and the best place in the world to see reef mantas. On this day, there were 15 individuals, but the bay can host over 200. Unfortunately, much of the species’ range remains unprotected, leaving reef mantas vulnerable to extinction. Targeted fishing for gill plates is the greatest threat, while climate change, unsustainable tourism, and bycatch are also driving population declines. Protecting this iconic species requires ending the gill plate trade. In 2025, progress was made with the uplisting of all Mobulid species to CITES Appendix I, a key achievement for the Manta Trust and its global network of affiliate projects.
Judge's comment: Great capture, especially with a smartphone! It's really not easy to get sun rays perfectly with "only" a phone, but Billy has managed it perfectly! The composition is great and all the fish surrounding the manta are absolutely beautiful.
Tobias Friedrich
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