Image of Koala caught in the Australian bushfires named finalist in international competition

The stark image of a koala gripping onto the last bit of greenery in bushland ravaged by bushfire has an Australian photographer named in an international photography competition.

Straddling a cherry picker to capture the devastation – and survivors – left behind by the bushfires, Australian photographer Doug Gimesy took this stark image of a koala clinging to the remnants of bushland.

Mr Gimesy, 57, from Brighton, Victoria, said he was given access to this scene by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning in Gippsland.

“I was covering the bushfires in Victoria and this image was taken hand held from a cherry picker which was being used by Forest and Wildlife officers to assess and collect koalas after fires went through Gelantipy,” he said.

The photo, A Koala’s Eye View, was chosen from 6500 entries to be a finalist in the 2020 BigPicture Natural World Photography Competition’s Human/Nature category.

Photographer Jak Wonderly’s submission, titled The Cost of Cats, won the Human/Nature category in the competition. Picture: Jak Wonderly/BigPicture Competition

Photographer Edwin Giesbers’ submission, titled A Sticky Situation, which won the Landscapes, Waterscapes and Flora category. Picture: Edwin Giesbers/BigPicture Competition

The competition – which aims to celebrate and illustrate “the rich diversity of life on Earth, and inspiring action to protect and conserve it” – is in its seventh year.

Mr Gimesy was also a finalist in 2015, 2016 and 2019.

Photographer Piotr Naskrecki’s submission, titled Pind Skim, which won the Winged Life category in the competition. Picture: Piotr Naskrecki/BigPicture Competition

“This image was possible because of the generous assistance by DELWP (Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning) Gippsland, as well as the support to spend time in the field and cover these bushfires, from International League of Conservation Photographers ILCP, Wildlife Victoria and Environment Victoria – thank you,” he said on social media.

Photographer Ami Vitale’s submission, titled Guardians of the Giraffes, which won the Photo Story category in the competition. Picture: Ami Vitale/BigPicture Competition

Photographer Juan Jesús González Ahumada’s submission, titled A River Gone Awry, which was named the Art of Nature category winner in the competition. Picture: Juan Jesús González Ahumada/BigPicture Competition

Photographer Andy Parkinson was awarded overall grand prize for his picture of a hare enduring the chilly temperatures – called Hare Ball – in Tomatin, Scotland.

Photographer Andy Parkinson’s submission, titled Shelter in Place, was awarded the Grand Prize in the competition. Picture: Andy Parkinson/BigPicture Competition

Photographer Agorastos Papatsanis’ submission, titled Mushroom Magic, which was named a Landscapes, Waterscapes and Flora finalist in the competition. Picture: Agorastos Papatsanis/BigPicture Competition

Australia’s beauty was also captured in Brazilian photographer Paula Vianna’s submission of pink whip rays riding a small-eyed ray in the Great Barrier Reef.

Posted by Paula Vianna on Tuesday, 5 May 2020

Other category winners include Greg Lecoeur in Aquatic Life, Yi Liu in Terrestrial Wildlife, Piotr Naskrecki in Winged Life; Edwin Giesbers in Landscapes, Waterscapes, and Flora; Juan Jesús González Ahumada in Art of Nature; Jak Wonderly in Human/Nature and Ami Vitale in Photo Story: Coexistence.

Photographer Talib Almarri’s submission, titled Hippo Huddle, which was named a Terrestrial Wildlife finalist in the competition. Picture: Talib Almarri/BigPicture Competition

Photographer Gunther De Bruyne’s submission, titled Snack Attack, which was named a Human/Nature category finalist in the competition. Picture: Gunther De Bruyne/BigPicture Competition