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Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2006

A remarkable image of the mimic octopus renowned as a brilliant master of disguise has won Sydney-based photographer, Michael Aw, the underwater category in the prestigious Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2006 competition.

Michael’s stunning image is one of 92 featured in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2006 exhibition at the Australian Museum from 9 December to 18 March 2007

Now in its 42nd year, the exhibition showcases the winning and commended images from the world’s largest wildlife photography competition which attracted over 18,000 photographs from 55 countries this year.

From a shy mountain gorilla baby transfixed by his first human encounter to an eagle in full flight above the Alaskan snow – the popular exhibition showcases evocative images and incredible stories which capture the beauty, drama and diversity of the natural world.

Michael’s image ‘The great mimic’ is one of two works featured by Australian photographers, the other being 17 year old Daniel Tregeagle of Yowie Bay, NSW whose ‘Survivor’ image of a trumpet vine – an invasive alien plant threatening Australia’s native fauna – received a Highly Commended in the 15 - 17 years age category.

Michael Aw of Baulkham Hills, NSW was diving in Indonesia when he met the illusive Indo-Malayan mimic octopus. Only discovered in 1998, the octopus takes intelligence to a new level with its ability to discern which dangerous sea creature to imitate to present the greatest threat to any predator it’s confronted with.

“I spotted what I thought was a strange eel and swam with it for an hour as it hunted over the sand, assuming the movement and shape of various marine creatures – from a sole to a ray and even a sea snake,” said Michael.

“At the time when I captured the image, I am sure the animal was telling me that it was really a featherstar (crinoid). It sort of scowled at me to leave and I smiled at the very clever impersonator of the sea,“ he said.

Other highlights of the exhibition include a dramatic aerial image of northern Australia’s great Kimberleys wilderness; a group of rockhopper penguins skating across the ice; and, the powerful image of a big male leopard staring into the camera lens.

Photographers inspired by the 2006 winners will have until the end of March 2007 to submit their entries to next year’s competition. Entry forms are available from the Natural History Museum, London website - http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition is owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition is on show at the Australian Museum from 9 December 2006 to 18 March 2007.

The exhibition is FREE with general Museum entry ($10 adult, $5 child/ concession/ senior).

Human encounter

Mother mountain gorillas rarely let young babies wander out of arm's reach. But this 10-month-old was allowed to play on a bamboo stem while his mother gathered nettles in the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. He concentrated on climbing for a few metres and then 'stopped to look at me', says Suzi. 'It was like looking into the eyes of a human - an adorable moment. He seemed so vulnerable.' He and his kin are vulnerable. With just 380 in the Virunga Mountain range in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, surrounded by a sea of agriculture, and only about 320 in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, mountain gorillas are highly endangered.

Canon EOS 1D Mark II, with 70-200mm f2.8 lens; 1/200 sec at f3.2; 800 ISO.

Eagle poise

Carefully positioned at the top of an Alaskan ice slope, where the wind hit the side and created an updraft, Robert was in the perfect spot to photograph the huge bald eagles soaring overhead. 'But the wind direction kept the birds where the sun was behind them,' he says. 'Now and then, though, one would peel off and turn towards the light for a moment.' When this eagle banked, Robert zoomed in with a short telephoto lens, holding the camera vertically and filling the frame. 'The sun caught the underside of its wings, and the amazing colour and detail were revealed.'

Canon EOS 1D Mark II N with an EF70-200mm L lens; 1/1250 sec at f4; 200 ISO.

The great mimic

Diving off Banka Island, in Indonesia, Michael spotted a strange eel moving along a sandy slope. For the next hour he swam with it as it hunted over the sand, watching it assume the movement and shape of various marine creatures, including a sole, a ray and even a sea snake. What he'd met was the master of disguises, the Indo-Malayan mimic octopus - here sporting its 'normal' brown-and-white striped coat. This animal takes intelligence to a new level. It can discern which dangerous sea creature to imitate to present the greatest threat to any predator it's confronted with. Only discovered in 1998, the mimic's repertoire of hunting or hiding disguises includes hermit crabs, sand anemones, crinoids, jellyfish, sea cucumbers, blennies, jawfish and lionfish. Already a fan of octopuses, Michael has 'long since given up eating them'.

Nikon D2X with 12-24mm lens; 1/100 sec at f14; 160 ISO; Seacam housing, single S200 Ikelite strobe.

Survivor

The vegetation of the Myall Lakes National Park in New South Wales, Australia, is both fragile and unique. Daniel cycled off to explore, hoping to find some botanical treasures to photograph. But it was extremely hot and dry, and the only flowering plant he could find worth photographing was this trumpet vine scrambling over an old sheet of corrugated iron. Its apricot flowers were a beautiful contrast against the green paint, but the plant's obvious success points to a more sinister aspect: it is an invasive alien from North America - one of many threatening Australia's vulnerable flora.

Canon EOS 20D with Tamron 18-200mm f3.5-6.5 lens; 1/200 sec at f8; 800 ISO.

Leopard stare

'Strength, power, authority, even a touch of malevolence exuded from this big leopard,' says Luke, who was in Samburu National Park in Kenya specifically to see leopards. 'We had passed through a small wooded area at the end of an unsuccessful drive and looked back to see this big male watching us intently.' He was resting on a limb, after having fed on a kill that hung in the nearby tree. His mesmerizing eyes were, for Luke, 'the key' to this powerful image.

Nikon D70 with 600mm lens; 1/250 sec at f4; beanbag.