As Alankritha photographed the Red Panda curled up in deep slumber, a hundred questions raced through her mind. The image is a scene of serenity, in stark contrast to the many threats that besiege this endangered species. Habitat loss and fragmentation, feral dogs, and occasional poaching incidents continue to threaten their existence. The young photographer puts it best, "Will the Red Panda wake up to a brighter tomorrow?"

By Alankritha Kalingarayar.

Yes, this is a pretty image with the tiger's stripes standing out in the middle of the purple water hyacinth flowers. But these invasive plants are notorious for displacing native plant species within water bodies while reducing oxygen levels. As seen in the image, even protected areas like national parks and tiger reserves are not immune to their impacts.
 
By Sanjay Nair.

A female Purple Sunbird prepares to take off from the edge of a curved coconut frond, creating the illusion that her tiny body is heavy enough to bend the leaf and use it as a launchpad to throw her into the lightness of flight.

By KM Anand.

If you ever decide to capture serenity in one frame, here it is! Whooper Swans need ample space and spend a lot of their time swimming and foraging for food. But don't be fooled by the calmness that the image exuberates. These large birds are equally boisterous.

By Lakshitha Karunarathna.

The winter wonderland is vastly different from what the Sika Deer ideally prefers: forest areas with dense understories. Nevertheless, the image is striking for several reasons—the thick blanket of snow that turns everything it touches to white and a lone deer gently seated on what looks like soft pillowy snow.

By Philippe Ricordel.

This high-contrast, half-and-half image of an American Crocodile in an archipelago in southern Cuba captures the reptile in its element. Massimo spent days with a bask of crocodiles near a mangrove forest to study the currents, the light in the region, the water clarity and for the perfect opportunity to shoot a close-up against the backdrop of a blazing sun.

By Massimo Giorgetta.

In Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, the Maya jungle is undergoing massive deforestation, forcing its endangered apex predator, the Jaguar, to move into human settlements.

By Fernando Constantino Martinez Belmar.

Barn Owls on window sills, inside abandoned buildings, chimneys or even in a mall! We have seen them all. The most widespread land bird species does not take its title lightly. But here, the bird seems to be seeking refuge in a rather unusual location. The camera trap image shows a Barn Owl flying into an abandoned Mumbai Police van. Well, if you are looking for a safe habitat!
 
By Kapil Sharma & Yogendra Satam.

While it's often difficult to decode a conflict situation, one thing is for sure—fear fuels it from both ends. On spotting a tigress resting near the paddy fields, the villagers of Borsola near Orang Tiger Reserve panicked and began pelting stones at the felid. They also set fire to dry paddy, further agitating the animal. While the tigress ran amok, so did the people trying to flee the area. One villager tried to confront the animal and was inflicted with minor injuries. The tigress eventually retreated into the forest. The image portrays the ground realities of human-tiger conflict and emphasises the need for empowering local communities to manage these situations.

By Nejib Ahmed.

The salt pans of the Little Rann of Kutch play host to a diverse range of fauna. A growing feral dog population in the region has become a significant cause for concern, as portrayed in this image of two dogs attacking an Indian Crested Porcupine. It is also a potent reminder that feral dogs are not selective and affect wildlife across species.
 
By Kapil Sharma & Yogendra Satam.

Sandeep captured the flick of an Anamalai Pit Viper's tongue using the rear curtain sync mode, whereby the flash is fired at the end of the exposure, thereby capturing the complete motion trail. Pit vipers stick out their tongue to collect scents, and when drawn back in, it comes in contact with the Jacobson's organ on the roof of the mouth, helping in smell detection.

By Sandeep Das.

At the start of the monsoon, as the first rains lash down on scorched earth, winged termites or alates emerge in huge numbers, with the singular purpose of breeding in what is known as the nuptial flight. Bright lights confuse the navigational systems of most animals, and it is common to see swarms of alates flying around street lamps. Anirban chanced upon a termite swarm near the local petrol bunk when suddenly a Black Drongo swooped into feast on the termites. The whole thing was over in 15-20 minutes. The winged termites vanished, and so did the drongo.
 
By Anirban Dutta.

Look up images of hyenas hunting and you will most likely find scenes of a pack feeding on carcasses of animals like antelopes, wildebeest or even lions! Yep, a pack of hyenas can take on some large animals. But here, a Spotted Hyena has climbed on top of a termite hill, to make the most of what was available. What can we say? Some days you fight, and some days you termite!

By Mangesh R Desai.

A Black-spotted Porcupine Fish uses a Giant Barrel Sponge as a harbour away from the current. The swirling effect is created by spinning the camera while exposing and using strobe lights to freeze parts of the frame.

By Magnus Lundgren.

Elephants are a common sight along the river and in the paddy fields of Sri Lanka's north-central province. The farmers are happy to allow these gentle giants to enter their paddy fields after harvest. But they do everything possible to chase away the pachyderms during the crop season. This aerial shot of a massive tusker beautifully captures its larger shadow against the riverbank decorated with the footprints of his herd.

By Lalith Ekanayake.

A bird's eye view of a wetland shows a large colony of flamingos shaped almost like a heart as it charges back and forth in a tight-knit formation—a courtship dance known as marching. Alongside the busy flamboyance are quickly accumulating algal populations that rob aquatic life of precious oxygen.

By Raj Mohan T.

Here's how it works in the world of the Grey-headed Swamphen. When breeding groups encounter an intruder in their territory, the first displays of threat include raising wings, bending down and flapping tails. If that doesn't work, then it's time to be a bit more dramatic. The opponents fly at each other feet-first and peck their way to victory.

By Karthikeyan Ponnambalamoorthy.

When male Stream Rubies engage in a territorial battle, it’s hard to discern if they are fighting or dancing. The damselflies hardly touch each other, moving instead in a synchronous manner as they try to oust their rival in a battle of strength. The fight goes on until one of the two accepts defeat and, well, buzzes off. The rapid movements of the damselflies are hard to freeze on camera, making this a picture-perfect action frame!

By Ripan Biswas.

The beauty of snow-clad rooftops and backyards with just a hint of fox in the midst of it all. The Red Fox sure seems in its element in the suburbs of London, exemplifying the canid's ability to adapt to a diverse range of habitats. From mountains to forests to people's backyards, for the Red Fox home is many things.

By Tapas Biswas.

The Caribbean Reef Shark is an impressive and fast hunter. With the help of a long shutter speed, two underwater strobes and some speedy camera movement, the photographer created this breathtaking portrait of the dynamic apex predator. Sharks are a protected species in the Bahamian reefs, like in many other parts of the world's oceans, yet 80-100 million sharks get killed every year. A strong market demand for shark fins is the main driver. In order for shark conservation to be a success, Magnus believes that there needs to be an understanding that living sharks hold a greater value than dead ones.

By Magnus Lundgren.

The Sri Lanka Junglefowl is an endemic species that is a common sight across the island nation. A stunning burnt orange plumage with dark streaks, and an iridescent, glossy black tail, junglefowls are a sight for sore eyes. This close-up photograph of its wing is a confounding play of colors, almost hypnotizing, if not for a certain photobombing winged friend.

By Ashane Marasinghe.

Monitor Lizards will eat almost anything. Fish, insects, birds, crabs, snakes—you name it! They even scale trees to raid nests or capture squirrels. But it's not every day that you find a giant lizard holding a Lesser-whistling Duck by its neck. Lesser-whistling Ducks are known to build nests in tree cavities and on the branches of large trees. Sometimes, even high up on a tree is just not high enough!

By Ratheesh Rajan.

A quick fix or a cry for help? For the people of Parvathipuram, wild elephants are a common sight. Coexisting with them for about a decade, the villagers have come up with their own systems to not get in the way of the gentle giants. There are hundreds of houses in the region and no street lights, which makes it difficult to navigate the landscape especially at night time. To avoid encounters they use fire torches to signal their presence. The image represents how we often overlook the importance of infrastructure in conflict-prone areas.

By Sanjay Kothapalli.

A Bagworm Moth caterpillar builds a protective shell with the resources it has around it. Normally, this would include twigs, leaves and other natural debris. But here, the caterpillar has turned to plastic waste. The image highlights how rampant plastic pollution is and why it is crucial that we address the issue.

By Amith Kiran Menezes.

The camera trap image portrays the peaceful coexistence of leopards with humans in Mumbai’s Aarey Colony. The felids reside in the adjacent Sanjay Gandhi National Park and often visit the neighboring areas in search of prey. Here, a lactating leopardess is seeking refuge from the rains in an abandoned house located within a village of the Warli community.

By Kapil Sharma.

The Horned Desert Viper or Saharan Horned Viper is one of the most commonly seen snakes in the North African and Middle Eastern deserts. This stunning silhouette against the city lights illustrates the signature 'horns' of the reptile, its most distinguishing feature. The so-called horns are a single scale present above each eye.

By Kai Kolodziej.

A critically endangered chelonian, the Black Softshell Turtle has found an unlikely home in the temple ponds of Cooch Behar, West Bengal. Find out how this turtle is surviving in this urban landscape.

By Ripan Biswas.

Fill in the blank. When the bats are out to feed, the hawks are out to…..? Jomtup observed the bats leaving their caves every evening in order to feed. Around the same time, the hawks would emerge to capture their prey—the bats. Being opportunistic feeders, hawks eat everything from rodents, small birds, and insects to bats!

By Jomtup Charoenlapnumchai.

If you think about it, it's quite a conundrum for sea snakes. These marine serpents are surrounded by their prey, but in a world of coral reefs, rock crevices, and quick maneuvers, to make an actual catch requires additional skills. Sea snakes are highly venomous and let their bite do most of the work. Here, a Striped Sea Snake latches onto its catch, making for rare documentation of the reptile in action in the open sea.

By Joshua Barton.