A breathtaking underwater image captured in the waters of Vava’u, Tonga, has been crowned World Nature Photo of the Year.
Queensland photographer Jono Allen received the top honour for his portrait of the rare white humpback calf named Māhina.
The striking photograph shows Māhina—whose name means “moon” in Tongan—swimming closely beside her protective mother in the crystal‑clear waters of Vava’u.
Allen reportedly said the young whale “glowed like a beam of light through the deep blue,” describing the encounter as one of the most extraordinary moments of his career.
Only one in 40,000 humpback whales is born with this level of depigmentation, making sightings exceptionally unusual and scientifically significant.
Judges praised the image for both its beauty and its emotional depth, noting how the rare calf symbolises resilience within a species that has rebounded from near‑extinction following decades of intensive whaling.
Allen’s winning image also secured gold in the Underwater category, placing him at the top of a competition that attracted entries from photographers across 51 countries and six continents.
The awards’ co‑founder, Adrian Dinsdale, said this year’s entries highlight not only the splendour of the natural world but also the importance of protecting it for future generations.
Reflecting on the encounter, Allen said sharing the water with Mãhina and her mother was deeply humbling:
“Sharing this moment with Mãhina and her protective mother is a memory that will live with me forever.”
The photograph has since become a symbol of both the power of wildlife conservation and the emotional pull of nature photography.
The World Nature Photography Awards is a global competition dedicated to showcasing the beauty, diversity, and fragility of planet Earth.
Founded on the belief that powerful imagery can inspire positive action for the environment, the awards celebrate the world’s finest nature photographers as they highlight the wonders of the natural world.
The competition attracts entries from across six continents and offers a US$1,000 grand prize for the overall winner
