Thirsty orangutan drinks up prize in Agora’s Wild 2020 photo contest

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Overall Winner, ‘Need to drink’, Jurug Park, Indonesia. @cymot/Agora.

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Photography social network Agora’s latest contest focused on animals in wild natural environments. Indonesian photographer Wibowo Rahardjo took out the top prize with a rare look at an orangutan risking attack from predators to grab a quick drink.

“Free of rules, free of systems, free of plans. Living the present with full attention. This is what we see in the best images of the year from #Wild2020: life in its purest form,” says Agora’s CEO Octavi Royo, explaining the theme of this current competition. ‘A Family Moment’, Etosha Park, Namibia. @freeilli/Agora.

From over 9,000 submissions, a top 50 finalist list was chosen, from which a winner was decided by public vote. Rahardjo’s shot, entitled ‘Need to Drink’, won the popular vote. The image was captured in Indonesia’s Jurug Park.

“Orang-utans normally steer clear of water, in order to protect themselves from predators such as crocodiles and snakes,” says Rahardjo. “You can tell that even [as] she climbed down the tree to drink, she’s being very wary of her surroundings. It was an extraordinary and unexpected moment.”

'Sunlight', Rajshahai University campus, Bangladesh

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Other highlights from the top finalists include an incredibly perfect shot of a bird in silhouette of the setting sun. Bangladesh-based photographer Tamim Mohamed says it was a serendipitous moment, as he simply tried to take a sunset photograph when the bird appeared.

“Both the bird and the sun were trying to overcome their loneliness together,” he explains. “Actually at first my subject was the setting sun, but suddenly the bird came by and became my subject. It was a beautiful coincidence.”

'Watching', Imire Rhino Conservation, Zimbabwe

Another compelling unplanned moment came in UK photographer Kenny C’s snap of a zebra and impala crossing paths in Zimbabwe. The image highlights two wary animals eyeing each off in the wilds of Africa.

“Caution and curiosity are what I think of when I look at this picture,” the photographer says. “… even though Zebra are used to living alongside Impala’s, you can tell from this photo that they’re spooked by any such movement or noise and always on alert for any potential predators.”

Take a look through our gallery at more wonderful shots from Agora’s Wild 2020 photo contest.

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