SUMMARY
Michiel van Noppen's 'Tales of the Forest Keepers' has won the Fritz Pölking Prize for its depiction of the vital relationship between Baird's tapirs and the rare Jícaro Danto tree in Costa Rica. The winning image shows an adult tapir teaching a youngster to forage for the tree's fruit, highlighting a crucial symbiosis for conservation. Van Noppen used an entry-level Nikon D3100 and a Sigma wide-angle lens to capture the scene, emphasizing that impactful conservation photography doesn't require the latest equipment. The prize celebrates nature photography that tells compelling conservation stories and makes complex ecological connections visible.
TAKEAWAYS
Fritz Pölking Prize awarded for nature photography conservation stories.
Winning series documents Baird's tapirs and Jícaro Danto tree symbiosis in Costa Rica.
Photography utilized an entry-level Nikon D3100 and Sigma wide-angle lens.
The work highlights intergenerational teaching of ecological relationships.