A manatee and its calf drift underwater in Hunter Springs, Florida.
An algal bloom in the area had caused a decline in the eelgrass beds that provide them with food, but the local community restored the habitat, resulting in more manatees being recorded than ever before.
The photo taken by Dr Jason Gulley, who is also a geologist, is among several highly commended in this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
The competition’s winning photographs will be announced on 8 October, followed by an exhibition at the Natural History Museum, showcasing 100 photographs.
Scroll down to hear more from Jason and see some of the other highly commended photographs.
Sea cow success story
Jason told the BBC in an interview that he doesn’t normally take photos for competitions.
Manatees are large aquatic mammals commonly known as sea cows.
All three manatee species are listed as vulnerable to extinction due to a variety of threats including boat collisions, hunting and habitat destruction.
“The first time I got into the water with manatees, I saw them being super playful with each other. They were curious and inquisitive,” he said.
“There was one manatee that became super curious about me, and he would leave the other group of manatees and walk on his flippers, and he’d get about halfway towards me and then run back to the group on his flippers.
“A couple of minutes later, he’d come just a little bit closer and then go back, and it just reminded me of experiences like at a dog park.”
“I’ve never seen photographs that capture this behaviour,” Jason said. “I went in to get a few pictures for a project on environmental impacts and conservation, but I got obsessed.”
The post Manatee mummy and calf charm wildlife photo judges first appeared on EnviroLink Network.