AS MIDNIGHT approaches in Svalbard, a younger polar bear climbs onto an iceberg and carves himself a makeshift mattress earlier than falling asleep. This serene second, capturing the essence of Earth’s fragility, was taken by Nima Sarikhani, who received this yr’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award, which is set by public vote.

Sarikhani, from the UK, spent three days looking out Norway’s Svalbard archipelago within the hope of catching a glimpse of those iconic Arctic animals. He was lastly rewarded with the sight of each an older and youthful male after his expedition vessel determined to vary course. Sarikhani seized the possibility to snap the youthful bear dozing off on the iceberg – a scene that not solely evokes the bond between an animal and its habitat, but additionally the necessity to act on world challenges like local weather change and habitat loss.

Today, the sight of a lone polar bear on melting ice is a well-recognized image of the impression of local weather change. However that’s for a superb purpose: world warming is having a very fast impact within the Arctic, which is heating up at a price triple that of the common around the globe. Amongst these hardest hit are these bears, that are more and more threatened by the discount in sea ice cowl that they depend on to hunt and lift younger.

Although his shot is meant to stir emotion in those that see it, Sarikhani is optimistic that it’ll in the end encourage hope that, with the best actions, it isn’t too late for polar bears. The picture will likely be displayed in an exhibition on the Pure Historical past Museum, London, together with the competitors’s 4 runners up, till 30 June.