Veronica Sorley, The Skeleton Coast (LANDSCAPE & ENVIRONMENT 2026)

Off the coast of Namibia, the wildlife and many an industry are struggling to live harmoniously side by side. The coastal line homes over 1 million Cape Fur Seals, one of which is seen in the photo. Depending on who's opinion you gather will depend on the success of the wildlife's outcome. They face threats from abandoned fishing nets, plastic waste, overfishing and industrial activities like deep-sea and phosphate mining. If you ask the locals many will tell you that the seals are overpopulated and are doing themselves harm by having such catastrophic numbers and are struggling to find food due to overpopulation. The struggles of the Natural and Industrial Environments of the Skeleton Coast will continue until there is a conscious effort to decide which deserves preservation unless they can find a way to coincide.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.