Whether it’s a Seychelles Magpie Robin fiercely attacking a centipede, a school of young fish driven ashore by currents and pounced on by a flock of Lesser Noddys, a shark trapped in plastic, or a hatchling’s eye-view as it heads to the ocean, nature photographs can shock, amaze, and inspire action.
Yesterday was World Photography Day, a day to celebrate the art of capturing life through a lens.
For conservationists, photography combines science and storytelling, creating a strong link between people and nature. At Nature Seychelles, we know that one image can show change, highlight success, and inspire action in ways that words alone cannot.
We have used photography to document wildlife at Cousin Island Special Reserve and our conservation efforts at various sites. We use visual storytelling to connect the public, students, and decision-makers with the natural world. In classrooms and community presentations, photographs help make science feel real and approachable.
Striking wildlife photos and stunning landscapes boost ecotourism (Photo - Hugo Bret Photography)
We have learnt that photos show the incredible beauty of Seychelles and the people working to protect it, while also capturing the harsh realities of environmental challenges like habitat destruction, pollution, poaching, and the impacts of climate change. Photos of coral bleaching illustrate what is at stake; on the other hand, images of restored reefs motivate us, showing what is achievable when we take action. Striking wildlife photos and stunning landscapes boost ecotourism.
Thanks to our recent partnership with Canon, which provided us with cameras, we can continue to take high-quality images for conservation.
Photography as evidence
Conservation has always depended on evidence, and photos offer a permanent record, capturing what was there, what happened, and how things change over time. This type of evidence is crucial for conservation, especially when monitoring species and ecosystems. Environmental organizations around the world use photographs to identify species, monitor endangered animals with camera traps, and create detailed maps of habitats. In coral reef research, overlapping pictures are combined to make 3D models, allowing scientists to assess the growth, structure, and recovery of reefs.
On Cousin Island, we set up camera traps at Seychelles Magpie and turtle nests to track the behaviour of these species. Each photo adds to a larger story about their health. This also applies to our coral reef restoration project. By photographing coral fragments in our underwater and land nurseries and after they are planted back on the reef, we can clearly show progress and change. In our upcoming coral spawning lab, we will focus on capturing imagery and hope to document corals in their early life stages, such as the release of gametes, fertilization, and the settling of new polyps in great detail.
Photos show the incredible beauty of Seychelles, while also capturing the harsh realities of environmental challenges (Photo - Hugo Bret Photography)
Drone photography is also allowing us to reach locations that were once hard to access. For wetlands, drones help us survey and map their extent and health, revealing changes that might not be visible from the ground. These detailed maps aid in managing these vital areas more effectively. On Cousin Island, we use drones for monitoring turtles and surveillance in the marine protected area.
The rise of digital photography has opened opportunities for citizen science. Both amateur and professional photographers now contribute to scientific research by sharing their photos along with details like location and time. This creates a valuable resource for researchers. Nature photography is also used for fundraising, with images featured in campaigns to attract donations and support for conservation efforts. Additionally, many photographers donate their photos to help non-profit organizations in their missions.