Left : A ringed seal looks for polar bears through the crystal clear water in its breathing hole before surfacing for a breath . Without ice , ringed seals will lose a key part of their environment where they build the igloos where they rear their pups , and the series of breathing holes which allow them to evade polar bears . © Paul Nicklen
A group of gentoo and chinstrap penguins prepares to dive into Antarctica ’ s frigid waters to feed , braving icy temperatures and powerful currents in search of icefish and krill . The intertidal zone is shared by both predator and prey , and both must constantly be on high alert to survive . Life above and below the water is vastly different , and yet the two realms are inextricably linked . © Paul Nicklen
Left : Torrents of cardinal fish race by to avoid a Galapágos sea lion . The Galapágos is one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet . In January 2022 the Hermandad Marine Reserve added sixty thousand square kilometres to the islands ’ surrounding no fishing zone , adding 5.9 % to Ecuador ’ s protected ocean . © Cristina Mittermeier
PORTFOLIO MAGAZINE 47