Photo by @amivitale. The winners of the 2021 World Press Photo competition have been announced. I was shocked when I woke up thiss morning to learn that my photo "Rescue of Giraffes from Flooding Island" was awarded first place in the nature, singles category of the @worldpressphoto competition. I am incredibly grateful to the people at @savegiraffesnow for giving me the opportunity to tell this story and to @kenyawildlifeservice and #rukoconservancy for the hard work they do each and every day to restore this iconic species. A HUGE congratulations to my fellow honorees in the contest and here, the nature category @carltonward @jaime_culebras @ezra_acayan @jasperdoest & @luistatophoto. You all are doing such powerful, inspiring work and Im humbled to be mentioned in the same sentence with you all. I look forward to sharing your incredible photography on my feed this coming week. In this photo, Pasaka, a younger Rothschild’s (Nubian) giraffe, is blindfolded and rescued from Longicharo Island, in western Kenya's Lake Baringo, on a makeshift raft. Longicharo Island was once a peninsula, but rising water levels in Lake Baringo turned it into an island. The local community worked with conservationists from the @savegiraffesnow @kenyawildlifeservice and @nrt_kenya to build the barge and transport her and the other marooned animals to a sanctuary on the shores of the lake. The rains had also led to an abundance of food on the island, so edible treats could not be used to entice the giraffes onto the barge. Instead, the giraffes had to be tranquilized, which is a dangerous procedure; with their anatomy, they're at risk of choking on their own saliva, and changes in blood pressure can cause brain damage. A vet was on hand to immediately counteract the drug; the animals were then hooded and led onto the barge with guide ropes. Learn more, including how to help by following @savegiraffesnow. @thephotosociety #RukoGiraffe #protectgiraffes #DontLetThemDisappear #giraffe #giraffes #SaveGiraffesNow #SaveGiraffe #stoppoaching #kenya #northernkenya #africa #everydayafrica #photojournalism #nikon #nikonlove #nikonambassador #nikonnofilter #natureisspeaking #conservation (at Lake Baringo Kenya) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNtGzHfhEWE/?igshid=11mkbvntu59hh