Braden Smith, Nam (Green sea turtles, Raine Island) (AERIAL 2027)

For thousands of years, green turtles have returned to the remote shores of Raine Island, guided by an ancient instinct to the very place where their own lives began. Two turtles rest among a labyrinth of tracks, each one a testament to an extraordinary journey repeated across countless generations. These sands have witnessed millions of beginnings, a cycle of life that has endured for millennia. But the world beyond these shores is changing. Rising temperatures, shifting seas and an uncertain climate threaten a ritual older than human memory. Somewhere beneath this sand, the next generation is waiting. Tiny lives that will soon disappear into the vast ocean, carrying an instinct to one day return. Decades from now, when they find their way home, will the island that gave them life still be there to welcome them?

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