An orphaned reticulated giraffe nuzzles Sarara Camp wildlife keeper Lekupania. Photo / Ami Vitale
An orphaned reticulated giraffe nuzzles Sarara Camp wildlife keeper Lekupania. Photo / Ami Vitale
Covid-19's impact has been devastating: lives lost; economic and financial stress; mental and physical health. They have all taken a turn for the worse as humanity comes to grip with a global pandemic the likes of which hasn't been seen for a century.
But it's not just humans that are bearing the brunt of this disease. The slow-down in economies worldwide has devastated conservation efforts and driven desperate people to poaching and deforestation.
Chinstrap and gentoo penguins were resting on a bergy bit near Danco Island, Antarctica. Photo / David Doubilet
"We no longer have time to wait," says National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale. "We believe that by coming together, we can make an immediate impact and leave a lasting legacy."
The We is a collective of like-minded, award-winning photographers. The impact is Print for Wildlife, a project to raise money for Conservation International, a charity that has spent the last 30 or so years fighting to protect nature for people.
Bison at National Elk Refuge, Jackson, Wyoming. Photo / Charlie Hamilton-James
"I have been working with over 85 of the world's top fine art and nature photographers and many underrepresented, emerging talent who work to protect people, wildlife and the environment," says Vitale.
Humpback Whale and her calf swimming in Tonga Vava'u. Photo / Michaela Skovranova
"They have generously agreed to donate images for a special, one of a kind print sale to benefit conservation. This is an independent initiative by some of the most impactful names in the photography industry including Joel Sartore, Jimmy Chin, Beverly Joubert, Aaron Huey, Acacia Johnson, Anand Varma, Annie Griffiths, Bertie Gregory, Brent Stirton, Charlie Hamilton James, David Doubilet, Danielle Zalcman, David Liittschwager, Jasper Doest, Katie Orlinsky, Keith Ladzinski, Kirsten Luce, Jody Macdonald, Melissa Farlow, Michael Yamashita, Randy Olson, Vince Musi and so many unbelievably talented photographers who you will want to know."
A critically endangered sumatran orangutan, Pongo abelii, at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas. Photo / Joel Sartore
The names may not be familiar, but the images will be from international photographic awards like World Press Photo, Sony World Photographic and the Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year, and more.
Rajan, an Asian elephant that was brought to the Andaman Islands in the 1950s to help extract timber from the jungles. Photo / Jody MacDonald
From now until December 10, these incredible wildlife photographs are available for purchase with all net proceeds going to Conservation International. There are 104 images to choose from: the hard part will be choosing which ones to choose.
"Nature has sent us a strong message and reminded us of just how small and deeply interconnected our world is. It is a powerful moment to reimagine our relationship to nature and to one other," Vitale says.
This image was taken for the first ever National Geographic wild cougar story. Photo / Steve Winter
"We need to take care of this planet and to protect existing habitats. Our own health and destiny are intricately connected to the natural world and impacted by the loss of species. When we see ourselves as part of the landscape and part of nature, then we recognise that saving nature is really about saving ourselves. "
