Michele Westmorland / Snorkeler swimming with harmless Jellyfish (Mastigias papua etpisonii), Jellyfish Lake, Rock Islands, Palau, Micronesia.

Michele Westmorland / Schooling fish around healthy reef system, Castle Rock, Komodo National Park, Indonesia.

Floris van Breugel / Staghorn corals (Acropora) on the coast of tropical island Ofu, one of the Manu'a islands, American Samoa. 2012.

Floris van Breugel / Turquoise waters of the lagoon along Ofu's National Park beach, American Samoa. January 2012.

Floris van Breugel / Sprouting Coconut palm on stony beach on the south shore of Tutuila, American Samoa. January 2012.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Black-browed Albatross (Thalassarche melanophris) in flight low over ocean near Maquarie Island, Australia. November.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) swimming underwater near Macquarie Island, Sub-Antarctic, Australia. November.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Male Hooker's / New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) in water, Campbell Island, New Zealand, sub Antarctic Islands. November.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Shy Albatross (Thalassarche cauta) in flight, Auckland Islands, New Zealand. November.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Snares island penguins (Eudyptes robustus) swimming underwater, Snares Island, New Zealand, vulnerable species. November.

Steven Kazlowski / Killer whale (Orcinus orca) large pod with one male approaching, in Kenai Fjords National Park, Chiswell Islands National Marine Sanctuary, South Central Alaska, USA

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) diving underwater near Macquarie Island, Sub-Antarctica, Australia. Highly commended, GDT competition 2012.

Kirkendall-Spring / Sunset over West and Middle Anacapa Islands, view from Inspiration Point on East Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California, USA, April 2011.

Inaki Relanzon / Whitsunday Islands, aerial view, Great Barrier Coral Reef, Queensland, Australia, October 2011.

Inaki Relanzon / Whitsunday Islands, aerial view, Great Barrier Coral Reef, Queensland, Australia, October 2011.

Inaki Relanzon / Whitsunday Islands, aerial view with hydroplane landing, Great Barrier Coral Reef, Queensland, Australia, October 2011.

Todd Mintz / Galapagos sealion underwater (Zalophus californianus wollebaeki) Galapagos Islands, Pacific Ocean, November

Doug Perrine / Hawaiian / Gray's / Long-Snouted Spinner Dolphins (Stenella longirostris longirostris) with mother and young calf. Keauhou, Kona, Hawaii, Central Pacific Ocean.

Rob Tilley / Pipiwai Trail through Bamboo (Poaceae) forest. Maui, Hawaii, February.

Rob Tilley / Rainbow Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.) bark detail. Maui, Hawaii, February.

Rob Tilley / King Protea (Protea cynaroides) bud close-up detail. Maui, Hawaii, February.

Rob Tilley / Agave (Agave sp.) leaf close-up detail. Maui, Hawaii, February.

Rob Tilley / Aphelandra (Acanthus sp) flowering. Oahu, Hawaii, February.

Frederique Olivier / Young girl paddling dugout canoe, Peava village, Solomon Islands, Melanesia, September 2008.

Brent Stephenson / Flying Fish (possibly Cheilopogon suttoni) skimming across sea surface. Between the Tuamotus and Marquesas, French Polynesia, Pacific Ocean, October.

Juergen Freund / Outrigger boat in Big Lagoon, with its karst limestone cliffs, emerald waters and shallow coral reefs in the white sand. North Palawan, Philippines, May 2009.

Juergen Freund / Men dancing in a Tatanua Masks, an image of the soul of the deceased. When a person dies, by Malagan tradition people dance in the shallow waters to try to drive evil spirits or taboos of the dead awa...

Juergen Freund / Split level of a small island outcrops with a single tree and coral reefs underwater. Sabah, Malaysia, June 2009.

Juergen Freund / A fisherman who lost his arm dynamite fishing. Palawan, Phillipines, May 2009.

Juergen Freund / Silhouette of karst limestone outcrop and Coconut trees (Cocos nucifera) of Entalula Island at sunset. El Nido, Northern Palawan, May 2009.

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of Schumann Island in Kimbe Bay. West New Britain, Papua New Guinea, October 2008.

Juergen Freund / A young Bajau woman with burak (face makeup), a paste made from pounded rice and tumeric which also serves as a natural sunblock. Wearing burak signifies the young lady is single and available for mar...

Juergen Freund / Bajau boys playing on a rope swing hung high up in two tall coconut trees. Sibuan Island, Malaysia, June 2009.

Juergen Freund / Young Indonesian boy posing with two freshly-caught fish. Kei Islands, Moluccas, Indonesia, November 2009.

Juergen Freund / A young Bajau woman with burak (face makeup) looking at herself in a scrap of mirror. Burak is a paste made from pounded rice and tumeric and also serves as a natural sunblock. Wearing burak signifies...

Juergen Freund / Sibuan Island where some Bajau Laut sea gypsies relocated and settled on land. Malaysia, June 2009.

Juergen Freund / Island children playing in the sea after school. They spend the whole time there until it gets dark and are called home for dinner. M'buke Island, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, June 2010.

Juergen Freund / Rangers catching a Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) for tagging and release, Tetepare Island reserve, Solomon Islands, July 2010

Juergen Freund / Split level of coral reef and island showing bleaching of shallow corals caused by temperature rise, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea June 2010.

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of an island community living amongst mangroves. Outrigger boats are parked in the shallows and drying racks are found in each house for drying of various marine animals possibly like shar...

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of a tourist development at a new island resort, Philippines, April 2010.

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of coral cays and white sand bars surrounding Bugsuk Island, Farm 1 of Jewelmer pearl farm. This private island has been highly protected since the 1970's and is in pristine environmental...

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of coral cays and white sand bars surrounding Bugsuk Island, Farm 1 of Jewelmer pearl farm. This private island has been highly protected since the 1970's and is in pristine environmental...

Juergen Freund / Manta rays (Manta birostris) at cleaning station being cleaned by wrasses, Moluccas Islands, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of island with steep limestone cliffs, birds' nests amongst the caves are highly protected or guarded for their commercial value in the Chinese market, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009.

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of private tropical island surrounded by a white sandy beach and coral reefs, note helipad on end of pier, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009.

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of a coastal island with white sand beaches, Palawan, Philippines, May 2009.

Juergen Freund / Harvested logs from Kolombangara Forest Products Limited, a certified Forest Stewardship Council timber plantation, Solomon Islands, July 2010.

Juergen Freund / Tingo Leve of WWF Solomon Islands' Melanesia Programme carrying out an annual reef check survey of Tetepare Island reefs, Solomon Islands, July 2010

Juergen Freund / Coleman shrimp (Periclimenes colemani) on a Fire urchin (Asthenosoma varium) Moluccas Islands, Indonesia.

Juergen Freund / Coral reefs exposed by the April 2nd 2007 earthquake that lifted the island of Ranongga by 3m, Solomon Islands, Pacific, July 2010.

Juergen Freund / Coral reefs exposed by the April 2nd 2007 earthquake that lifted the island of Ranongga by 3m, Solomon Islands, Pacific, July 2010.

Juergen Freund / Coral reefs exposed by the April 2nd 2007 earthquake that lifted the island of Ranongga by 3m, Solomon Islands, Pacific, July 2010

Birgitte Wilms / Mantis Shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus), Solomon Islands

Matthew Maran / Dramatic seas crashing onto a rocky shore. The Broken Group Islands from The Wild Pacific Trail, Ucluelet, West coast of Vancouver Island, Canada, September 2010.

Juergen Freund / Fruit bats (Megachiroptera) flying out from the island where they roost during the day. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Split-level shot of coral reef and island with snorkeller swimming underwater. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010. Model released.

Juergen Freund / Karst limestone formations rising out of the sea. Sunmalelen area, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010

Juergen Freund / Bungalows of Misool Eco Resort as night falls. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010.

Juergen Freund / Split-level shot of coral reef and island. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010

Juergen Freund / Split-level shot of Black tip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) patrolling the shallows. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010.

Juergen Freund / Very old human skulls on a ledge in the karst limestone walls of a Raja Ampat island. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Bungalows of Misool Eco Resort as night falls. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010

Juergen Freund / West Papuan fishermen in their outrigger houseboat over the shallow reef. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Local fishermen capturing a sea turtle for food, Kei islands, Moluccas, Indonesia, November 2009

Juergen Freund / Split-level shot of Black tip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) patrolling the shallows. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010

Juergen Freund / Young woman in "tree" yoga pose, looking out to sea. Daram Island, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010.

Juergen Freund / Small, tree-covered islet. This is a karst limestone formation with layers eaten away by water. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / West Papuan fishermen in their outrigger boat. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) just below surface in flat calm waters. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010.

Juergen Freund / Baby green turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchling in the shallows of the beach, swimming out to sea. Anano Island, Wakatobi, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, November

Juergen Freund / Baby green turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchling in the shallows of the beach, swimming out to sea. Anano Island, Wakatobi, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, November.

Juergen Freund / Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) at surface in flat calm waters. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) just below surface in flat calm water. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / West Papuan house on stilts in coral reef shallows. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010.

Juergen Freund / Pod of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) just below sea surface in flat calm waters. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) just below sea surface in flat calm water. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Hard brain coral (Platygyra sp) half covered with a pink algae, Moluccas Islands, Indo-pacific

Juergen Freund / Melanesian child, Marova Lagoon, New Georgia Islands, Solomon Islands, Melanesia, Pacific Ocean, July 2010 . NOT AVAILABLE FOR MAGAZINE USE IN GERMAN-SPEAKING COUNTRIES UNTIL 1ST JULY 2013.

Juergen Freund / Melanesian children of Marovo Lagoon, New Georgia Islands, Solomon Islands, Melanesia, Pacific Ocean, July 2010

Juergen Freund / Anthea Melsen smiles shyly as she comes out of the water after looking at her grandfather's coral and clam gardens, Onma Lodge, Kolombangara, Western Province, Solomon Islands, July 2010

Juergen Freund / Cultured corals are propagated by cutting fragments of corals from mother colonies or brood stock. These coral pieces are attached to concrete mounts until they grow into a new colony, Onma Lodge, Kol...

Juergen Freund / Erik Koti holds some of his coral pieces. Cultured corals are propagated by cutting fragments of corals from mother colonies or brood stock. These coral pieces are attached to concrete mounts until it...

Juergen Freund / Umbrella and other human waste thrown out into the coastal waters, settling on the ground becoming marine life habitat, Moluccas Islands, Indonesia, December 2009

Juergen Freund / Oceanic sunfish (Mola mola) with bannerfish and angelfish cleaning it. Taken at 42 meters. Nusa Penida, Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia,

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of Raja Ampat's islands, sand cays and lagoons. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Aerial view of Raja Ampat's islands, sand cays and lagoons. Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Split-level shot of Fan coral (Gorgonacea) in the shallows with boat shilouetted against the sunset in the background. North Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, February 2010

Juergen Freund / Split-level shot of old coral reef destroyed by dynamite fishing. New corals are not able to colonise the rubble. Misool, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia, January 2010

Juergen Freund / Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) underwater. Kei islands, Indonesia, November

Brent Stephenson / The fallen Moai at Ahu Hanga Tetenga with the coastline in the background. Hanga Tetenga, Easter Island, October 2009.

Brent Stephenson / Atoll Fruit-dove (Ptilinopus coralensis) perched on a branch. Takapoto, Tuamotus, French Polynesia, November.

Brent Stephenson / Sooty Tern (Onychoprion / Sterna fuscatus) seen from below in flight. Mauipihaa (Mopelia), French Polynesia, November.

Brent Stephenson / White / Fairy Tern (Gygis alba) in flight against a blue sky. Motu Omai, Rangiroa Atoll, Tuamotus, French Polynesia, November.

Pete Oxford / Galapagos garden eels (Heteroconger / Taenioconger klausewitzi) on seabed, Galapagos Islands

Oriol Alamany / Moai face at the restored archaeological site of Ahu Ko Te Riku in Tahai Ceremonial Center in Hanga Roa, Easter Island (Pascua or Rapa Nui), Unesco World Heritage Site, November 2004