The Ol Pejeta Conservancy’s final white rhino was one of the world’s most popular photos.
Matjaz Krivic, a Slovenian photographer, took the photo along with another of La Palma’s Cumbre Vieja volcano’s long-running eruption.
In 2022, Krivic won Travel Photographer of the Year with two entries.
The rhino was seen with her guardian Zachary Mutai lying on her back in the sun. As the keeper holds the rhino’s horn and eye, they are photographed.
“The portfolio of 33-year-old Najin, one of the last two Northern White rhinos, and her keeper, Zachary Mutai, in Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya, conveys this sad narrative artistically and respectfully. One judge called the photographs lovely and touching.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) protects Najin and her daughter Fatu at the conservancy to prevent extinction.
Sudan, the last male white rhino, died in 2021, highlighting the global conservation gap.
Krivic documents people and locations over time. He has shown his work in worldwide photo festivals, galleries, museums, and open-air exhibitions.
“Travel and photography have been my passion and a huge part of my life since I remember and this award inspires me to continue with the adventure,” the photographer said in an interview.
