Although we love watching the spectacular images of various wildlife photography competitions, rarely do we wonder at the stories behind each photograph? One such heartbreaking seahorse photo incident reveals the story of Californian photographer Justin Hoffman and his experience during an expedition in Indonesia. Hoffman had entered one of his photos into the 2017 wildlife photographer of the year contest with a shot of a seahorse clutching onto a Q tip with its tail.
1While on an expedition in Indonesia, the photographer came across a disturbing scene
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Justin Hoffman was leading an expedition in Indonesia in December 2016 when he came across the tiny creature. When he took the photograph and entered it in the competition, it made the finalist list but Hoffman told interviewers he wished he had never taken the photograph. Hoffman was in the vicinity of the Lesser Sunda Islands in Sumbawa, Indonesia. A colleague, in fact, had pointed out the Sea Horse which was just 1.5 inches long.
Image Source: www.natgeotv.com.au
2The sea horse was struggling for its survival
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Because of the strong wind, the creature had latched onto a piece of seagrass but soon larger pieces of sea debris and rubbish started moving through the grass. Hoffman and his crew could even smell the polluted toxic water clogged up with trash and pollution. The little creature could not hold onto the grass and let go. It ultimately latched itself onto a plastic bag before clinging onto the cotton bud.
Image Source: www.huffpost.com