Dubai: UAE-based wildlife enthusiast Hermis Haridas picked up an international award for his image of a Hoopoe at the Al Qudra Lakes in Dubai. The photo was taken with a Nikon Z8 camera and showcases the Hoopoe in various moments, both in flight and on the ground.

Haridas, the founder of Paws Trails and Mara Trails Camp, said: “I observed that each time it caught a prey, it flew in the same direction to a nearby tree. I spent a few days photographing this bird, and when I got home and looked over the pictures, I got the idea to photograph the bird against a background with light and dark sides to represent the dark and light sides of existence.