Commended. In late May, about a quarter of a million snow geese arrive from North America to nest on Wrangel Island, in northeastern Russia. They form the world's largest breeding colony of snow geese. Photographer Sergey Gorshkov spent two months on the remote island photographing the unfolding dramas. Arctic foxes take advantage of the abundance of eggs, caching surplus eggs for leaner times. But a goose (here the gander) is easily a match for a fox, which must rely on speed and guile to steal eggs. “The battles were fairly equal”, notes Sergey, “and I only saw a fox succeed in grabbing an egg on a couple of occasions, despite many attempts”. Surprisingly, “the geese lacked any sense of community spirit”, he adds, “and never reacted when a fox harassed a neighboring pair nesting close by”. (Photo by Sergey Gorshkov/Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer)

“Old Mursi woman”. Old woman by the huts of her village. Location: Marenke, Omo valley, Ethiopia. (Photo and caption by Jorge Fernandez/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

ATTENTION! All pictures are presented in high resolution. To see Hi-Res images – just TWICE click on any picture. In other words, click small picture – opens the BIG picture. Click BIG picture – opens VERY BIG picture.

Close Encounter of the Insect Kind: “Check out the awesome face on this praying mantis. I can't get over the mouth, it's like something from a science fiction movie. Of all photographic styles macro is definitely my favorite. I am constantly amazed, in every photo that I take, by the intricate level of detail that exists on even the smallest of creatures. It's a stark reminder that a very complex and infinitely beautiful world exists just beyond our human-sized level of perception. Photo taken in Donnybrook, Queensland, Australia” – Andrew Young. (Photo by Andrew Young/National Geographic Photo Contest via The Atlantic)

Egyptians members of the “Tanoura Dance Troupe” perform during the holy month of Ramadan, at the Ghouri complex, in Islamic Cairo, Egypt, 13 April 2022. (Photo by Khaled Elfiqi/EPA/EFE)

A woman wearing a face mask to protect against the spread of COVID-19 walks past a mask clad Acrocanthosaurus display at the Witte Museum, Thursday, January 28, 2021, in San Antonio. (Photo by Eric Gay/AP Photo)

A woman looks on while a horse-drawn carriage passes by Italian artist Emilio Ferro's artwork installation “Portal of Light” at the Giza pyramids necropolis during the second edition of the Art D’Égypte exhibition “Forever is Now” on October 27, 2022. (Photo by Khaled Desouki/AFP Photo)

Honda Spanish rider Marc Marquez crashes with Aprilia Portuguese rider Miguel Oliveira during the MotoGP race of the Portuguese Grand Prix at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimao, on March 26, 2023. (Photo by Marcelo Del Pozo/Reuters)

Volunteers of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu nationalist organisation, take part in a route march on the outskirts of Chennai on April 16, 2023. (Photo by R.Satish Babu/AFP Photo)