A picture taken with a drone shows a painting made of flowers, titled “Summer Flower Bed”, by the artist Elita Patmalniece at Kronvalda park in Riga, Latvia, 19 July 2023. (Photo by Toms Kalnins/EPA)

A woman tries to hold an umbrella amidst gusty winds as Cyclone Michaug is expected to make landfall on the eastern Indian coast, at Foreshore Estate Beach, in Chennai, India, 03 December 2023. The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for heavy rains in Chennai as the cyclonic storm, “Cyclone Michaung” is anticipated to make landfall between Andhra Pradesh's Nellore and Machilipatnam on December 05. (Photo by Idrees Mohammed/EPA/EFE)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and these striking images of 2017 are no exception. The photo highlights include incredible snapshots of the natural world as well as some awesome animal and human encounters. The vibrant gallery also shows thrill-seekers pushing themselves to the limit with breathtaking stunts captured in perfect clarity. The pictures have been taken by a host of photographers from around the world. Here: The two lion cubs singing their hearts out at Antelope park in Zimbabwe. (Photo by David Jenkins/Caters News Agency)

A Bosnian special forces soldier returns fire 06 April 1992 downtown Sarajevo as he and civilians come under fire from Serbian snipers. The Serb extremists were shooting from the roof of a hotel at a peace demonstration of some of 30,000 people as fighting between Bosnian and Serb fighters escalated in the capital of Bosnia- Hercegovina. (Photo by Mike Persson/AFP Photo)

Naked activists take part in a protest against fur trade, called by international non profit animal rights organisation AnimaNaturalis, in Barcelona, on December 1, 2019, on the eve of the opening of the UN Climate Change Conference COP25. (Photo by Pau Barrena/AFP Photo)

Rich Paul, Simon, Tristan Thompson, Khloe Kardashian, Lucas Newton, Kendall Jenner, Justine Skye, Jordan Woods and Kylie Jenner pose for a photo as Remy Martin celebrates Tristan Thompson's Birthday at Beauty in Los Angeles on March 1, 2018. (Photo by Jerritt ClarkJerritt Clark/Getty Images for Remy Martin)

Students from Cambridge University in England make their way home along Trinity Lane after celebrating the end of the academic year at a May Ball in Trinity College on June 18, 2019. (Photo by Joe Giddens/PA Images via Getty Images)

In this photo taken Thursday January 17, 2013, sled dogs Poncho, left, and his blind brother Gonzo are hooked up for a run at the Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel, in Jefferson, N.H. Poncho has taken to helping his blind brother on regular runs. (Photo by Jim Cole/AP Photo)