The Malabar Giant squirrel – double the size of their grey relatives and measuring up to 36 inches (91.5 cm) from head to tail – lives deep in the forests of India. The athletic animals can leap an incredible 20 feet (6 m) between trees. Photographer Kaushik Vijayan, 39, snapped the animals in their native habit to produce these stunning images. Kaushik, from Kerala State, India, said: “Up until that point I had never heard about a squirrel like that or seen one. The sight was an absolute feast for my eyes. The squirrels fascinated me and I got excited to capture this beauty on my camera”. (Photo by Kaushik Vijayan/South West News Service)

The Rio de Janeiro Olympics kick off on August 5 for some two weeks of competitive games drawing athletes as well as audiences from around the world. As they prepare to cover the event, Reuters photographers look back on their favourite pictures from past Olympics where they captured the action on the ground as well as the participants' tears and joy that followed. (Photo by Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

The overall winner of the 2013 Red Bull Illume photography competition from Lorenz Holder. (Photo by Lorenz Holder/Red Bull)

In this January 12, 2015 photo, a wall of collectable sneakers are displayed at Sneaker Pawn in the Harlem section of New York. Basketball sneakers can re-sell for hundreds of dollars, depending on the model, the size of the production run and how easy it is to find a pair in good condition. (Photo by Seth Wenig/AP Photo)

Bronze medalist Carlos Coloma Nicolas of Spain celebrates after finishing third in the cross-country cycling mountain bike race at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, August 20, 2016. (Photo by Patrick Semansky/AP Photo)

Germany's Darja Varfolomeev competes in the individual all-around final of the Olympic qualifier 40th FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Valencia on August 26, 2023. (Photo by Jose Jordan/AFP Photo)

American Paralympic snowboarder Amy Purdy dances with a robot during the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro on September 7, 2016. (Photo by Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP Photo)

Netherland's Kitty van Male is hit in the face by Argentina's Agustina Habif during the women's quarterfinal field hockey game, August 15, 2016. (Photo by Carl de Souza/AFP Photo)