This image of a young bareback rider was taken in the village of Palenque de San Basilio, in Colombia’s Bolívar department. Founded by freed slaves in the 17th century, it became the first free town in the Americas, following a decree by the Spanish crown. Most of today’s inhabitants are direct descendants of those slaves and have preserved many of their customs, including their own language, Palenquero. (Photo by Sebastián Suki Beláustegui/The Guardian)

Behaviour: Mammals category. Giant Gathering by Tony Wu, USA. Dozens of sperm whales mingled noisily off Sri Lanka’s northeast coast, stacked as far down as Tony could see. This was a congregation of dozens of social units, like a gathering of the clans. Aggregations like this could be a critical part of the whales’ rich social lives but are rarely reported. Some two thirds of the population was wiped out before commercial whaling was banned in 1986. This kind of major gathering could be “a sign that populations are recovering”, says Tony. (Photo by Tony Wu/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017)

Bride Katty Malang Mikunug with friends, takes a photo before the wedding on October 21, 2017 in Saguiaran in Lanao del Sur, southern Philippines. Paulo Mamayo Ambor, 22, a resident of Marawi who got displaced by the fighting between government troops and IS-inspired militants, weds Katty Malang Mikunug, 22, a resident of an adjacent town in Saguiaran. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte declared Marawi liberated, following the death of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon and one of the Maute brothers, Omar Maute, after nearly five months of fierce urban battle inside the besieged city. The fighting started May 23, and left more than 1,000 people dead, whilst displacing at least 400,000 people. (Photo by Jes Aznar/Getty Images)

Rescuers attempt attempt to push stranded whales back into the ocean at Ujong Kareng beach in Aceh province, Indonesia, Monday, November 13, 2017. An official said a small pod of whales was stranded at the beach and attracted hundreds of onlookers who posed for pictures with them. (Photo by AP Photo/Zulkarnaini)

Enthusiasts gathered at Cad East in Snowdonia National Park, England to take pictures of F-15 Eagle fighters as they completed the Mach Loop, November 2017. (Photo by Caters News Agency)

A mahout guards the elephants during the annual Vrischikolsavam festival, which features a colourful procession of decorated elephants along with drum concerts, at a temple in Kochi, India, November 18, 2017. (Photo by Sivaram V/Reuters)

A Philippine Airlines A300 Airbus plane lies near the service road of a highway south of Manila after it overshot the runway, September 19, 1987 in Manila upon landing from Singapore. Nobody was injured among 135 passengers and crewmen on board. (Photo by Bullit Marquez/AP Photo)

The Olaf balloon glides over Central Park West during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, Thursday, November 23, 2017. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade is the largest parade in the world and has been held since 1924. (Photo by Craig Ruttle/AP Photo)