Is it a leaf? Is it tree bark? No, it’s the Satanic leaf-tailed gecko. Cleverly disguised as a rotting leaf, Madagascar’s camouflage king has red eyes, pointy horns and a taste for night hunting: it’s nature’s most devilish deceiver. The twisted body and veiny skin echo the detail of a dry leaf, which ensures the gecko blends in with its forest home. The mottled tail appears to have sections missing, as though it has withered over time. This mini-monster epitomises survival of the fittest, having adapted gradually to become today’s extraordinary leaf impersonator. (Photo by Thomas Marent/ARDEA)

A bride waits to take her wedding vow during a mass marriage ceremony in which, according to its organisers, 111 Muslim couples took their wedding vows, in Ahmedabad, India January 26, 2017. (Photo by Amit Dave/Reuters)

A supporter of opposition leader and governor of Santa Cruz Luis Fernando Camacho shouts slogans on a bullhorn during a protest in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, Tuesday, January 3, 2023. Prosecutors in Bolivia on Dec. 29, 2022, remanded Camacho into custody for four months while he faces terrorism charges. (Photo by Juan Karita/AP Photo)

A heat-stressed koala waits as a resident pours water on its back on December 19, 2015 in Adelaide, Australia. Adelaide is experiencing an extreme heatwave, with temperatures reaching over 40 degrees for five consecutive days. (Photo by Morne de Klerk/Getty Images)

A mural depicting Prime Minister Scott Morrison wearing an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt, orange lei and Santa Claus hat while holding a cocktail by artist Scott Marsh is seen on a wall in Sydney, Wednesday, December 25, 2019. Morrison was under pressure since taking a much criticized family vacation to Hawaii during the wildfire crisis.(Photo by Steven Saphore/AAP Images via AP Photo)

A month-old Tengmalm’s owl chick blends in with soft toys on August 8, 2024 at the Scottish Owl Centre in Whitburn, West Lothian. The chick is being raised by Trystan Williams, the centre’s head keeper, after losing its father and being abandoned by its mother. (Photo by Katielee Arrowsmith/South West News Service)

Policemen guard Poland's Supreme Court as a protester lies on the pavement in Warsaw, Poland, on Thursday, April 22, 2021. A disputed disciplinary body within Poland's Supreme Court is examining a motion that could result in the arrest of a judge who has become a symbol of the fight for an independent judiciary. (Photo by Czarek Sokolowski/AP Photo)

Zulu maidens sings and dance as they arrive for the coronation event, at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, October 29, 2022. South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa on behalf of the government formally presented a certificate of recognition to His Majesty King MisuZulu ka Zwelithini of the AmaZulu. (Photo by Themba Hadebe/AP Photo)