“A team of expert cavers and photographers had been exploring caves in the Chongquing province of China – when they were amazed to discover the entrance to a hidden cave that was previously undiscovered. And they were stunned when they managed to enter the ginormous cave – and found that it was so large there was even a cloud inside it – a cave so large it has its own weather system. Photographer and caver Robbie Shone, from Manchester, was part of a team of 15 explorers on a month-long expedition who stumbled across the natural wonder”. – Caters News

Ko Min, 26, manually extracts oil from one of three 300 feet deep wells he works on in the Minhla township of the Magwe district October 27, 2013. Everyday, Ko Min makes around $30 extracting crude oil from three small wells after he bought rights to use them for close to $1000 from a farmer who owns the land. In Myanmar, an impoverished country rich with natural resources, people from poor communities find ways to supplement their income by exploiting such resources, such as the Minhla township, traditionally rich with oil, often using primitive and dangerous methods. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

As you look at the majestic Crater Lake, located in south-central Oregon, United States, it is hard to imagine that thousands of years ago this place was one giant crater with scorching hot lava spilling over the sides. Those were the times of turmoil. Now, however, this place is the essence of tranquility. The lake that was formed, after the volcano died down, is amazingly clear due to the fact that the water isn’t moving at all. No rivers go in or out of the Crater Lake, and the water lost through evaporation is compensated by the rain and snowfall. This lake is also frighteningly deep – 1,943 feet (592 m) at its deepest point – making it the deepest lake in the United States. If you love nature and if you ever come to Oregon, this is truly a sight to behold.

Black softshell turtle or Bostami turtle (Nilssonia nigricans), extremely rare and critically endangered species of tortoise is seen in a pond in Chittagong, Bangladesh on March 1, 2022. For decades, the breeding grounds have shrunk and their habitat has been threatened by habitat pollution. (Photo by Mohammad Shajahan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

London Zoo photo of Tammy the tree-climbing anteater who is to be given her own minder during a series of late night events at ZSL London Zoo this summer. The twelve-year-old tree-climbing anteater is famed for her friendly disposition, but with naturally poor eyesight zookeepers will be giving Tammy help to steer her past any errant feet in the free-roaming exhibit. (Photo by ZSL London Zoo/PA Wire)

P.S. 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 (if available; this principle works anywhere on the site AvaxNews)

With its huge eyes, comical name and diminutive size, Mark R. Smith’s image of a baby Hawaiian bobtail squid can’t help but raise a smile. A curiously endearing creature, the cephalopod is just 1.5cm across, its mantle cavity bearing more than a passing resemblance to a rather natty shower cap. But it is also a beautiful example of symbiosis – nature’s version of “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine” – for on the underside of the squid is a light organ which houses bioluminescent bacteria. The squid offers the bacteria protection and food, while the bacteria emit a glow – a handy trait that the squid uses to offset its silhouette, helping it to evade predators in the depths below. Mark R. Smith’s entry combines several images of a Hawaiian bobtail squid with different focus lengths to create a final picture with greater depth of field than normal. (Photo by Mark R. Smith/Wellcome Images/Macroscopic Solutions)

In this July 9, 2016 file photo, girls jump from a diving platform into the Geneva Lake and enjoy sunny and warm weather, in Villeneuve, Switzerland. After nearly 90 years, women can legally swim topless in Geneva’s lake and Rhone River without running the risk of a fine. Geneva’s regional council has voted to modify a 1929 ordinance that banned women from swimming topless in the city’s main natural waterways, though the change doesn’t apply to public swimming pools or swimming totally naked. Nicolas Bolle, an official with Geneva’s security department, on Thursday, April 6, 2017 confirmed the council’s action a day earlier. (Photo by Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP Photo)

Grand prize winner: environmental photographer of the year 2023; also 1st place in the humanity v nature category; and winner of the 2023 public award. Lopé national park, Gabon, 2021. An angry elephant tries to defend itself after it was hit by a train that crosses paths the animals use within Lopé national park. Park officials decided the elephant was too severely injured to be saved. After it was killed, the park director distributed the meat to local people. As the forest loses its carrying capacity to sustain its megafauna, this kind of human-wildlife conflict is increasing. (Photo by Jasper Doest/Environmental Photography Award)