A tourist train is decorated with Christmas lights in Bogotá, Colombia on December 10, 2017. (Photo by Jaime Saldarriaga/Reuters)

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 thirsty timber wolf, Lithuania, 2018. (Photo by Erikas Plucas/Alamy Stock Photo)

A dress rehearsal for the world premiere of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Luna at the Hippodrome in Birmingham, UK on October 2, 2024. (Photo by Elliott Franks/The Times)

A model poses for a photograph backstage during Moscow Fashion Week in Moscow, Russia, Monday, October 7, 2024. (Photo by Pavel Bednyakov/AP Photo)

A car is submerged in flood water at an apartment complex in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, Thursday, October 10, 2024, in Clearwater, Fla. (Photo by Mike Stewart/AP Photo)

The cheerleaders for NFL’s Arizona Cardinals warm up fans at a game against the New York Jets in Glendale, Arizona on November 10, 2024. (Photo by Joe Camporeale/Reuters)

Dozens of hot air balloons fill the sky on the second day of the 2024 International Balloon Festival (FIG) in Leon, Mexico, 16 November 2024. (Photo by Luis Ramirez/EPA)