The Mount Bromo volcano erupts in the Bryce Canyon, Utah. (Photo by Reynold Dewantara/2016 National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest)

This watering hole is the social hub of the veldt; the scrubby grasslands that stretch across Namibia. The scorched earth supports sometimes fragile populations of magnificent wildlife – from endangered predators to plentiful herds of game. But these gentle giraffes and elephants need to be careful: lions don’t sleep at night, they hunt! The spectacular starscape above southern Africa is unchanged since explorers first mapped the continent. The photographer, Pietro Olivetta from Italy, said he had to be patient to capture these shots – but it was worth the wait. (Photo by Pietro Olivetta/Caters News)

A young anoa, also known as midget buffalo, named Tycoon runs around at the Zoo in Berlin, Germany, on November 9, 2012. (Photo by Maurizio Gambarini/EPA)

Play-fighting cheetah siblings at the Zimanga game reserve in South Africa in the second decade of November 2024 were spotted by Gavin Bickerton-Jones, an amateur photographer, who said: “It is a bit scary at first being so close, but also a privilege for them to let you share their space”. (Photo by Gavin Bickerton-Jones/Solent News)

A Siberian tiger gestures at the Siberian Tiger Park in Harbin, in China's northeastern Heilongjiang province, on January 6, 2023. (Photo by Hector Retamal/AFP Photo)

Frida Karlsson takes 2nd place, Therese Johaug of Norway takes 1st place, Ingvild Flugstad Oestberg of Norway takes 3rd place during the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships Women's Cross Country Classic on February 26, 2019 in Seefeld, Austria. (Photo by Lisi Niesner/Reuters)

A hyena eyes a herd of zebra at Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya, August 19, 2015. The Park is home to some of the world's most majestic wildlife including lions, rhinos, zebras and flamingos. The scenery is stunning, from forests of acacia trees to animals congregating at the shores to drink. UNESCO says that with rapid population growth nearby, the area is under "considerable threat from surrounding pressures," particularly deforestation, a contributing factor in floods. (Photo by Joe Penney/Reuters)