Actors dressed as Santa Claus take a refreshing bath at Bellevue Beach north of Copenhagen, Denmark, on July 24, 2018, as they take part in the World Santa Congress, an annual two-day event held every summer in Copenhagen. (Photo by Mads Claus Rasmussen/AFP Photo/Ritzau Scanpix)

A Ballet dancer prepares backstage during the final dress rehearsal for the famous Nutcracker ballet by Pyotr Tchaikovsky at the Joburg Ballet, Johannesburg, South Africa, 04 October 2018. The premiere of Nutcracker is scheduled for 05 October and the show will run for two weeks. (Photo by Kim Ludbrook/EPA/EFE)

Two hippopotamus are fed with pumpkins at the Hanoi Zoo, in Hanoi, Vietnam, 25 October 2018. The zoo has been the home for more than 800 animals of over 90 different species, including three hippopotamus, since it was built in 1976. (Photo by Luong Thai Linh/EPA/EFE)

Two life-size Victorian style dolls shocked Londoners morning December 3, 2015 as the creepy pair popped up at commuter hotspots across the capital to mark the launch of the world's first psychological theme park ride created by Derren Brown, coming to Thorpe Park Resort in 2016. (Photo by Matt Alexander/PA Wire)

Two people wearing animal costumes join others as people gather to celebrate the Winter Solstice at Stonehenge in England Tuesday December 22, 2015. The winter solstice is celebrated by many people around the world as the beginning of the return of the sun. (Photo by Ben Birchall/PA Wire via AP Photo)

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and these striking images of 2017 are no exception. The photo highlights include incredible snapshots of the natural world as well as some awesome animal and human encounters. The vibrant gallery also shows thrill-seekers pushing themselves to the limit with breathtaking stunts captured in perfect clarity. The pictures have been taken by a host of photographers from around the world. Here: The two lion cubs singing their hearts out at Antelope park in Zimbabwe. (Photo by David Jenkins/Caters News Agency)

In this May 31, 2016 photo, pieces of watermelon litter the trash area of the Coche public market in Caracas, Venezuela. Staples such as corn flour and cooking oil are subsidized, costing pennies at the strongest of two official exchange rates. But fruit and vegetables have become an unaffordable luxury for many Venezuelan families. (Photo by Fernando Llano/AP Photo)

Aerobatic pilot Sean D. Tucker flies in the two-seat Oracle Extra airplane over downtown Chicago skyline, Wednesday, June 8, 2016. Tucker will perform before the start of of the America's Cup World Series racing on Saturday and Sunday. (Photo by Kiichiro Sato/AP Photo)