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)

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)

Up to 35% of Mongolians still live a nomadic life, depending on their land to survive. But environmental changes, particularly desertification, means this way of life is under threat. Korean photographer Daesung Lee’s Futuristic Archaeology images show billboard-size backdrops of lush steppe contrasting with actual scenery as former nomads enact scenes of hunting, herding and Mongolian wrestling. (Photo by Daesung Lee)

From left, Brazilian model Adriana Lima, British model Lily Donaldson, Brazilian model Alessandra Ambrosio, US model Taylor Hill, and US model Martha Hunt acknowledge applause during the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show inside the Grand Palais, in Paris, Wednesday, November 30, 2016. The pulse-quickening, celebrity-filled catwalk event of the year: the Victoria's Secret fashion show takes place in Paris with performances from Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. (Photo by Francois Mori/AP Photo)

Victoria's Secret Angel Martha Hunt celebrates the 2015 What Is s*xy? List in San Diego on September 26, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for Victoria's Secret)

Veterinarian William Guerra Neto (2nd R) and an assistant take measurements of two Amazonian manatees who are being rehabilitated after sustaining injuries from hunting and fishing nets at the Center of Amazonian Manatees at Amana Lake in Maraa, Amazonas state, Brazil, September 21, 2015. (Photo by Bruno Kelly/Reuters)

Underwater photographer of the year – winner. Dancing Octopus by Gabriel Barathieu (France). Location: Island of Mayotte, off the coast of south-east Africa. “Balletic and malevolent”, one judge said of this octopus, hunting in a lagoon. Barathieu waited until spring tides when there was just 30cm of water on the flats and plenty of light in the shallows. (Photo by Gabriel Barathieu/UPY2017)

Polar bears prepare to feast on the remains of a bowhead whale, harvested legally by whalers during their annual subsistence hunt, just outside the Inupiat village of Kaktovik, Alaska, USA, 10 September 2017. As climate change shrinks their natural habitat, polar bears are turning Kaktovik into their very own sanctuary city. (Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/EFE)