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)

Hundreds of hardy swimmers across Britain braved jumping into freezing cold waters for a annual Christmas Day dip on December 25, 2017. (Photo by Dave Nelson/The Sun)

A parrot stuck on a roof for three days greeted firefighters sent to its aid on August 13, 2018 with a four-letter tirade. Jessie, the multi-lingual Macaw, flipped the bird after escaping from her owner's home in Edmonton, north London, UK. When she could not be lured down from a neighbour's roof, firefighters were called out and told to tell the bird “I love you” – to which Jessie replied “I love you back”. But she then ruffled her would-be rescuers' feathers by telling them to “f**k off” before flying off to another nearby rooftop. The foul-mouthed pet also speaks Turkish and Greek according to its owner, but had its own choice words in English for the rescue team. As Jessie wasn't injured, the firefighters, who had been called in by the RSPCA, left her on her perch. The parrot was later reunited with its owner. (Photo by Rex Features/Shutterstock)

A protester scuffles with a member of Israeli security forces during a demonstration in the east Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah, on December 17, 2021. (Photo by Ahmad Gharabli/AFP Photo)

Some Iraqi candidates for Miss Iraq beauty contest pose in front of the Ishtar Gate at the ancient archaeological site of Babylon, outside the modern city of Hilla, south of the capital Baghdad on December 17, 2015. The beauty contest, which is the first one in more than 40 years, aims to boost tourism in the city and will take place on December 19, 2015. (Photo by Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP Photo)

18-year-old Palestinian Mohammed Uleywa, who was shot in the foot about 2 years ago by Israeli soldiers and lost one of his feet in the hospital where he was taken, is seen in Gaza City, Gaza on December 13, 2020. Palestinian youth Mohammed Uleywa, who became disabled after lost one foot during the “Great March of Return” demonstrations on the border of the blockaded Gaza Strip, showed his skills in parkour on concrete blocks despite his disability. (Photo by Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Everly Base, six, sees the funny side of a TV carol-singing performance with her classmates in which her father had dared her to cross her eyes while she sang in Yate, Gloucestershire, UK on December 19, 2024. (Photo by Tom Wren/South West News Service)

“Models decorated with glow-in-the-dark paint manage to stand out in a new series of pictures shot in the dark. Its well known that capturing beautiful photos without natural light is a tricky undertaking even for the most talented photographers but Hid Saib Neto has found a way to make the most of the darkness. The 26-year-old Brazilian photographer covered the group of models in neon paint before illuminating them with just a single ultra-violet light”. – Caters News. Photo: A model wearing the neon make up. (Photo by Hid Saib Neto/Caters News)