People help a wounded man following an Israel airstrike in central Tehran, Iran, 15 June 2025. Israel and Iran have been exchanging fire since Israel attacked Iran on 13 June 2025 as part of operation “Rising Lion”. (Photo by Majid Khahi/EPA/EFE)

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)

An artist performs with a lion during the presentation of the new international show “Extreme arena” at the Ukrainian National Circus in Kiev, Ukraine, 15 September 2016. The show will be staged from 15 September to 11 December 2016. (Photo by Roman Pilipey/EPA)

A woman dressed as the Wizard of Oz’s Dorothy walks her dog dressed as the Cowardly Lion as they attend the annual Congressional Dog Costume Parade on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on October 27, 2021. (Photo by Jim Watson/AFP Photo)

Suadar Oyunbold, age 5 runs from a Lion Dancer in Dublin City Farm at St Anne’s Park on January 9, 2023 to mark the launch of the programme for Dublin Lunar New Year which runs from 21-29 January. (Photo by Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times)

England fans descended on Leeds on June 12, 2021 before the Three Lions begin their Euro 2020 campaign. England and Croatia meet again after their semi-final clash in the 2018 World Cup, which saw the latter going through to the final. (Photo by Nb press ltd)

Children wearing cardboard lion dance masks walk along a street in Beijing on January 13, 2023. China has announced its first overall population decline in recent years amid an aging society and plunging birthrate. (Photo by Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo)

Keeper Silvia Salvatierra, 59, is kissed by a chimp named “Jony”, 54, who was rescued from a circus, at the Lujan Zoo from where felines, including tigers and lions, will be transferred to a wildlife sanctuary in India, in Lujan, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina on April 8, 2024. (Photo by Agustin Marcarian/Reuters)