Students dressed up as Hindu gods Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva participate in a cultural event in their school in Mumbai, India on August 21, 2019. (Photo by Indranil Mukherjee/AFP Photo)

Crocodile skin is seen at a workshop in the old Medina of Marrakesh December 13, 2014. (Photo by Youssef Boudlal/Reuters)

Adrian Reyes, representing Canada, prepares backstage before competing in the Miss International Queen pageant on June 24, 2023 in Pattaya, Thailand. Thailand hosts Miss International Queen, the largest and most prestigious international transgender beauty pageant. The pageant, held annually in Pattaya, Thailand is held takes place during Pride month. Throughout Thailand, Thai LGBTQ activists have held Pride events calling for equality and pressuring the incoming government to move forward with legislation that would allow marriage for all. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)

On February 16, 2025, Finna Indriani, a 27-year-old female jockey, showcased her skills in a specialized “sport-action” performance during the “Roda Gila” entertainment event at a traditional night market in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. (Photo by Sutanta Aditya/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

A young Muslim girl looks on as an elder helps her tie her hijab before the Eid al-Fitr prayer at Masjid Jamek Cina Muslim Klang on March 31, 2025, in Selangor, Malaysia. The mosque, inspired by the Great Mosque of Xi’an, blends Chinese and Islamic architectural influences, reflecting the nation’s rich cultural harmony. Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, is a time of prayers, family reunions, and celebration for Muslims worldwide. (Photo by Annice Lyn/Getty Images)

Shooting star by Tony Wu, US/Japan. Winner, underwater. The electrifying reproductive dance of a giant sea star. As the surrounding water filled with sperm and eggs from spawning sea stars, Wu faced several challenges. Stuck in a small, enclosed bay with only a macro lens for photographing small subjects, he backed up to squeeze the undulating sea star into his field of view. The dancing posture of spawning sea stars rising and swaying may help release eggs and sperm, or may help sweep the eggs and sperm into the currents where they fertilise together in the water. Kinko Bay, Japan. (Photo by Tony Wu/Wildlife Photographer of the Year)

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)

People and Nature category winner: Why did the sloth cross the road? by Andrew Whitworth (Osa Conservation and University of Glasgow), taken in Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. “I was driving out from the Osa Peninsula, located on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica on a dark, stormy day. This female three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) had luckily just about made it across the road, and the drivers of the Toyota on this occasion had spotted her in good time”. (Photo by Andrew Whitworth/2019 British Ecological Society Photography Competition)