Members of the staff wait for the start of the maiden press conference for China's all-girl “boyband” FFC-Acrush in Beijing, China April 28, 2017. Picture taken April, 28, 2017. (Photo by Damir Sagolj/Reuters)

A balloon dips into Bald Eagle lake during the 36th Annual Hot Air Balloon Rodeo in Steamboat Springs, Colorado on July 9, 2017. (Photo by Jason Connolly/AFP Photo)

“Derby”, Kentucky Gallahue's goldendoodle, of Point Loma, sporting a mohawk haircut and sunglasses, leaps off the surfboard during the 2018 Imperial Beach Surf Dog Competition next to the Imperial Beach Pier in San Diego, California on July 28, 2018. (Photo by Howard Lipin/San Diego Union-Tribune via ZUMA Press/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Jan Agha, 49, an Afghan hunter, tries to catch his crane at a field in Bagram, Parwan province, Afghanistan on April 10, 2019. As the early morning light breaks over the plain north of Kabul, bird hunter Jan Agha checks his snares as he has done for the past 30 years, hoping to catch a crane, using a tethered bird to lure others down to the nets. (Photo by Mohammad Ismail/Reuters)

Two brown bear cubs born at Whipsnade Zoo. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images). 1970

Men at work at the Cardiff Institute, making huge baskets, unique in size and construction, for loading oil cake in South Africa. (Photo by Maeers/Getty Images). 1938

The endangered antipodean albatross, which is often caught in fishing nets, won most first-choice votes out of the more than 55,000 votes cast during the 2020 New Zealand’s bird of the year competition. (Photo by Wildestanimal/Getty Images)

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)