Behaviour: Mammals category. Giant Gathering by Tony Wu, USA. Dozens of sperm whales mingled noisily off Sri Lanka’s northeast coast, stacked as far down as Tony could see. This was a congregation of dozens of social units, like a gathering of the clans. Aggregations like this could be a critical part of the whales’ rich social lives but are rarely reported. Some two thirds of the population was wiped out before commercial whaling was banned in 1986. This kind of major gathering could be “a sign that populations are recovering”, says Tony. (Photo by Tony Wu/Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017)

A woman reacts with flour over her face while playing a game with cake-making ingredients as part of local festivities marking Myanmar's 70th Independence Day in Yangon on January 4, 2018. The country is celebrating the 70th anniversary of its declaration of independence from British colonial rule. (Photo by Ye Aung Thu/AFP Photo)

A hippopotamus performs during a show at the circus in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Russia, July 7, 2016. (Photo by Ilya Naymushin/Reuters)

Nick Uhlig and Philipp Oettel race alongside Lukas Erlecke and Leon Freygang during the opening round of the German sidecar championship at the 58th ADAC Motocross in Schopfheim, Deutschland on June 1, 2025. (Photo by Grant Hubbs/IMAGO via Avalon)

Russia's synchronised swimming duet Aleksandr Maltsev (L) and Darina Valitova compete in the Mixed Duet Technical preliminary during the synchronised swimming competition at the 2015 FINA World Championships in Kazan on July 25, 2015. (Photo by Christophe Simon/AFP Photo)

A participant of “Bread Procession of the Saint”, takes part in the ceremony in honor of Domingo de La Calzada Saint (1019-1109) who helped poor people and pilgrimage, in Santo Domingo de La Calzada, northern Spain, Wednesday, May 11, 2016. Every year during spring season, “Las Doncellas” (White Virgins), hold on their head a basket cover with white cloth while they walk past along of this old village in honor of the saint. (Photo by Alvaro Barrientos/AP Photo)

An urban fox walks alongside the Mall in central London, Britain, November 29, 2016. (Photo by Toby Melville/Reuters)

Aspiring models wait for their turn to be judged during auditions for the upcoming Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai, India, June 30, 2016. (Photo by Shailesh Andrade/Reuters)