Commended. In late May, about a quarter of a million snow geese arrive from North America to nest on Wrangel Island, in northeastern Russia. They form the world's largest breeding colony of snow geese. Photographer Sergey Gorshkov spent two months on the remote island photographing the unfolding dramas. Arctic foxes take advantage of the abundance of eggs, caching surplus eggs for leaner times. But a goose (here the gander) is easily a match for a fox, which must rely on speed and guile to steal eggs. “The battles were fairly equal”, notes Sergey, “and I only saw a fox succeed in grabbing an egg on a couple of occasions, despite many attempts”. Surprisingly, “the geese lacked any sense of community spirit”, he adds, “and never reacted when a fox harassed a neighboring pair nesting close by”. (Photo by Sergey Gorshkov/Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer)

Tia the springer spaniel chases after the ball as owner Monika Burton falls over in the background. The funny scene was captured by husband, Vince Burton at Wells Next The Sea, Norfolk, on Easter Monday, April 18, 2022. (Photo by Vince Burton/Animal News Agency)

A young bull flees from a Brazilian vaqueiro, or cowboy, competing in the “Pega de Boi” (Ox Catch) tournament in Cabrobo, Pernambuco State, Brazil, on September 4, 2022. The riders compete in pairs to retrieve a cord from a bull which has been released and runs away from them and they are timed on how quickly they can return with the cord. The leather clothing provides them with protection from the dense savannah vegetation which contains a lot of large thorns. Riders have been known to die competing in the tournament (Photo by Carl de Souza/AFP Photo)

A municipal worker cleans the monument of Soviet state founder Vladimir Lenin from a crane during preparations for the 153th anniversary of Lenin's birthday in St. Petersburg, Russia, 18 April 2023. The monument to Vladimir Lenin at the Moscow Square was installed in 1970. It was made according to the project of the sculptor Mikhail Anikushin and is the tallest monument to Lenin in St. Petersburg. (Photo by Anatoly Maltsev/EPA/EFE/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Eddy the badger is pictured as Nicanor goes to leave water and fruits for the animals affected by the fires, in San Buenaventura, Bolivia on November 26, 2023. (Photo by Claudia Morales/Reuters)

While many of us would pay good money for a spa mud bath, these fortunate hippos in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, have nature to thank as they take a plunge in a lagoon in the second decade of February 2024. (Photo by Dimitar Nedelchev/Solent News)

An array of colours dwarf visitors to the Rainbow Mountains in the Andes Cordillera in Peru in January 2023, which owes its colours to the minerals contained in the soil. The sulfur offers the yellow colour, iron oxide gives the red and copper sulfate is green. In total, it is made up of 14 different minerals. It was probably caused by weather and volcanic activity. (Photo by Guillaume Astruc/Naturagency/Solent News & Photo Agenc)

Doutzen Kroes heats things up as she appears in a new lingerie campaign on March 3, 2020. The Dutch-born model, 35, looks stunning as she showcases the latest looks from Hunkemoller. She features in the Dutch brand's spring-summer 2020. (Photo by Hunkemoller/The Mega Agency)