A former Gurkha (special forces soldier), Nirmal Purja, takes a selfie at the start of his attempt to scale the world’s 14 highest peaks in seven months to break a 31-year-old record. Nirmal Purja, known as Nims, aims to smash the current record – which stands at seven years, 11 months and 14 days – set by Polish climber Jerzy Kukuczka. On the way, he also plans to defeat at least seven speed world records on mountains over 8,000m high. (Photo by Nirmal Purja/PA Wire Press Association)

Dalmatian pelicans on Lake Kerkini in Greece captured over the space of one week (16-21 January 2023) by tour guide photographer Sean Weekly. The Dalmatian pelicans resemble the winged dinosaur pterodactyl as they swoop, splash and feed in the waters of Lake Kerkini in Greece. With wings outstretched, and colourful faces and beaks on display, the birds appear to be in paradise, with the awe-inspiring Kerkini mountains as a mesmerising backdrop. (Photo by Sean Weekly/Animal News Agency)

An aerial view of rock salt collection pool made of tarpaulin, where rock salt is obtained by collecting the natural spring water in the mountains and evaporating the water, in Kozluk District of Batman, Turkiye on August 22, 2022. The production of rock salt, passed down from generation to generation, became the sole source of income for 45 households in the village of Derince, with a population of about 400 of Batman. (Photo by Omer Yasin Ergin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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)

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia syn. Uncia uncia) is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because as of 2003, the size of the global population was estimated at 4,080-6,590 adults, of which fewer than 2,500 individuals may reproduce in the wild.

A sign reading “STOP Danger of Avalanches” blocks a local road on January 11, 2012 near Ischgl, Austria. Over the last few days heavy snowfalls have caused chaos in parts of Austria and Switzerland by blocking rail and road connections, stranding vacationers at mountain ski resorts and creating the risk of avalanches throughout the region. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)

Two women jump into a frozen pond as they compete in the Polar Plunge at Frozen Dead Guy Days in Nederland, Colorado March 14, 2015. The winter festival in the small mountain town commemorates the 1994 discovery of the corpse of Bredo Morstol, which is now housed in a shed on dry ice above the town. (Photo by Rick Wilking/Reuters)