Two three-month-old female white Bengal tiger cubs play with a zoo keeper in their enclosure at the Buenos Aires' Zoo, in Argentina, on April 17, 2014. Captive white Bengal tiger Cloe, gave birth to three cubs – two females and one male – on January 14, 2014. (Photo by Juan Mabromata/AFP Photo)

Sandra, a 29-year-old orangutan at Buenos Aires' zoo, on May 20, 2015. Sandra got cleared to leave a Buenos Aires zoo that was her home for 20 years, after a court ruled she was entitled to more desirable living conditions. (Photo by Juan Mabromata/AFP Photo)

Tiny pieces of space rocks, called meteorites, are seen burning in the atmosphere over the night sky near Salgótarján, some 109km northeast of Budapest, Hungary, 21 April 2018 (issued 22 April 2018). (Photo by Peter Komka/EPA/EFE)

Jamaica's Tissanna Hickling competes in the Women's Long Jump heats at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha on October 5, 2019. (Photo by Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

The Knights of Middle England equestrian stunt display team perform ahead of the first match on July 13, 2024. The British Beach Polo Championships, or “sand polo”, returns to the exclusive Sandbanks peninsula near Poole, Dorset. Spectators can appreciate the horsemanship, speed and gladiatorial nature of polo at the largest beach polo event in the world. (Photo by Max Willcock/Bournemouth News)

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)

A monkey licks ice during the annual “monkey buffet” in Lopburi province, some 150 kms north of Bangkok on November 24, 2013. More than 2,000 kilos of fruits and vegetables were offered to the monkeys during the annual festival to help promote tourism in the area. (Photo by Pornchai Kittiwongsakul/AFP Photo)

Muslims pray at the top of Mount Al-Noor during their Umrah Mawlid al-Nabawi “Birthday of Prophet Mohammad” in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia January 16, 2016. Muslims believe Prophet Mohammad received the first words of the Koran through Gabriel, at the top of Mount Al-Noor in the holy city of Mecca. (Photo by Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters)