This strange coral-looking specimen is actually a mushroom. The photo, “Beautiful Destroyer”, was taken in the Panamanian tropical rainforest where the mushroom produces nitrogen, an element vital to soil health. (Photo by Sarah A. Batterman)

A Saddle-billed Stork is seen in Amboseli National park, Kenya, February 10, 2016. (Photo by Goran Tomasevic/Reuters)

The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) has announced the winning images in its annual photography competition. The 2020 winners show the important work of zoos and aquariums at an immensely challenging time. After months of closures, these conservation organisations are reeling from the financial impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Here: Runner-up, Heart and Minds: Nifty nose, by Samantha Allworthy at Longleat. Species: prehensile tailed porcupines. (Photo by Samantha Allworthy/BIAZA 2020 Photography Competition)

Heesco, Windsor. Born and raised in Mongolia and now living and working in Melbourne, Heesco is well known for his skill in rendering photo-realistic portraits. They speak to the viewer in a way that the subtext is enjoyable to decipher. Just what is the Blue Lady’s message? The sunglasses might mask the confronting gaze but her body language fills in the gaps. Heesco’s characters often wear traditional jewellery and clothing that remind us of his Mongolian cultural heritage. (Photo by Lou Chamberlin/The Guardian)

The shortlist for the coveted Bird Photographer of the Year awards has been announced by Nature Photographers and the British Trust for Ornithology. Here: Red-billed oxpecker on an impala, Kruger National Park, South Africa. (Photo by Edmund Aylmer/BPOTY/Cover Images/The Guardian)

The Sculpture Bank (2017) by Chinese artist Mu Boyan is exhibited along the Bondi to Tamarama Coastal walk as part of the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition in Sydney, Australia, October 18, 2018. (Photo by Charlotte Curd/The Guardian)

These hilarious photos show some of nature’s mightiest animals — yawning away! (Actually – not always; AvaxNews). The images were taken by photographers across the world, from the African savannas to the Pacific Ocean. Here: Elephant Seal. (Photo by David Crocker/Caters News Agency)