A Japanese girl participates in a calligraphy contest to the celebrate the New Year in Tokyo January 5, 2015. Over 3,000 calligraphers, having qualified in country wide competitions throughout Japan, took part in the annual contest to celebrate the new year. (Photo by Issei Kato/Reuters)

A worker adds gunpowder into paper cylinders to make fireworks at a factory in Bocaue town, Bulacan province, Philippines, December 26, 2015. (Photo by Romeo Ranoco/Reuters)

Gurung girls wearing traditional costumes dance while taking part in a New Year parade in Kathmandu, Nepal December 30, 2015. Members of the Gurung community in Nepal celebrate their Tamu Lhosar or Losar (New Year) with a feast and various cultural programs to usher in the year of the Monkey. (Photo by Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters)

Festive decorations and illumination lights for the upcoming New Year and Christmas season are unveiled in Minsk, Belarus on December 15 , 2019. (Photo by Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters)

New Year's Eve fireworks display illuminates the sky over the Dom Tower on January 01, 2012 in Utrecht, Netherlands. The Dom tower is with 112.5 metres high the tallest church tower of the Netherlands. Built in Gothic-style, the tower, part of the Cathedral of Saint Martin, is the symbol of the city of Utrecht. (Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)

Fireworks light up the skyline over Sydney Harbour during the midnight fireworks session as Sydney Celebrates New Year's Eve with the theme of “Time To Dream” on on January 1, 2012 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

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)