We’ve rounded up the year’s most stunning animal photos
Humans may be the top of the food chain, but we’d be nothing without our animals. They make our worlds an easier and better place to live in, giving us reason to pause and smile and—in some cases—serving as true companions and friends. To honour the fluffy, bumpy, lumpy, long, short, tall, and stout, we’re featuring 15 of the most amazing animal photos taken in 2019.
Endangered orangutan and its baby
In June 2019, an endangered orangutan from Kalimantan, Indonesia was successfully bred at a zoo in Yogyakarta. Here the orangutan was photographed, by Savira Aryati Batubara, with its wild-haired baby.
Here are the animals that became endangered in 2019.
Survival of the fittest
Photographer Ondrej Prosicky was quick and talented enough to capture this image of a black caiman just as its ferocious jaws clamped down on an unfortunate piranha. The image was taken in Pantanal, Brazil.
Check out more animals that live only in the Amazon rainforest.
Love-making snails
This photographer caught two entwined snails making love in a dewy garden. It’s not exactly a sexy scene, but this shot offers an incredibly fascinating view into their low-to-the-earth world.
Don’t miss these photos of the rarest animals in the world.
Nature humoured by nature
Look closely and you’ll see what this Sri Lankan leopard has its eye on: a fluttering monarch butterfly. The image was captured by photographer Ayesh Perera during a safari trip at the national sanctuary of Wilpatthu.
Beware of these animal facts that are completely wrong.
Mama lion love
This photo taken by Thomas Retterath captures a lioness and her young cub getting cuddly in Kruger National Park, South Africa. You can see their calm herd in the background.
Your heart will pitter-patter over these adorable pictures of baby animals.
Left in the dust
A beautiful white Arabian horse, photographed by Jenna Brooks, kicks up a cloud of dust in its wake as it runs through the desert in the United Arab Emirates.
You can still see wild horses in these American locales.
Juicy fruit
At first glance, it may look like an abstract painting but look closely and you’ll see that it’s actually a purple octopus enjoying a ripe watermelon half. This photo was taken in Valencia Spain by photographer Oksana Klymenko.
Don’t miss these creepy things found at the bottom of the ocean.
A happy couple
Here, a native Peruvian woman dressed in traditional garb poses happily with her handsome white llama alpaca. The image was taken in the Sacred Valley near Cusco.
Surveying their land
Three Macaque monkeys perch atop the Swayambhunath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal overlooking the city and its hills, photographed by Ivan Dunsmore. The temple is also commonly known as the “Monkey Temple,” and you can probably guess why.
Check out these weirdly fascinating facts about jellyfish.
Nature’s spotlight
An older man in Bogor West Java, Indonesia, looks up to his horse. It’s an intimate moment made more dazzling by early morning light cutting through a hazy dew.
Flamingos in the salt flats
This serene image taken by Jam Travels depicts a flock of pale pink flamingos happily feeding at a lake in Bolivia’s Uyuni Salt Flats. The blue mountains in the distance and creamy golden foreground add an element of magic. If you’ve ever wondered why flamingos are pink, the answer may surprise you.