The most beautiful nature photos of January
Stingrays skim across the sand, hawksbill sea turtles learn to swim and a Komodo dragon battle make up National Geographic's January photo roundup.
Buphagidae birds have a symbiotic relationship with many African ungulates, including buffalo, zebras, and giraffes. They eat ticks and other parasites, helping these animals cleanse their bodies.
In the photo, a Buphagidae bird clings to the underbelly of a giraffe to catch parasites.
Photographer Jordan Robins stumbled upon a stingray gliding across the sandy beach of Jervis Bay, Australia. "As the sun was starting to set, I took this shot. You can see both above and below the water's surface," Robins said.
A winding canyon in Utah, USA, formed after many years of erosion. Trees still grow lush along the banks of the river that flows through the canyon.
A flock of young king penguins surrounds an elephant seal on South Georgia Island in the south Atlantic. Every spring, hundreds of thousands of elephant seals migrate ashore for mating season.
The moment an arctic fox stood on the ice and looked back while searching for food was captured by a photographer. The clever fox often follows polar bears in the hope of getting some leftovers for dinner.
Three silky sharks swim in the waters of the Gardens of the Queen National Park in Cuba. The park covers about 2,200 square kilometers and is one of the most protected areas in the Caribbean.
Colorful autumn foliage surrounds Komadome Falls in Nasu, Japan. Nasu, about 193 km north of Tokyo, is famous for its beautiful autumn scenery.
Photographer Sonalini Khetrapal captured this remarkable moment of a lion named Ziggy in the Serengeti, Africa. "It was a bright sunny day, with strong winds blowing across the plains. This provided a rare opportunity to get a close-up shot of Ziggy as he calmly and alertly walked past our vehicle," Khetrapal said.
A baby hawksbill sea turtle swims underwater just minutes after hatching in the waters of Papua New Guinea. Hawksbill sea turtles are among the species threatened by human impacts.
Two male Komodo dragons fight on the beach in Komodo Island, Indonesia. They may be fighting over a female.
