The 15 most amazing animal photos from 2019

Humans may be the top of the food chain, but we’d be nothing without animals. They make our world 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.

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.

A duo of blue-eyed huskies—one at ease and the other alert—prepare to pull a sled at sunset in Finland, Inari.

A young boy rests atop a herd of at-ease buffalo in Syukor Khamis Kampung, Malaysia. This photograph was taken by photographer Azami Adiputera.

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.

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.

An older Mongolian hunter poses with his open-mouthed Golden Eagle while wearing traditional garb with the Gobi Desert in the background. Eagles have incredible eyesight and are trained to become excellent hunters.

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.

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.

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.