CARRYING a fully grown goat on his back, this five-year-old boy is a child shepherd in the mountains of northern Ethiopia. Away from modern civilization, children living in the Simien Mountains spend their gruelling days herding, or carrying, animals and walking miles through the rocky terrain. From the age of five these children are responsible for goats and sheep in the highlands and when they do rest, the boys and girls are schooled in classrooms made from mud, rocks and wood. German photographer Mario Gerth trekked 3,000 metres up the Ethiopian mountain range to visit this group of Tigray people and their hardy children and witness their unorthodox lifestyle.
As sunlight cascades through its vibrant stained glass windows, every inch of the Nasir-ol-Mulk Mosque bursts with colour .
A trio of ants are locked in a tug of war over a fly as they pull the bug by its legs .
DIPPING his head into the vase of water, this little squirrel takes a refreshing break from an afternoon of eating .
A carefree bear cub reclines in the water with his feet raised in the air .
NEVER mind being careful not to choke on your food, this mother bird has a bigger challenge on her hands, as her ravenous offspring impatiently launches its head down into her stomach .
SURROUNDED by a snowstorm, these young polar bears battle the elements - as well as each other .
An Australian explorer has travelled the globe with a toy pig, known as Travel Piggy, in search of a missing cuddly companion .
SWIMMING in unison, millions of silverside fish dwarf the divers .
A grey whale and her calf greet an audience of awestruck admirers on the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico .
THIS is the incredible moment a pelican throws a fish into the air and SLAM DUNKS it into its enormous throat sack .
NOT YOUR everyday selfie, this plucky diver poses with some of the scariest predators in the ocean .
Like a scene from a fairytale, THOUSANDS of fireflies create an enchanting glow as they dance in a forest .