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.
BASKING in smug satisfaction, a confident squirrel gives a wink to the camera .
The aurora lights captured in Blair Nebraska, America - WITH electrifying purple and illuminous green brightening up the night sky, this is the rare moment a flash of 'sprite' lightening was captured on camera .
A chipmunk, with his cheeks full to bursting, has no intention of leaving with an empty stomach .
COULD this be the most distastrous wedding cake fail EVER? Most brides opt for a traditional tiered white wedding cake decorated with delicate pink roses and lace for their big day .
WELCOME to the pretty 122-inch-tall red dwelling that lays claim to the title of the UK's smallest house .
LEAPING for joy five-feet above the waves this baby whale cutie is saying HELLO to its family after being lost .
WITH SNOW COVERING the ground around them, these two polar bears play fight .
It's incredible to think anyone could live in such horrendous squalor - yet two men have been prosecuted for keeping their homes in such revolting conditions that it was no longer fit for their animals .
A diver attempts to control rising numbers of lionfish by feeding the venomous species to Caribbean reef sharks .
An adorable little squirrel wakes from a nap and pops out his tongue for the camera .
A quiet Himalayan mountain village springs to life for a colourful Buddhist festival designed to expel evil spirits and bring happiness .
A HEIGHT-addicted airline pilot has taken pictures of the Dubai from 1,300-feet .