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.
Going for long rides through vast fields together, this twosome share an unbreakable bond .
A BIKINI swim with jellyfish sounds like the most painful past-time on the planet .
A DETERMINED great blue heron holds on tightly to its prey as the furry gopher attempts to wriggle free .
A pair of adorable polar bear cubs play-fight with each other in the Alaskan snow .
A pair of BEAUTIFUL rescue sea turtles spot their catch in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef .
A cheeky owl fancies a game of hide and seek as it peeps out from behind a tree .
WEARING tiny Christmas accessories, these adorable babies get into the spirit of the season .
Swimming side by side with divers, these manatees will do anything they can to stay warm .
A luxury caravan with a price tag of ONE MILLION DOLLARS is due to hit the road later this year .
Full of tired and busy commuters, these underground stations are rarely admired for their architecture or beauty .
An adorable black bear cub struggles to find the perfect spot for an afternoon nap as he wriggles around on the branch of a maple tree .
