CHILD SHEPHERDS OF THE SIMIEN MOUNTAINS

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.

Other great stories
AMAZING LANDSCAPES

From giant mountains to vast deserts, an American photographer spent a year capturing the diverse and beautiful landscape of the United States .

UNIQUE CAVE RESTAURANT

DINING under the stars, this restaurant takes you back in time - inside an ancient cave .

MILEY MASH-UP

HOTSPOT MEDIA - MILEY MASH-UP: MILEY CYRUS’ naked wrecking ball vid has been lampooned in this side-spitting photo-mashup .

UNDERWATER DIVERS FEED TIGER SHARKS

SOME OF the sea’s most terrifying creatures show their softer side as they join a group of diners for lunch .

HOUSEWORK-OUT

STEPFORD wives from the 1950's and 60's are performing history's most sexist exercise programme .

SPLASHING KINGFISHER

CAUSING a splash, this determined kingfisher goes hunting for dinner .

ADORABLE CHIMP SHOWS OFF GYMNASTIC SKILLS

WITHOUT a care in the world, this little chimpanzee shows off her gymnastic skills as she swings around her enclosure .

THUG FISH LOOK LIKE THEY MIGHT BATTER PHOTOGRAPHER

STARING open-mouthed into the camera, this shocked fish looks out of place in the middle of its angry friends .

CLIMBING BEAR CUB

BALANCING on top of a tree, this bear cub puts her climbing skills to the test .

FLORESCENT PLANKTON LIGHT UP AUSTRALIAN SEA

An Australian beach is illuminated by an enticing neon blue glow as a rare phenomenon lights up the water .

CAMOUFLAGED NORTHERN POTOO BIRD IS A MASTER OF DISGUISE

A northern potoo shows it is a master of disguise as it perches on a tree stump and blends into the bark .

BRAVE DIVER FEEDS SHARKS DEADLY FISH

A diver attempts to control rising numbers of lionfish by feeding the venomous species to Caribbean reef sharks .