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.
PERCHED on a branch, this Little Owl plays third wheel to two love birds .
EXPERTLY camouflaged, this clever panther chameleon knows how to catch its prey by surprise .
SQUABBLING over the last piece of grain, these hungry squirrels are determined to stock up on as much food as possible .
AN ARRAY of colours, from pinks to blues and oranges, fill the night sky to create an amazing collection of interstellar patterns .
A pair of BEAUTIFUL rescue sea turtles spot their catch in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef .
Jostling their quills into the noses of some unlucky cubs, this is the moment two feisty porcupines ALMOST defeat a pride of seven lions .
A diver attempts to control rising numbers of lionfish by feeding the venomous species to Caribbean reef sharks .
AN ADORABLE one-eyed kitten has been dubbed the 'pirate cat' because of his pirate-like facial expressions .
THEIR gnarling teeth at the ready, these two baboons fight it out for the last piece of fruit .
WELCOME to the 125 decibel boombox bus that could damage your hearing if you party too close to its giant speakers .
The lighthouses of Brittany, from Brest to Le Conquet, stand tall on France’s north-western coast against stunning scenery .