This week's wildlife photography roundup captures stunning moments from around the globe, including the critically endangered mountain bongo, the beloved Thames seal Marmalade, and many other creatures in their natural habitats.
Mountain Bongos and Marmalade the Seal
Some of the world's few remaining mountain bongos were photographed in Nanyuki, Kenya. These critically endangered antelopes number only about 80 in the wild. Meanwhile, Marmalade the seal, a female harbour seal known for her orange-tinged coat and playful appearances in the Thames near Greenwich, was captured in what may be her last photo. She was reported deceased by the River Thames seal watch earlier this week.
Primate Encounters
In China's Wuyishan National Park, Tibetan macaques were spotted cuddling their babies. The park has seen a rise in wild Tibetan macaque numbers due to stronger ecological protection measures. Gibbons were also photographed playing in Cat Tien National Park, southern Vietnam.
Birds of Many Feathers
A park-keeper fed inquisitive pelicans in St James's Park, London. A little owl kept a wary eye on the photographer at Manyas Bird Paradise National Park in Turkey. A dalmatian pelican scooped up a fish at the same park. A striking black-rumped flameback woodpecker perched on a tree in Assam, India. A crested ibis nurtured its chicks near Hanzhong City, central China. Flamingos turned the world pink in Navi Mumbai, India. Ospreys built a nest on floodlights at a car racing track in Indiana, US.
Insects and Mammals
Spindle ermine caterpillars swarmed while making their silky web in a south London back garden. Two marmots were photographed in the mountains of south-western France. Bears rescued from captivity explored their new home in Urtsadzor, Armenia. An alligator lurked in the Everglades National Park, Florida. A hippopotamus swam in a lake in Puerto Triunfo, Colombia, descended from Pablo Escobar's private zoo. Southern white rhinos walked through the Mount Kenya wildlife conservancy. Wild horses were seen by a lake in northern Iraq.
Human-Wildlife Interaction
A soldier of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery shepherded a mallard and her ducklings out of the line of fire during a royal salute in Hyde Park, London. Well-waterproofed preschoolers watched the transfer of young sea trout into the Stockholm Stream, Sweden, to boost biodiversity.
