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NATURAL WONDERS

Adorable cuddly gorilla and a tiger catching a bird in mid-air among 2018’s greatest natural wildlife pics

Remarkable photography feature some of the most remote places on earth and some of nature's most fearsome animals including sharks, gorillas and rhinos 

FROM the depths of the African savanna to the freezing wastes of the arctic, these stunning images capture the sheer beauty of planet Earth.

The awe inspiring images have been pulled together for Caters News Agency’s Best Wildlife Pictures of 2018.

 James Gifford pictures Andre Bauma, a wildlife ranger, who works at Senkwekwe Centre in Virunga National Park, Congo, who has an incredible bond with the gorillas at the park
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James Gifford pictures Andre Bauma, a wildlife ranger, who works at Senkwekwe Centre in Virunga National Park, Congo, who has an incredible bond with the gorillas at the parkCredit: James Gifford

They feature some of the most remote places on our planet and some of nature's most fearsome predators.

One set of images, taken by Allen D Walker, show a shark bursting through a sardine bait ball off the coast of South Africa.

Dramatic pictures taken from under the water show the battle between the sharks and gannets, both picking away at the giant schools of sardines desperate to escape.

Another series of images show the strength of the bond with man and animal.

 A Siberian tiger chasing guinea fowl by Andrey Gudkov
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A Siberian tiger chasing guinea fowl by Andrey GudkovCredit: Gudkov.Andrey.
 Mark Tilley takes a selfie with the stingray in the Grand Cayman, a Caribbean island
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Mark Tilley takes a selfie with the stingray in the Grand Cayman, a Caribbean island
 Photographer Majid Al-Amri, used a drone to encapsulate the true scale of the contest as the animals charged through a desert racetrack in Al Batinah South, Oman
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Photographer Majid Al-Amri, used a drone to encapsulate the true scale of the contest as the animals charged through a desert racetrack in Al Batinah South, OmanCredit: Caters News Agency
 Shirley Kroos captured Western Lowland Gorillas Aybo, 3.5 years old and Thabo, 3 years old, playing and experimenting with each other at Rotterdam Zoo
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Shirley Kroos captured Western Lowland Gorillas Aybo, 3.5 years old and Thabo, 3 years old, playing and experimenting with each other at Rotterdam ZooCredit: Caters News Agency
 Photographer Christian Vieler, from Germany, shot the latest series of his Dogs Catching Treats In Trouble collection with hilarious results
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Photographer Christian Vieler, from Germany, shot the latest series of his Dogs Catching Treats In Trouble collection with hilarious resultsCredit: Caters News Agency
 An extremely rare white baby reindeer in Northern Norway by Mads Nordsveen
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An extremely rare white baby reindeer in Northern Norway by Mads Nordsveen
 Snow has fallen in Sneeuberg on the Western Cape of South Africa giving an unusual sight as giraffes, elephants and deer peer out from the snowy surroundings (Kitty Viljoen)
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Snow has fallen in Sneeuberg on the Western Cape of South Africa giving an unusual sight as giraffes, elephants and deer peer out from the snowy surroundings (Kitty Viljoen)Credit: Caters News Agency

Captured by James Gifford, the photos show Andre Bauma, a wildlife ranger, who works at Senkwekwe Centre in Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo and his incredible bond with the gorillas at the park.

An affectionate group of gorillas can't stop cuddling their human best friend in the series of heartwarming photographs, which show the gorillas jumping on Andre for piggyback rides.

More incredible photos show the moment a group of conservationists managed to subdue an injured rhino.

Taken by Rainer Schimpf, 51, on the Eastern Cape of South Africa, the rhino was tracked down by a conservation team using a helicopter.

 A set of squirrels have perfected the Superman pose while hopping across branches in Scotland (Pete Walkden)
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A set of squirrels have perfected the Superman pose while hopping across branches in Scotland (Pete Walkden)Credit: PeteWalkden
 A bald eagle and a red fox tussle in mid-air over a European rabbit in San Juan Island National Historical Park in Washington state (Kevin Ebi)
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A bald eagle and a red fox tussle in mid-air over a European rabbit in San Juan Island National Historical Park in Washington state (Kevin Ebi)Credit: Caters News Agency
 A double whale breach in New South Wales, Australia (John Goodridge)
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A double whale breach in New South Wales, Australia (John Goodridge)Credit: Caters News Agency
 A face appears in the waves of the stormy Canadian seas (Trevor Pottelberg)
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A face appears in the waves of the stormy Canadian seas (Trevor Pottelberg)
 A shark bursts through the baitball of sardines as the gannets feed from it (Allen D Walker)
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A shark bursts through the baitball of sardines as the gannets feed from it (Allen D Walker)Credit: Allen D. Walker
 Cheeky Ubuntu pulls his fathers hair prompting an hilarious response in Knoxville Zoo in Tennessee
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Cheeky Ubuntu pulls his fathers hair prompting an hilarious response in Knoxville Zoo in Tennessee

 

 The images show a South African rhino being located before a vet fires a tranquilliser dart to anaesthetise the beast (Rainer Schimpf)
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The images show a South African rhino being located before a vet fires a tranquilliser dart to anaesthetise the beast (Rainer Schimpf)Credit: Silke Schimpf - www. expert-tours.com
 A photographer has captured the moment a monkey and its infant recreate the famous Lion King Circle of Life scene where the mother can be seen lifting up her baby (Dafna Ben Nun)
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A photographer has captured the moment a monkey and its infant recreate the famous Lion King Circle of Life scene where the mother can be seen lifting up her baby (Dafna Ben Nun)Credit: Caters News Agency

Once safely unconscious, a team can be seen getting to work and dressing the rhino's wound as well as inserting a small microchip into the rhino's horn.

Different images show aerials of a camel race after amateur snapper Majid Al-Amri used a drone to encapsulate the true scale of the contest as the animals charged through a desert racetrack in Al Batinah South, Oman.

In the 33-year-old's breathtaking footage of the dangerous tournament, dozens of four-by-four vehicles can be seen speeding alongside the camels.

 A British shorthair cat with two tone face (Jean-Michel Labat)
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A British shorthair cat with two tone face (Jean-Michel Labat)Credit: Jean-Michel Labat/ARDEA


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