The world we live in is full of amazing moments that often get captured on camera. Nature surrounding us has the power to both inspire and frighten us at times. Either way, sharing these moments and taking time to witness them even though a digital photograph is an outstanding experience. For this reason, we decided to put together this collection of 60 nature photographs that showcase amazing details from the world we live in.
The Lighthouse Survivor
The picture you can see above was taken in 1999 by Jean Guichard. It shows a lighthouse called Phare dans la Tempête completely swallowed by a giant wave. Interestingly, the name of this lighthouse located on the northwest coast of France translates to “Lighthouse in a storm,” which is exactly what’s portrayed on the picture. The man standing outside the lighthouse is Theodore Malgorne, a lighthouse keeper who patiently waited for rescue while his colleagues were sitting safely inside the structure. Luckily, no one was hurt and the lighthouse itself wasn’t damaged. In fact, it still stands today!
The Crazy Racoon Attack
Imagine going camping, hearing strange noises outside your tent and going out to find this. A group of raccoons eagerly waiting to attack your shelter. What is so strange about this picture is the fact that raccoons are generally solitary mammals, meaning they don’t often hang out in groups. However, they are nocturnal animals so don’t be surprised if you stumble upon them during the night.
Besides, these little creatures are omnivores and they cannot wait to get their hands on any kind of food campers might be hiding in their tents. We’re not sure what happened next but we hope there was no serious damage made to the tent or those inside it
A Tornado Shot
This might be the coolest Facebook cover photo ever taken. The girl in the photo, named Audra Thomas, took this opportunity and had her picture taken in front of an F-1 tornado. However, she does come from Beaver City, Nebraska, where tornado’s aren’t unusual so we understand why she is so calm and peaceful in the picture.
Besides, even though the twister looks like it is coming to get her, it was actually over a mile away. Sadly, the tornado reached her family farm and destroyed their barn. Taking a photo like this is dangerous. You can only imagine how her mother would feel if she knew what her daughter was doing. Well, not in this case, since Audra’s mother, Marrilee, was the one who took this picture
Poor Piggy Fell Off the Wagon
This poor pig was trying to escape its fate and seek freedom from the slaughterhouse when it jumped out of a truck full of other pigs.
Unfortunately, we don’t know if the plan worked out but, judging by the angle at which the pig was flying down towards the concrete, things might not have ended so happily. After all, jumping out of a moving vehicle isn’t something pigs are specifically experienced at. Still, we hope this little guy survived and found his freedom.
President Theodore Roosevelt on the Back of a Moose
Sadly, we must inform you that this photo is not real, even though it looks quite cool. However, it might actually be one of the earliest examples of Photoshop and altered images used for the purpose of political advertising. This ad was created when Roosevelt was running for the presidency for the Progressive Party.
The mascot of the Party was a moose, which makes a lot of sense when you look at the photo. The photo was made by a photography firm named Underwood and Underwood where they cut a a photo of Roosevelt on a horse and placed him on a moose crossing a river. The first time the image appeared in public was in 1912 in an edition of the New York Tribune.
A "Way Too Close" Close Up Look of a Spider
If you’re scared of spiders, you should probably skip this one. The photo shows a wolf spider carrying her eggs around with her in a silky bundle on her abdomen. Most spiders usually leave their eggs until they hatch but not the wolf spider, who is considered to be the most caring of all spider mothers.
It takes 9 to 27 days for the eggs to hatch but that doesn’t mean their spider mom is going to leave them right after they hatch. In fact, the baby spiders will stay on their mother’s back until they are old enough to hunt for their own food.
Mermaid-Looking Whales
The Beluga whales have odd knees that strangely look a lot like human knees. That explains why so many sailors reported seeing mermaids for centuries, mistaking these whales for the mysterious creatures of the water.
The beluga whales live in the Arctic waters and, due to their unique anatomical traits, they are quite different from other whale species. Besides the strange human-like knees, beluga whales also have white coloring and no dorsal fin.
Poor Baby Elephant Stuck in a Hole
This adorable little elephant was stuck in a man-made hole in concrete. We’re not quite sure how it got there since it had to walk backwards to get stuck in this position but there is no doubt that this baby elephant needed some help finding its way out.
Baby elephants are truly amazing creatures. It takes them 15 to 20 years to reach adulthood and, just like humans, they do all sorts of crazy stuff while they’re young
A 28ft Crocodile in Queensland
This happens to be the only photograph in the world of the giant 28 feet crocodile that was found and killed in Queensland, Australia, back in 1957. What makes the story even more interesting is that this crocodile was hunted down by a female hunter.
Her name was Krystina Pawlowski, a Polish Immigrant who moved to Australia and became a well-known crocodile hunter. After capturing this giant monster, Krystina became popular across the nation and quickly began attracting world-wide attention.
A Desert Herd
Taken near Wadi Mitan in western Oman, there's more to this photo than meets the eye.
What at first glance looks like dark camels walking reveals itself to actually be more of an illusion upon closer investigation. See the white stripes in the sand? Those are the real camels! The larger shapes are their shadows, cast along the ground as the sun shines across the camels' backs. American photographer George Steinmetz managed to capture the exemplary photo by using a motorized paraglider which consisted of a motor, a wing, and harness for a single pilot. He had to steer the paraglider 500 feet in the air while trying to focus on the perfect shot!
The Chase in Alaska
Yes, this is a real-life photograph of a man cycling and trying to escape a bear in Alaska. Even though bears don’t attack humans often, we still fear them more than we fear snakes or bees, which are more likely to harm us than bears.
Either way, this photo taken in Alaska is quite scary. We don’t know what the poor cyclist did to anger this bear and whether he managed to escape him but we sure do hope no one was hurt in this wild situation.
The Rocky Turtle
This legendary photo shows Sylvester Stallone with his turtles. However, these aren’t ordinary turtles like any others. These turtles are over 40 years old and they took part in the 1976 Rocky movie.
Named Cuff and Link, these two turtles have recently celebrated their 44th birthday. After filming “Rocky,” Stallone decided to keep the turtles and, rumor has it that they might appear in “Creed 2.”
The Size Difference Between the Megalodon and the Great White Shark
Here is a great example of the size difference between the most dangerous sea animal of our time and the most dangerous sea animal back in the day. The Great White Shark looks like a tiny snack for a Megalodon in this comparison.
In fact, the Megalodon could reach 60 feet in length and it could bite with a force of more than 40 000 pounds. This monster is regarded as one of the largest predators that ever lived on our planet. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about Megalodons anymore, since the species died out at the end of the Pliocene era.
Australia's Spider Season
This may sound like a nightmare to most people... In Southern Australia, it rains spiders! In this bizarre phenomenon, millions of money spiders, or sheet-web weavers, are falling from the sky all across the Southern Tablelands Region.
These baby spiders travel to the highest points of trees and poles to shoot out silk strands which then carry them onto the air currents. But fear not, these spiders pose no threat to humans and should simply be marveled at.
A Wild Dingo Eating a Shark Isn't the Main Focus on This Photo
There are a few things you can see on this photo. We’re sure that the wild dingo eating a shark captured your attention right away but did you notice the two snakes making love in the front? However, these two incidents didn’t happen at the same time and the same place but they are still real.
Two photographers did a great job merging two photos to present the wildlife in Australia. If you didn’t know how snakes made love, now you learned something new. And yes, a dingo can actually eat a shark, as it is shown on the picture.
The Goat Tree
This tree full of goats is located in Morocco and it is called the Argania tree. This is actually a very rare tree that produces a tasty nut that goats can’t resist. When looking at the photo, you might think the goats are actually hiding from something down below. Well, that’s not the case because the goats weren’t in any danger after all.
They only wanted to pick the delicious products of the Argania tree, so much that they would even climb to the top of the tree to get them. Luckily, these herd animals are natural climbers and climbing trees isn’t a big challenge for them.
Bombers Flying Over an Erupting Volcano
This spectacular photo shows the Italian Mount Vesuvius erupting while B-25 bombers were flying over it in March of 1944. This photo was taken during World War II. This same volcano has erupted numerous times in history, causing disastrous consequences. It buried the roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in 79 AD and it happens to be the only European volcano that has erupted in the last several decades
The picture above shows the most recent eruption during which the U.S. army Air Force was stationed in Terzingo.
Killed By A Bear in His Own Tent
This scary photo of a bear was taken in 1996 by a camper who got attacked and mauled to death in his own tent. Michio Hoshino was a widely known nature photographer who specialized in photographing the wildlife of Alaska. Sadly, this was the last photo he had ever taken. The incident took place in Kurilshoye Lake in Russia.
The photo shows the photographer’s attacker, an angry brown bear. Interestingly, brown bears don’t usually attack humans unless they are provoked but we are not sure what caused this bear to end Hoshino’s life.
Sharing Is Caring
This adorable dog seems to love sharing with his buddies. The only thing is, his buddy is not a dog but a skunk. It seems like this dog was smart enough not to mess with this smelling mammal so he just decided to wait until he is done eating.
Who knows, maybe he had a bad experience with this animal in the past and he doesn’t want to make the same mistake again. Skunks have a unique way of keeping predators away from them, as they spray a strong smelling liquid when threatened.
The 1925 Tri-State Tornado
On March 18, 1925 the Tri-State Tornado hit Ellington, Missouri. After Missouri, it headed to the northeast. It is known for devestating many towns that were in its path.
In total this tornado killed 695 people and injured more than 2,000. These statistics make it the deadliest tornado in American history. The picture above shows the wreckage.
A Hermit Crab Found a New Home
Unlike many other sea creatures, the poor hermit crabs don’t come with their own shells for protection. Instead, they have to make homes out of items and bones they find around. This particular crab made itself a home out of a human skull
The shape of the skull makes for a perfect shelter for the crab, even though it is most likely going to move on as soon as it finds a better solution. Still, this isn’t a sight you see every day and a bigger question is, where did the skull come from?
The Weirdest Creature in Nature
Now this is something you probably haven’t seen before. This creature is called the star-nosed mole and it has a total of 22 pink spikes surrounding its nose. These odd-looking spikes are actually sensory organs called Elmer’s organs.
They can recognize temperature, touch, smells, and vibrations. This rare animals has the most sensitive sensory system of all mammals and it is most common in the northern regions of North America, especially in low and wet areas.
Mammatus Clouds
We’ve always been fascinated by clouds and different shapes you can find in the sky. This picture shows special Mammatus clouds formed over Nebraska after a tornado hit the area.
This unique cloud formation takes place when cold air meets warm air, creating a masterpiece in the sky. These clouds most commonly occur in conjunction with anvil clouds, cirrus clouds, and cumulonimbus clouds. These Mammatus clouds were first recorded in 1894 by William Clement Ley.
A Seagull Saving His Friend
Sadly, we don’t know how this situation played out put the picture shows a rather sad incident where a seagull tried to save his friend from a bald eagle
Bald eagles are some of the most dangerous predators in the United States and they are pretty vicious when it comes to hunting food. This poor seagull was the next one on the menu, even though his friend desperately tried to save his life. It doesn’t look like the eagle was affected at all, which makes us believe that this incident didn’t have such a happy ending.
A Real Life Tiger on the Set of Roar in 1981
Here is Trippi Harden from Roar on the movie set with her real life tiger in 1981. Back in the day, Roar was one of the most dangerous movies to film due to wild animals freely roaming around the set.
The picture shows Tippi Harden who starred in the movie along with her then-husband Noel Marshall. The plot of the film revolves around an American family who traveled to Africa to visit a scientist who lived with wild animals. Filming the movie wasn’t easy, as 70 crew members were hurt during the process with injuries from small scratches to broken bones.
The Only Brown Panda in the World
This adorable brown panda is the only left example of this species in the world. Qizai didn’t only suffer from loneliness but also from bullying, as other pandas didn’t accept him
Even his own mother abandoned him in a Chinese Forest but, luckily, he was found by humans and later taken to the Foping Panda Valley in China. He has been safe for years there and his caretakers are even trying to find him a mate.
An Epic Sunset
This spectacular picture has attracted world-wide attention when it surfaced on the web. It showcases stunning storm clouds spreading over the city of Moscow.
These types of clouds either signalized that a major storm was about to come or that is has just passed the area. Luckily, someone remembered to capture the image while sunlight painted a masterpiece across the clouds.
Australia Zoo Crococdile in 1996
Here is the popular crocodile hunter Steve Irwin with his wife, Terri. Steve was, however, more than just an ordinary hunter. He was also a showman, an educator, and a television personality. It was a huge shock to find out about his sudden death in 2006. Unfortunately, Steve was killed by a wild animal while filming one of his TV episodes.
The incident took place in the Batt Reef, Australia, when a stingray pierced his heart. After that, everyone remembered how Steve once said: “I have no fear of losing my life – If I have to save a koala or a crocodile or a kangaroo or a snake, mate, I will save it.”
One Hippo In Particular
Patrick Bentley, a native Zambian, has been photographing the wild animals of his home country for over two decades. This special photo, taken in South Luangwa National Park, shows just how unique nature can be
You've heard of grey hippos, and maybe even an albino one, but have you ever seen a pink one? This hippo has a condition known as leucism, which is similar to albinism but is a partial loss of pigmentation as opposed to a total lack of melanin. According to Bentley, who surveyed the scene from a small aircraft to snap this photo, the pink elephant was surprisingly treated completely normally by its traditionally-colored peers, and the condition didn't seem to affect it much at all
The "Male Organ" Snake
Believe it or not, this is a snake that got a nickname after the male organ because it kind of resembles it. Its original name is Atretochoana eiselti and it is definitely the weirdest snake in the world. Well, actually, it’s not even a snake. It is a limbless amphibian as well as the largest tetrapod that has no lungs. Its respiratory system is integrated in its skin, while the oxygen later travels through small capillaries beneath the surface of the skin
This animal was first discovered in the 19th century by Sir Graham Hales who only preserved two specimen. It was later discovered again in 2011
A Giant Manta Ray
This is possibly the largest manta ray ever captured in the world. It is 20 feet wide and weighs over 5000 lbs. Manta Rays are quite rare sea features but this specific one is probably the rarest.
They live in subtropical and tropical waters and the International Union for Conservation of Nature classified them as a vulnerable species. Even though they don’t look so vulnerable, manta rays are quite an endangered species, as their biggest threats are pollution and fishing nets.
The Unique Catacumbo Lightning
This stunning sight of a lightning can only be seen in one location on our planet. The great Catacumbo lightning only occurs above the Catacumbo River in Venezuela and it happens about 140 to 160 times a year, only at night.
This stunning lightning can be seen for up to ten hours, as it strikes more than 250 times per hour. Venezuela is the only location on Earth where this kind of a phenomenon can take place.
The Frozen Cell Tower
Believe it or not, this frozen thing on the picture is a cell tower. A severe snow storm has left this tower covered in ice. While these icicles might look stunning, they can cause a lot of damage to structures such as fences, lighthouses, or even cell phone towers
The man shown on the picture is probably a technician who had to face the difficulties of his dangerous job and clean some ice off the tower.
Lighting Above Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is another location that attracts incredible lightning shows. As one of the five Great Lakes, Lake Michigan is technically a large freshwater sea rather than a lake and it is the only one of five Great Lakes that is located entirely in the United States.
Massive thunderstorms are common occurrence around Lake Michigan, as show on the picture. The photographer who took this photo captured an amazing moment where not one but several lightning strikes hit the water.
The Weird Lens Shaped Clouds
Here is another beautiful shot of a unique cloud formation in the sky. These huge clouds can even be seen from 60 miles away and they are often mistaken for UFOs due to their oval shape.
This formation is known as the lens or lenticular clouds and it is considered one of the rarest cloud formations. No wonder someone took their camera out right away to capture this moment. These strange clouds are usually formed when air travels over a mountain that disrupts its flow.
The Coolest Blue Ice Monolith in the Antarctic
This stunning white and blue structure is actually a 50 feet ice monolith located on the Antarctic. There was a lot of fake news and rumors surrounding this image in the media, as some photographs believed this was actually a frozen tsunami wave. However, the picture shows something completely different.
This is actually an example of a phenomenon called blue ice. This ice is so thick that light passes through it and the red wave lengths get filtered out, leaving a crystal clear blue color on the surface. Ice monoliths in Antarctica usually remain frozen throughout the whole year, while a few new layers are added every winter.
The Rare Black Jaguar
The Black Jaguar is one of the rarest species on Earth and certainly one of the coolest. Back in the day, black jaguars were considered to be a whole different species from regular jaguars but today’s biologists file them all in the same category.
These animals are closely related to leopards and panthers, as they are all members of the feline family of big cats. It takes two spotted black jaguars to produce spotted black jaguar cubs, which are quite rare nowadays.
The Most Stunning Image of a Lighting Striking a Tree
We’ve already seen some cool lightning shots but none of them come close to this one. This photo was taken by Darren Pearson at the right moment when lightning struck a tree.
The photo clearly shows the electricity of the lightning traveling through the tree and into the earth. According to photographer Pearson, the shot was taken using long exposure, which allowed the camera to capture the electricity. The change of color is proof that the intensity of the electricity decreases as it hits the ground. Some, however, claim this image has been photoshopped
A Sneaky Cat
This funny photograph shows that cats might be smarter than dogs. This clever cat has found a way to hide from two dogs that were obviously chasing her. Even though Dobermans look threatening, they are actually very calm and kind dogs despite their negative reputation
They were bred in the late 1800s as guard dogs that were supposed to protects tax collectors who carried large amounts of money. They are very protective but they can also be kind and peaceful when you need them to be.
Extinct Tasmanian Tigers in 1910
This old photograph shows a Tasmanian Tiger family that is now extinct. At the moment the photo was taken in 1910, this family of tigers was located in the Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart. Also known as the Tasmanian wolf, this animal was actually neither a tiger nor a wolf itself.
It was considered to be the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world, found in Tasmania, Australia, as well as New Guinea. This was a very shy animal and a nocturnal predator. They ceased to exist in the 20th century due to hunting and disease that hit the species.
The Underwater Feast
The next photo on our list shows a crab and a couple of sea stars eating a squid carcass. While seeing a dead animal is sad, we must appreciate the circle of life and the fact that nothing goes to waste in the nature
This picture shows how dead animals become the food of the living ones, and the circle goes on. Sea stars are such cute species that it’s difficult to accept that they are actually carnivores that eat other animals such as clams, snails, and sea urchins.