Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse, Anglesey, Wales
At the far edge of Ynys Llanddwyn, where the land quietly gives way to sea, Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse stands watch without making a fuss. It is not tall, not flashy, but it knows its purpose—and it keeps it bright.
At the far edge of Ynys Llanddwyn, where the land quietly gives way to sea, Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse stands watch without making a fuss. It is not tall, not flashy, but it knows its purpose—and it keeps it bright.
High above the savanna in Kenya"s Masai Mara, a leopard curls up on a tree branch, napping as the grasslands glow at sunset. On International Leopard Day, observed on 3 May, we celebrate one of the world"s most adaptable big cats. Leopards roam across Africa and parts of Asia, thriving in habitats that range from forests and mountains to open savannas. Their spotted coats are unique to each individual, like fingerprints, and their powerful climbing skills allow them to stash prey high in trees, out of reach of scavengers.
May the 4th be with you! On Star Wars Day, reality cosplays as science fiction and dares you to tell the difference. Our image takes us to Ksar Ouled Soltane in Tunisia"s Tataouine district, where stacked clay granaries rise like sand‑coloured fortresses. Dating back to the 15th century, this storehouse complex was built by Berber communities to protect harvests from heat, theft and time. Function first. Beauty as a side effect.
In the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, rows of blue agave stretch across the landscape, their spiky leaves catching the light like a field of sculpted stars. This region, centred around the town of Tequila, is the birthplace of tequila, a spirit deeply tied to both land and tradition.
Located on the eastern Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria sits at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, where ancient cultures, fertile landscapes and shifting climates converge.
Stretching across the Sonoran Desert in southwestern Arizona, United States, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is a land of sharp peaks, wide skies and surprising life. The refuge was established in 1939 to protect desert bighorn sheep, whose sure-footed silhouettes still define the rugged landscape.
World Donkey Day celebrates one of humanity"s most quietly capable partners. Donkeys have worked alongside people for thousands of years, prized for their endurance, sharp memory and sure-footed confidence on rugged ground. Often mistaken for stubborn, they are actually careful thinkers—pausing to assess risk rather than rushing into trouble.
Water is the architect of Krka National Park in Croatia, shaping emerald pools and layered waterfalls along the Krka River. Today"s image highlights Skradinski Buk, the park"s most famous waterfall system, where multiple streams spill over travertine terraces in a dense forest near the village of Lozovac.
Can you picture more than 4,200 square miles of protected wilderness? That"s Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada. Established in 1907 as part of a growing network of protected landscapes in the Canadian Rockies, it was designated a national park in 1930. The park reflects both conservation efforts and much older Indigenous connections, including those of the Nakoda and Secwépemc peoples. Its terrain ranges from glacier-fed rivers and alpine meadows to dense conifer forests dominated by spruce and pine.
One of the world"s greatest natural wonders stretches through the turquoise waters of the Coral Sea off Australia"s northeast shoreline. The Great Barrier Reef, running along the coast of Queensland, is the world"s largest coral reef system. It is made up of nearly 3,000 individual reefs and hundreds of islands, spanning more than 1,400 miles.
Along the rocky coasts of the North Atlantic, Atlantic puffins make their homes in burrows and cliffside crevices. These seabirds, with their black‑and‑white plumage and colourful beaks, are classified by the IUCN as vulnerable, as overfishing and changing ocean conditions reduce the availability of their prey. Each spring, they return to breed, laying a single egg in carefully dug burrows. Remarkable swimmers, they use their wings to "fly" underwater when hunting small fish such as herring and sand eels.
In today"s image, the granite arches of the Alabama Hills frame the Milky Way over a rugged landscape in California"s eastern Sierra Nevada. Famous for its rounded boulders and weathered rock formations, this area formed when molten rock cooled deep underground around 100 million years ago. Water and wind gradually shaped the stone into the smooth shapes seen today. Visitors can explore the natural arches, hike among the rocks, capture photographs of the unique landscape, ride horses or mountain bikes and enjoy seasonal displays of wildflowers.
Perched on a tufa ridge in southern Tuscany, Italy, Pitigliano is a small town with a big personality. Its roots stretch back to Etruscan times, and the winding streets still echo the past, from medieval fortifications to Renaissance palaces. Walking through its narrow alleys, you can feel centuries of life carved into the stone, while small piazzas invite pauses for coffee or gelato. This enduring treasure is often called "Little Jerusalem" for its historic Jewish quarter, where a synagogue and historic cemetery tell stories of a once-thriving community.
Brains, brawn and a serious case of going deep—the sperm whale isn"t here for surface-level living. This Endangered Species Day, meet a giant that thinks big and dives deeper.
What do you call a place where the rocks do the climbing, and humans try to keep up? Welcome to Smith Rock State Park in Oregon, United States, where cliffs rise fast and excuses fall faster. It sits inside the 26-mile-long Crooked River Caldera, shaped by multiple volcanic eruptions. Its welded tuff cliffs are made from compressed volcanic ash that cooled under pressure. The Crooked River carved the canyon, while formations like the Spire rise over 200 metres.
How high is high enough for a great view? In the eastern United States, it doesn"t take much. Hawksbill Mountain is the highest point in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, United States, at more than 1,200 metres, showing how these older mountains rely on openness, not elevation. The park"s establishment in 1935 involved reforestation after extensive farming and logging. Today, much of that land has returned to forest, supporting mixed hardwoods, mountain laurel and rhododendron. What else? Some of the rocks found here date back over 1 billion years, among the oldest in the state. The park shelters over 200 bird species and 32 species of fish and remains dog-friendly, allowing pets in campgrounds and on most trails.
You walk into a museum, and suddenly time shifts. A fossil hints at life millions of years ago. A gemstone reflects geological change you can"t see. That sense of connection is exactly what International Museum Day, created in 1977 by the International Council of Museums, aims to celebrate.
At the Chelsea Flower Show, not every plant plays nice—some come with a bite. Meet the pitcher plants, nature"s quiet hunters, turning a garden stroll into a low-key thriller. These striking carnivores, often from the genus Sarracenia, use modified leaves shaped like tall tubes—pitchers—to lure, trap and digest insects. Nectar around the lid isn"t just sweet—it"s a little sinister, helping insects lose their footing, while downward-pointing bristles keep escape plans firmly off the table.
A soft buzz and a dusting of pollen can shape the future of our food. World Bee Day, observed each year on 20 May, celebrates pollinators like the bumble bee pictured here during its quiet yet essential work. Unlike many insects, bumble bees use "buzz pollination," vibrating their flight muscles to shake pollen from flowers—a method vital for crops such as tomatoes, peppers and blueberries.
International Tea Day celebrates a drink that connects daily rituals to ancient landscapes. Just one look at the terraced tea fields of Sichuan Province, China, shows how deep those roots run. This misty region in southwest China is one of the earliest centres of tea culture, where people drank and cultivated tea more than 2,000 years ago. On nearby Mengding Mountain, a scholar named Wu Lizhen planted some of the world"s first managed tea gardens during the Han Dynasty, laying the groundwork for generations of growers.
Observed each year on 22 May, International Day for Biological Diversity is a global reminder that life on Earth is richer—and more fragile—than it appears. Established by the United Nations, today highlights why protecting plants, animals and ecosystems matters for food, medicine, climate stability and everyday well-being.