Kristel Richard / The start of the Palio is always difficult as the nine participating Fantini (jockeys) have to be perfectly aligned behind the cord. The Palio, the oldest registered Palio in Italy, takes place on the third Sunday of September, in Asti, Piedmont, Italy, September 2009

Ingo Arndt / Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) sleeping on beach, Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands, March

Ingo Arndt / Rear view of Horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) with trail in sand, Delaware Bay, Delaware, USA, May

Ingo Arndt / Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) walking to the beach, Stromness Bay, South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Antarctic Convergence. November

Ingo Arndt / Northern elephant seal male on seashore {Mirounga angustirostris} California, USA

Ingo Arndt / Twelve Apostles rock formations Port Campell NP, New South Wales, Australia

Hougaard Malan / Pristine white beach with table mountain beyond under a clear blue sky. Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. November 2011.

Hougaard Malan / Pristine white beach with table mountain beyond under a clear blue sky. Bloubergstrand, Cape Town, South Africa. November 2011.

Doug Perrine / Female Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) defending her pup from two males, which are aggressive with each other, Molokai Island, Hawaii, USA.

Nick Upton / Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pup resting on a sandy beach, stretching and rubbing its head with its flipper, Norfolk, England, UK, January.

Gabriel Rojo / Orca (Orcinus orca) hunting sea lion pups along seashore, Peninsula Valdez, Patagonia Argentina

Gabriel Rojo / Orca (Orcinus orca) hunting sea lion pups, Peninsula Valdez, Patagonia Argentina

Jean E. Roche / Wind blowing sand across beach, causing delta patterns, Piemanson, Camargue, France, October.