Edwin Giesbers / Close-up of the spot pattern on skin / fur of a female Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor), captive, occurs in the Caucasus, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.

Bert Willaert / Juvenile male Caucasus viper (Daboia raddei / Vipera kaznakovi), Georgia, September.

Bruno D'Amicis / Southern slope of Mount Kazbek / Mkinvartsveri and Gergeti glacier in the Khokh range under Milky Way. Greater Caucasus, Georgia, September 2010.

Bruno D'Amicis / Southern slope of Mount Kazbek/Mkinvartsveri (5,033m/16,512ft) and Gergeti glacier in the Khokh range at sunrise. Greater Caucasus, Georgia, September 2010.

Konstantin Mikhailov / West Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica) Female on rock face, Highlands of West Caucasus Mountains in the Bezengi area, Kabardino-Balkaria Republic, Kabardino-Balkarsky State Nature Reserve, Russia.

Konstantin Mikhailov / Alpine meadows with Caucasian scabious (Scabiosa caucasica) in Bezengi gorge, July, 3000m. W-C Caucasus, Kabardino-Balkarskiy nature reserve, Russia

Konstantin Mikhailov / West Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica) Female on cliff face, Highlands of West Caucasus Mountains in the Bezengi area, Kabardino-Balkaria Republic, Kabardino-Balkarsky State Nature Reserve, Russia.

Thomas Marent / Atlas Beetle (Chalcosoma caucasus) in rainforest, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Thomas Marent / Atlas Beetle (Chalcosoma caucasus) in rainforest, Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Wild Wonders of Europe / Schandy / Star trails over Mount Elbrus (5,642m) at night, Caucasus, Russia, June 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Schandy / Donguzuron mountain (4,468m) (left) and Makratau (4,269m) at sunset, seen from Mount Elbrus, Caucasus, Russia, June 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Schandy / Mount Ushba (4,710m) at sunset, just on the Georgian side of the border, seen from Elbrus, Caucasus, Russia, June 2008