15 of the most gorgeous wildlife photos you've ever seen

The shortlisted (top 10) and commended (top 50) photographers for all categories of the 2017 Sony World Photography Awards have been announced.

Being as it is the world’s largest photography competition – 227,596 images by photographers from 49 different countries were entered into several professional and amateur categories this year – the photos that made the cut have to be truly exceptional.

We think these photos from the Open Wildlife category, all of which were taken by amateur photographers, prove that point.

Israeli photographer Bar Kaufman captured this image of two baboons in Ethiopia. (Photo: Bar Kaufman/Sony World Photography Awards)

Swedish photographer Andreas Hemb's photo of cape buffaloes taken at Zimanga Private Game Reserve, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa. (Photo: Andreas Hemb/Sony World Photography Awards)

Iceland is the setting of this image made by American photographer Jassen Todorov. (Photo: Jassen Todorov/Sony World Photography Awards)

Japanese photographer Natsumi Handa captured a killer whale breaching off the northern coast of Hokkaido, Japan. (Photo: Natsumi Handa/Sony World Photography Awards)

Australian photographer Matty Smith's photo of a tiny hawksbill turtle as it swam out to sea moments after hatching at Lissenung Island, Papua New Guinea. (Photo: Matty Smith/Sony World Photography Awards)

Czech photographer Jan Knot was commended for this photo of a pelican fiercely flapping in the water. (Photo: Jan Knot/Sony World Photography Awards)

Norwegian photographer Øyvind Pedersen captured thousands of guillemots in flight at Hornøya Bird Cliff, Northern Norway. (Photo: Øyvind Pedersen/Sony World Photography Awards)

Swiss photographer Jan Ryser's picture of a black rhinoceros was made in Etosha National Park, Namibia. (Photo: Jan Ryser/Sony World Photography Awards)

Israel's Hula Valley is known for its birds, and Israeli photographer Gal Gross doesn't fail to capture their beauty in this photo of cranes at sunrise. (Photo: Gal Gross/Sony World Photography Awards)

If you look closely enough you can spot an anteater under the stars in this photo from Brazilian photographer Marcio Cabral. (Photo: Marcio Cabral/Sony World Photography Awards)

Russian photographer Anastasiia Usoltceva captured these two wild monkeys at the walls of the monastery on Mount Popa, Myanmar. (Photo: Anastasiia Usoltceva/Sony World Photography Awards)

Augusto Amor Garcia, of Spain, was commended for this image of an owl. (Photo: Augusto Amor Garcia/Sony World Photography Awards)

Indian photographer Sonalini Khetrapal's stunning photo of wildebeest crossing the Mara River. (Photo: Sonalini Khetrapal/Sony World Photography Awards)

Alessandra Meniconzi of Switzerland captured these flamingos in the shallow waters of Walvis Bay, Namibia. (Photo: Alessandra Meniconzi/Sony World Photography Awards)