a California sea lion hunting for fish on a kelp paddy at Cortes Bank
a black browed albatross flying above a land filled with birds
two muskoxen standing in a scene devoid of the human touch filled with greenery
Jonathan Farrar and Marty Castro at Crater Lake in Oregon
a nighttime view of greenhouses lit bright yellow
a white and crystal blue landscape of salt flats
elephants walking through wetland, leaving trails, which become channels.
a large expanse of purple heather with the sun shining through clouds in the background
people in the mountains of Bhutan
Earth Day beautiful images of Earth picture: aurora seen from the International Space Station over Earth
a red sunset reflecting on the water with stark white ice chunks floating
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A California sea lion hunts for fish on a kelp paddy at Cortes Bank, a seamount off San Diego. It’s a trove of marine life that deserves protection, conservationists say. This photo originally published in “Why It’s Important to Save Our Seas’ Pristine Places.”
Photograph by Brian Skerry

The Most Compelling Photos of Earth

ByNational Geographic Staff
April 21, 2018

Every day, we publish online world-class photography from around the world. In honor of Earth Day, we asked our photo editors to pick their favorite images showcasing our planet's remarkable beauty and immense diversity—and the challlenges it faces.

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