5 fascinating wildlife images from National Geographic’s Pictures of the Year

A emperor penguin the bride waddles to the edge of a cliff and jumps, plummeting 50 feet to the icy water below. National Geographic captured the daring penguin dive via a drone camera, marking the first time the behavior had ever been recorded on film. A photo (see below) documenting the moment also made the magazine’s final list Pictures of the year 2024 awards.

A young emperor penguin jumps off a 50-foot cliff for its first swim. The species normally breeds on low-lying sea ice, but some colonies have been found on higher and more permanent ice shelves, a behavior likely to become more common with climate change. The chicks left by their parents a month earlier must fend for themselves and find food by hunting in the sea. (Photo by Bertie Gregory for National Geographic) — A young emperor penguin jumps off a 50-foot cliff for its first swim. The species normally breeds on low-lying sea ice, but some colonies have been found on higher and more permanent ice shelves, a behavior likely to become more common with climate change. The chicks left by their parents a month earlier must fend for themselves and find food by hunting in the sea. Photo by Bertie Gregory for National Geographic

The annual Picture of the Year list has been whittled down from 2.3 million photographs and celebrates our spectacularly diverse planet. From the impressive sand dunes of Egypt’s Western Desert to a farmer in Romania coping with a changing environment, the images bring stories to life in stunning detail. For more, visit NatGeo.com.