PHOTOS: AP photographers capture stunning scenes of nature and wildlife in 2024
An adult periodical cicada sheds its nymphal skin on May 11, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
PHOTO: Carolyn Kaster
A pure-bred Siamese crocodile hatchling pokes its head out of its shell at Phnom Tamao in Cambodia's Takeo Province, on July 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)
PHOTO: Anton L. Delgado
A pair of bald eagles call out while resting on a tree next to Union Bay, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
PHOTO: Lindsey Wasson
Two giraffes roam around Nairobi National Park, on the outskirts of Nairobi, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
PHOTO: Brian Inganga
A Chinkara gazelle fawn rests in the plumage of a peacock at an animal rescue center on a hot summer day in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India, Thursday, May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Dinesh Gupta)
PHOTO: Dinesh Gupta
Anteaters play on the grounds of the non-profit wildlife park Selva Teneek where animals are being treated for heat stress amid a continuing heat wave and drought, in Ciudad Valles, Mexico, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mauricio Palos)
PHOTO: Mauricio Palos
Deer rut in the early morning fog in Bushy Park, south west London, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
PHOTO: ALASTAIR GRANT
An animal runs through grass while fleeing flames as the Park Fire tears through the Cohasset community in Butte County, Calif., on July 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
PHOTO: NOAH BERGER
Deer cross a road in the Taunus forest in Wehrheim near Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
PHOTO: Michael Probst
A municipal worker shows owlets rescued from a fallen tree after a powerful storm in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Risto Bozovic)
PHOTO: Risto Bozovic
An insect hovers near flowers decorating the area around the holy remains of Saint Dimitrie Bassarabov, the patron saint of the Romanian capital, at the end of a religious procession in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
PHOTO: Andreea Alexandru
A polar bear and a cub search for scraps in a large pile of bowhead whale bones left from the village's subsistence hunting at the end of an unused airstrip near the village of Kaktovik, Alaska, on Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
PHOTO: Lindsey Wasson
An adult periodical cicada sheds its nymphal skin on May 11, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
PHOTO: Carolyn Kaster
A pure-bred Siamese crocodile hatchling pokes its head out of its shell at Phnom Tamao in Cambodia's Takeo Province, on July 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)
PHOTO: Anton L. Delgado
A pair of bald eagles call out while resting on a tree next to Union Bay, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
PHOTO: Lindsey Wasson
Two giraffes roam around Nairobi National Park, on the outskirts of Nairobi, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
PHOTO: Brian Inganga
A Chinkara gazelle fawn rests in the plumage of a peacock at an animal rescue center on a hot summer day in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India, Thursday, May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Dinesh Gupta)
PHOTO: Dinesh Gupta
Anteaters play on the grounds of the non-profit wildlife park Selva Teneek where animals are being treated for heat stress amid a continuing heat wave and drought, in Ciudad Valles, Mexico, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mauricio Palos)
PHOTO: Mauricio Palos
Deer rut in the early morning fog in Bushy Park, south west London, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
PHOTO: ALASTAIR GRANT
An animal runs through grass while fleeing flames as the Park Fire tears through the Cohasset community in Butte County, Calif., on July 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
PHOTO: NOAH BERGER
Deer cross a road in the Taunus forest in Wehrheim near Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
PHOTO: Michael Probst
A municipal worker shows owlets rescued from a fallen tree after a powerful storm in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Risto Bozovic)
PHOTO: Risto Bozovic
An insect hovers near flowers decorating the area around the holy remains of Saint Dimitrie Bassarabov, the patron saint of the Romanian capital, at the end of a religious procession in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
PHOTO: Andreea Alexandru
A polar bear and a cub search for scraps in a large pile of bowhead whale bones left from the village's subsistence hunting at the end of an unused airstrip near the village of Kaktovik, Alaska, on Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
PHOTO: Lindsey Wasson
An adult periodical cicada sheds its nymphal skin on May 11, 2024, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
PHOTO: Carolyn Kaster
A pure-bred Siamese crocodile hatchling pokes its head out of its shell at Phnom Tamao in Cambodia's Takeo Province, on July 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Anton L. Delgado)
PHOTO: Anton L. Delgado
A pair of bald eagles call out while resting on a tree next to Union Bay, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
PHOTO: Lindsey Wasson
Two giraffes roam around Nairobi National Park, on the outskirts of Nairobi, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)
PHOTO: Brian Inganga
A Chinkara gazelle fawn rests in the plumage of a peacock at an animal rescue center on a hot summer day in Bikaner, Rajasthan, India, Thursday, May 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Dinesh Gupta)
PHOTO: Dinesh Gupta
Anteaters play on the grounds of the non-profit wildlife park Selva Teneek where animals are being treated for heat stress amid a continuing heat wave and drought, in Ciudad Valles, Mexico, June 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Mauricio Palos)
PHOTO: Mauricio Palos
Deer rut in the early morning fog in Bushy Park, south west London, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
PHOTO: ALASTAIR GRANT
An animal runs through grass while fleeing flames as the Park Fire tears through the Cohasset community in Butte County, Calif., on July 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
PHOTO: NOAH BERGER
Deer cross a road in the Taunus forest in Wehrheim near Frankfurt, Germany, Wednesday, April 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
PHOTO: Michael Probst
A municipal worker shows owlets rescued from a fallen tree after a powerful storm in Montenegro's capital Podgorica, Tuesday, July 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Risto Bozovic)
PHOTO: Risto Bozovic
An insect hovers near flowers decorating the area around the holy remains of Saint Dimitrie Bassarabov, the patron saint of the Romanian capital, at the end of a religious procession in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)
PHOTO: Andreea Alexandru
A polar bear and a cub search for scraps in a large pile of bowhead whale bones left from the village's subsistence hunting at the end of an unused airstrip near the village of Kaktovik, Alaska, on Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
PHOTO: Lindsey Wasson
An insect hovers near flowers decorating the area around the holy remains of the patron saint of the Romanian capital Bucharest.
A municipal worker in Montenegro holds owlets rescued from a fallen tree after a powerful storm in Podgorica. A herd of deer cross a road in a bucolic scene near Frankfurt, Germany.
In a world where war and disaster dominates headlines, the natural world survives and even thrives. AP photographers document it, often spotting beauty even while covering death and destruction.
Check out some of the photos in the slideshow above.