These National Geographic photos will make you think that 2016 wasn’t so bad after all

CUTE, cuddly and downright crazy, these are National Geographic’s favourite photos of the year.

This picture of Ye Ye, a 16-year-old giant panda at a conservation centre in China’s Wolong Nature Reserve in one of National Geographic’s pictures of the year. Picture: Ami Vitale/National Geographic

CUTE, cuddly and downright crazy, these are National Geographic’s favourite photos of the year.

Curated from a selection of more than two million images they have captured animals and ourselves in a myriad of places and poses.

Pictures of pandas never fail to deliver and photographer Ami Vitale shot of the iconic animal captures it at its best.

An orang-utan climbing a tree in search of food is just as endearing.

Tempted by the fruit of a strangler fig, a Bornean orang-utan climbs 100 feet into the rainforest canopy. Picture: Tim Laman/National Geographic

However the stunning shot of ‘bear jam’ in Alaska reminds us we need to keep our distance at times.

In Alaska, a mother grizzly and her cubs cause a “bear jam” on Denali’s 92-mile-long Park Road, open to private vehicles only five days each summer. Picture: Aaron Huey/National Geographic

As does the terrifying picture of a diver just metres from a tiger shark in the Bahamas.

A diver keeps a close watch on a tiger shark in the Bahamas. Picture: Brian Skerry/National Geographic

Just for good measure there is a picture of a pack of black tipped reef sharks hanging out in a lagoon in the Seychelles

Lounging in inches of warm water, blacktip reef sharks wait for the tide to refill the lagoon at Seychelles’ Aldabra Atoll. Thomas P. Peschak/National Geographic

It is humankind who brings the crazy into 2016, with a dramatic capture of a man flipping into a rock pool at Glacier National Park in Canada.

Steven Donovan, flipping into a pool at Glacier National Park. Corey Arnold/National Geographic

National Geographic curated an exhibition of the 52 best images of the year.

Among the other eye-catching images include tortoises clamouring under a small tree to stay out of the sun.

Tortoises jockey for shelter from the sun. Thomas Peschak/National Geographic

While a shot from Peru of an indigenous girl with a tamarin on her head revisits the cute and cuddly theme.

A pet saddleback tamarin hangs on to Yoina Mameria Nontsotega as the Matsigenka girl takes a dip in the Yomibato River, deep inside Peru’s Manú National Park. Picture: Charlie Hamilton James/National Geographic

Charlie Hamilton James’s photo of America’s Wild West captures a grizzly bear and ravens fiercely fighting over a carcass.

A grizzly bear fends off ravens from a bison carcass in Grand Teton National Park. Picture: Charlie Hamilton James/National Geographic

Another images illustrates humankind’s regular conflicts with Mother Nature as a Norwegian research ship battles the Arctic ice.

Norwegian research vessel Lance drifted along in the Arctic ice. Picture: Nick Cobbing/National Geographic

The entire collection can be see on the National Geographic website.

Originally published as These National Geographic photos will make you think that 2016 wasn’t so bad after all