The circle of life

From swirling buffalo to a tower or herd of giraffes marching along single file, happy hippos having a swim and a solo elephant wanting a bit of alone time, these pictures give a different perspective on 'big game' life on the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

London-born photographer Peter Adams was able to snap these amazing shots by leaning out of a Robinson R44 helicopter some 3,000ft in the air, with the door removed for greater access.

'I love the unique perspective, to get a complete picture of the environment these animals thrive in, completely in the wild, miles away from the nearest humans,' said the 56-year-old.

'I was surprised by the amount of animals I saw, particularly elephants.

'The Okavango is flooded most of the year and is largely without roads.

'These are all aerial shots of the wildlife that lives in The Okavango Delta, elephants, giraffe, hippos, zebras.'

The Okavango is one of the seven natural wonders of Africa and became the 1,000th site to be listed on the UNESCO world heritage list in June 2014.

The delta is produced by seasonal flooding, rainfall from the Angola highlands surge 800 miles south in approximately one month, the waters then spread over the 200-by-100 mile area of the delta.

'Flying over it to photograph provides a unique insight and perspective and possibility to see a lot more wildlife,' said Peter.

(dailymail.co.uk)