15 Lucky People Who Experienced Mother Nature’s Wonders Up Close

Contact with nature has a positive impact on our mental health, especially when it comes to depression and anxiety, according to research. And sometimes people get more from Mother Nature than what they were expecting. From witnessing wild animals in their most splendid form to observing fascinating weather phenomena, some folks experience the best of what Earth has to offer.

Bright Side rounded up examples of just how epic nature can truly be. Prepare to be wowed.

1. “A cicada freshly out of its shell on my tire”

2. “One of my scouts took this photo on top of a mountain during a hike.”

3. The St. Elmo’s fire phenomenon, a discharge of plasma, viewed from a plane at 30.000 feet.

4. “A doe gave birth to twins in my folks’ yard, right in front of them.”

5. “I saw a partially transparent butterfly.”

6. “A buddy and I found an injured hawk. He took a real liking to my friend and spent some time perched on his shoulder.”

“We brought him inside to wait for the raptor rehab center to come get him. One of the most amazing things I’ve experienced. They were both a bit broken up when the actual professionals finally came. We couldn’t do anything for him other than hang out. But the rehab center said they’ll be releasing him in 2-4 months.”

7. “I saw a live starfish on the beach.”

8. “A flying fish landed on my boat last night. I took this quick pic then put it back in the water.”

9. “I took this minutes before a major wind and hail storm.”

10. “My girlfriend put a bird feeder on our deck. This intruder ate himself to sleep.”

11. “A friend called me about a crazy salamander they found while cleaning a ditch. I relocated it.”

12. “A flower I came across while hiking”

13. “A blue crayfish I found crawling on a mossy log near a stream”

14. “I found a baby octopus inside a seashell.”

15. “A wild cheetah warning me that I was getting too close — it accidentally gave me the best picture ever.”

“I was volunteering at an organization in Namibia and in one of their protected areas they had these cheetahs who were orphaned as young. As they were fed by humans during their youth, they became less scared of people, which means they have to remain in the protected reserve to not walk into villages. They still do not like us in the slightest, as you can see, as we tried to keep them as wild as possible. The reserve is huge, with an entire ecosystem where they can thrive.” — © A_Sad_Fat_Dragon / Reddit

What’s the most fascinating thing you’ve ever encountered in the wild? Do you enjoy spending time in nature?