Best Wildlife Photos of the Week

A white wagtail on blossom in central China’s Henan province.
Photograph: Mei Yongcun/Xinhua/Barcroft Images

Howler monkeys (also known as bugios) in a wildlife refuge are being released back into the wild in Brazil. Many were rescued after being mistakenly blamed for the country’s worst outbreak of yellow fever in decades last year. The virus can be transmitted to humans and monkeys, and thousands of monkeys died early last year. Most of the deaths were caused by the virus, but some monkeys were shot or beaten to death by Brazilians who wrongly believed them to be responsible for transmitting the virus.
Photograph: Victor Moriyama/Getty Images

Beached pilot whales on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island. About 38 whales were found stranded at the mouth of the Okuru river, just south of Haast.
Photograph: AP