Mother Nature's Olympians Crowned

The Olympics is a time to celebrate the world's fastest and strongest humans, but you can rely on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature to put the best of human performance in perspective. They've just come out with their list of Olympians for the natural world - champions that range from the fleet cheetah to the humble fungus.

While celebrating the achievements of talented athletes across the world this summer, we should also take the time to appreciate these incredible species. Here are some of the conservation group's medalists for 2012.