DASHING through the snow, this little stoat is on the lookout for a Christmas feast. Bobbing its head as it moves through the frosty grass, the adorable creature darts and leaps across the field as it searches for the perfect meal. The delightful animal was photographed by Swiss student Etienne Francey as he watched the stoat play in fields in his hometown of Cousset in Switzerland. The 17-year-old says: ‘Cycling along a country road near my house one snowy day, I was startled to see a stoat run across the road in front of me.
A GLOWING range of greens and blues sweep across the sky in a spectacular display of light .
A puppy bit off more than he could chew when he stole a six inch Chinese spare rib from his owner and swallowed it WHOLE, Cheeky Staffordshire bull terrier Rossi had his life SPARED when he underwent a life-saving operation to remove the bone from his stomach after swiping part of the takeaway meal .
An Italian photographer travelled to Chile where he visited several star-gazing sites, home to some of the world's most advanced telescopes, located in the spectacular setting of the Atacama desert .
A little caterpillar fearlessly scampers down a branch and confronts a praying mantis .
A brave praying mantis makes an unusual friend in an Oriental garden lizard .
BRAIDED, sculpted and beaded, these are the eye-catching hairstyles worn by the tribal women of Angola .
An Australian beach is illuminated by an enticing neon blue glow as a rare phenomenon lights up the water .
A northern potoo shows it is a master of disguise as it perches on a tree stump and blends into the bark .
When couples talk about wanting a white wedding, few will be referring to getting hitched on a glacier sat on top of an active volcano .
GETTING behind the camera, this monkey practices his photography skills on his friends .
These uninvited guests ELEPHANTLY make their annual trip through the reception of this welcoming lodge .
It's incredible to think anyone could live in such horrendous squalor - yet two men have been prosecuted for keeping their homes in such revolting conditions that it was no longer fit for their animals .