LIKE A living balloon this baitball of sardines is ready to burst when threatened by a pointy nosed sailfish. The photographs, taken off the coast of Isla Mujeres, near Cancun, Mexico, show how these water creatures work cooperatively to cut off a portion of a school of sardines swimming close to the seafloor, and drive them to the surface. American photographer Doug Perrine, 60, managed to capture the moment the sailfish manage to herd the bait into a tightly packed ball, ready to pick off for dinner one-by-one. ‘The sailfish took-turns swimming through the bait ball slashing with their bills to kill the fish, which are quickly gobbled up,’ Doug said. ‘Sometimes they light up or change to a bright colour pattern.
Surveying its surroundings, a tiny harvest mouse climbs the stem of a dandelion .
This frozen lighthouse in Michigan could easily be mistaken for a still from the snow swept disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow .
A fox takes a tumble and lands on his head when he tries to fend off a pair of eagles in Japan .
UNDERWATER and above-water seaside shots show the best of British beach-life .
SURROUNDED by a snowstorm, these young polar bears battle the elements - as well as each other .
A grey whale and her calf greet an audience of awestruck admirers on the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico .
THIS LITTLE squirrel tries to keep himself snug as snow starts to fall around him .
NATURE PAPARAZZIS prove you don't have to be Justin Bieber or Cheryl Cole to attract a pack of photographers .
SITTING quietly at the edge of the lake, these two baby bears watch and learn as the adults hunt for fish .
A BEAUTIFUL sight for the eyes and the imagination, these liquid sculptures take shape in many different colours and formations .
BOXING DAY has come early for this pair of feisty squirrels, as their Christmas party quickly turns sour .
