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.
Armed with a snorkel, flippers and her skimpy bikini, an intrepid female free diver swims alongside an array of reef sharks .
SWIMMING in unison, millions of silverside fish dwarf the divers .
A once bustling gold rush town in Mono County, California now stands completed deserted .
A cheeky chipmunk offers some of his spare food, before deciding against the idea and shoving the extra peanut into his already crammed mouth .
Daniel Blore, 21, of Innage Crescent, Bridgnorth, stabbed his mother three times in the attack on January 11 this year, Stafford Crown Court heard .
STRETCHING his little legs in the air, a smiley leaf-tailed gecko breaks free from his old, scaly skin .
Pouncing down on top of his twin brother, these two snow leopard cubs practice their kung-fu moves .
THESE are the Disney Princesses you wouldn't want to run into in a dark alley .
BRAIDED, sculpted and beaded, these are the eye-catching hairstyles worn by the tribal women of Angola .
A proud gorilla mum welcomes her newborn baby western lowland gorilla, a critically endangered species .
LEAPING for joy five-feet above the waves this baby whale cutie is saying HELLO to its family after being lost .
A SERENE turquoise glow glimmers from underneath these powerful icebergs .