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.
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 .
SITTING quietly at the edge of the lake, these two baby bears watch and learn as the adults hunt for fish .
TUGGING on the wing of his sibling, this needy owl is after some attention .
SNEAKING slowly into the water, this Bengal tiger plans a vicious attack on three unsuspecting deer .
PERCHED on a branch, these two frogs hold hands as they look into the camera .
LUMINOUS green rocks could easily be a beach from Superman's homeland of Krypton .
POPE MOBBED BY THOUSANDS OF WORSHIPPERS IN RIO - Thousands of worshippers gather to celebrate the Papal visit on Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro ,Brazil .
A BROWN bear wades through waters in Alaska and waits for his lunch .
This brave Hyena finally catches his pray among the thousands of flamingos, Lake Nakuru, Kenya - OUTNUMBERED among thousands of flamingos, this bold hyena is not put off from hunting for a morning snack .
COURAGEOUS climbers descend 400 metres as they manoeuvre their way through thick walls of ice .
STARING intently into the camera, a polar bear appears to be lost in thought while relaxing in the snow .
THROWING himself off 1,100ft bridges in a wheelchair, this is the PARALYSED base jumper who knows no fear .