With luminous colours and alien- like features, these magical mushrooms look like they belong on another planet. These mesmorising pictures, however, capture the beautiful variety of fungi here on Earth. The incredible images were taken by Australian photographer Stephen Axford, 62, after he became familiar with the importance of fungi in everyday life, and decided to document it twelve years ago..
Throwing a right hook as he launches onto his opponent with his gnarling teeth at the ready, this is the OTTER-LY ruthless showdown between two otters .
A ROAD KILL munching Scot has chewed on everything from a dead squirrel to an unlucky crow – all in the name of art .
A brave leopard kicks back and relaxes in the sunshine - just inches from an enormous crocodile .
A DETERMINED great blue heron holds on tightly to its prey as the furry gopher attempts to wriggle free .
A striped marlin means business as it spots lunch and spears a small fish .
WITH SNOW COVERING the ground around them, these two polar bears play fight .
These photographs of extreme weather capture storms furiously rolling across the sky above America .
A lively lemon shark grins into the camera and showcases his impressive teeth .
It’s a role reversal in the Visayan Sea as HUNDREDS of tiny, glistening eggs are carried around inside the mouth of their cardinalfish father .
SURROUNDED by divers, a hungry green sea turtle enjoys being the centre of attention .
Armed with a snorkel, flippers and her skimpy bikini, an intrepid female free diver swims alongside an array of reef sharks .