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..
BRAIDED, sculpted and beaded, these are the eye-catching hairstyles worn by the tribal women of Angola .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .
A ROAD KILL munching Scot has chewed on everything from a dead squirrel to an unlucky crow – all in the name of art .
SURROUNDED by divers, a hungry green sea turtle enjoys being the centre of attention .
LIKE A living balloon this baitball of sardines is ready to burst when threatened by a pointy nosed sailfish .
With the full moon looming behind him, this polar bear nestles down for the night .
A cheeky gorilla sticks her tongue out and plays up for the camera at Bronx Zoo .
PAWS for thought as you feast your eyes on this rare bear bathing session .
COURAGEOUS CLIMBERS scale frozen waterfalls in Canada, as the ice threatens to collapse beneath them .
SAT with his arms folded and a cross look on his face, this Gorilla looks like he's had enough of the Christmas holidays already .
The view from this rooftop pool is sure to make most holidaymakers envious .
PERCHING on top of a gate, this young barn swallow waits patiently for his mum to return with dinner .