STRETCHING his little legs in the air, a smiley leaf-tailed gecko breaks free from his old, scaly skin. Using his mouth to peel away each paper-like layer of skin, the 30cm reptile appears to be grinning as he prepares for the hot weather. The bright-eyed gecko, named Cuillin, spent four hours shedding his skin and ate each piece as he freed himself one limb at a time. Watching her pet gecko in amazement, Angi Wallace, 47, of Newcastle upon Tyne photographed Cuillin as he broke free from his onesie-like layer.
A hungry hippo is seconds away from catching a bird in its gigantic jaws .
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 puppy bit off more than he could chew when he stole a six inch Chinese spare rib from his owner and swallowed it WHOLE, Cheeky Staffordshire bull terrier Rossi had his life SPARED when he underwent a life-saving operation to remove the bone from his stomach after swiping part of the takeaway meal .
SQUEEZING their furry faces through a hole in a tree, a trio of curious baby squirrels leave their nest for the first time to explore their surroundings .
MESMERIZING night sky photographs offer a spellbinding look at the stars .
DIVING boffins fired harpoons into 30-foot-long whale sharks in a bid to put the sea-beasts on Google Maps .
Most people bend over backwards to keep children entertained, but this baboon show us how it’s done .
MEET the underwater British seal who is so friendly he loves to grapple divers like a friendly puppy dog .
A doting seal smiles at her sweet little pup as she tickles its tummy on the beach .
STAIRWAY obsessed photographers have captured psychedelic shots that will mesmerise you .
A cricket perches on an unusual seat after crawling up the snout of a crocodile .