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.
Destroyed buildings and overturned cars are seen after a huge tornado struck Moore, Oklahoma, near Oklahoma City, May 20, 2013 .
With the full moon looming behind him, this polar bear nestles down for the night .
TOMORROW (Saturday) marks the 28th anniversary of the nuclear disaster that left the city of Chernobyl devastated .
NOT YOUR everyday selfie, this plucky diver poses with some of the scariest predators in the ocean .
COURAGEOUS climbers descend 400 metres as they manoeuvre their way through thick walls of ice .
Animal rescue volunteers have told how a cat riddled with cancer was forced to ripped off its own ears after it was abandoned by its owners .
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 .
THIS RING of fire in the sky is the annular solar eclipse that wowed our cousins down-under .
ROLLING across a 65-metre-high viaduct in the Alps, the red carriages of the Bernina Express add a splash of colour to the spectacular snow-covered Swiss surroundings .
STARING intently into the camera, a polar bear appears to be lost in thought while relaxing in the snow .
SNUGGLING up against their teddy bears, these baby sloths could easily be mistaken for one of the cuddly toys .