A grey whale and her calf greet an audience of awestruck admirers on the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico. The magnificent mammals swim up to several boats full of tourists and get so close that the passengers can stroke the mother and baby whale. The special moment was photographed by lawyer Andrea Izzotti, 47, of Genovia, Italy. Andrea says: “The mother was milking her calf in shallow waters, but they are very curious animals and they came up to our boats to see the humans.
STRIKING photos capture nature at its most raw and powerful during Earth’s most electrifying event .
Beautiful turquoise waves rise and fall in a series of stunning images taken along the coastline of south-eastern Australia .
A lazy otter finds the ideal spot to soak up the sun and sleep off his lunch .
WITH SNOW COVERING the ground around them, these two polar bears play fight .
An Australian beach is illuminated by an enticing neon blue glow as a rare phenomenon lights up the water .
From vibrant blues to dazzling oranges, these eye catching hummingbirds proudly show off their impressive colours .
Leaping out of the ocean, a group of gentoo penguins fly through the air before landing safely on an iceberg .
From vivid greens to glowing pinks, the colours of the aurora borealis fill the night sky above a snow covered Lapland .
FLAUNTING its new accessory, a fashionable green dumpy tree frog poses for the camera while wearing a SNAIL as a hat .
UNDERWATER and above-water seaside shots show the best of British beach-life .
LIKE A living balloon this baitball of sardines is ready to burst when threatened by a pointy nosed sailfish .