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.
SWIMMING in unison, millions of silverside fish dwarf the divers .
AN ADORABLE one-eyed kitten has been dubbed the 'pirate cat' because of his pirate-like facial expressions .
WIDE EYED and staring straight down the lens of the camera, this intrigued seal is ready for his close up .
A cheeky gorilla sticks her tongue out and plays up for the camera at Bronx Zoo .
A pair of snarling foxes go paw-to-paw and brawl after unexpectedly crossing paths .
An adorable black bear cub struggles to find the perfect spot for an afternoon nap as he wriggles around on the branch of a maple tree .
COURAGEOUS climbers descend 400 metres as they manoeuvre their way through thick walls of ice .
FROM COLOURFUL autumn leaves to living trees at first glance you might miss these people blended with nature .
STARING intently into the camera, a polar bear appears to be lost in thought while relaxing in the snow .
RACING through the mountain range on horseback, the Kazakh people practice their ancient tradition of hunting with golden eagles .
INSIDE Britain's last Naval hospital where scurvy was cured looks like an NHS time capsule .
