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.
PERCHING on top of a gate, this young barn swallow waits patiently for his mum to return with dinner .
A TAXIDERMY truck spotted in America’s Deep South could be the most gruesome wagon on the road .
SITTING quietly at the edge of the lake, these two baby bears watch and learn as the adults hunt for fish .
SNUGGLING up against their teddy bears, these baby sloths could easily be mistaken for one of the cuddly toys .
A trout manages to escape the jaws of a hungry cormorant - only to find itself back inside the bird's long beak .
A GLOWING range of greens and blues sweep across the sky in a spectacular display of light .
Say cheese! This cheeky chappy isn’t in the mood to live up to his scary reputation as he is pictured here cracking a killer smile as he goes about his daily business .
HUDDLED together on a branch, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls soak up the sun .
An aerial view of flooding in Gloucestershire .
LYING flat out on his back, this little meerkat makes the most of the English sunshine .
COURAGEOUS CLIMBERS scale frozen waterfalls in Canada, as the ice threatens to collapse beneath them .