LIKE A living balloon this baitball of sardines is ready to burst when threatened by a pointy nosed sailfish. The photographs, taken off the coast of Isla Mujeres, near Cancun, Mexico, show how these water creatures work cooperatively to cut off a portion of a school of sardines swimming close to the seafloor, and drive them to the surface. American photographer Doug Perrine, 60, managed to capture the moment the sailfish manage to herd the bait into a tightly packed ball, ready to pick off for dinner one-by-one. ‘The sailfish took-turns swimming through the bait ball slashing with their bills to kill the fish, which are quickly gobbled up,’ Doug said. ‘Sometimes they light up or change to a bright colour pattern.
IN THE not so MISTY MOUNTAINS of Wiltshire, there lies an abandoned hobbit house .
An Italian photographer travelled to northern India where he visited poverty stricken suburbs and captured ordinary people in a series of intimate and expressive portraits .
PERCHING on the edge of a flower, these loved-up caterpillars can't resist each other as they enjoy a romantic moment together .
FISTS fly as two gorillas take each other on in a dramatic battle .
With their guts spewing and eyes hanging out, these are the cuddly toys children might be reluctant to curl up to .
PERCHED on a branch, this Little Owl plays third wheel to two love birds .
CLINGING onto nothing but ice, this brave climber reaches heights of 1000 FEET as he scales frozen solid waterfalls .
STARING open-mouthed into the camera, this shocked fish looks out of place in the middle of its angry friends .
STARING intently into the camera, a polar bear appears to be lost in thought while relaxing in the snow .
ROLLING around in the snow, these young brown bears take a break from their play fight to share a tender hug with one another .
A curious red squirrel takes a break from collecting nuts and tries her hand at photography .