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.
FROM MRS Patmore to Lady Sybil, these barking mad illustrations show the WOOF-er side of some of our most loved Downton characters .
SNOWBOARDING in your £2,000 wedding dress sounds like a nightmare for most brides .
The beds are consumed by moss instead of customers at this abandoned hotel .
A photographer has captured spellbinding images of stars swirling above the English countryside .
A KITTEN'S teaparty and rat's playing dominoes are the bizarre creations by one of Britain's great eccentrics pictured in an incredible new book .
A once bustling gold rush town in Mono County, California now stands completed deserted .
SLEEPING within touching distance of wild African animals might not be everyone's idea of a relaxing break .
A cricket perches on an unusual seat after crawling up the snout of a crocodile .
A little brown bear cub shows his doting mum that she is always on parent duty as he uses her as a scratching post .
A pair of chicks bravely decided to befriend a python, despite being the snake's favourite choice of food .
THESE kingfishers prove no rod is needed as they go fishing for their dinner .