A little brown bear cub shows his doting mum that she is always on parent duty as he uses her as a scratching post. These adorable photographs of two playful bear cubs and their watchful mum were captured by American nature photographer D. Robert Franz, 56, on a visit to Lake Clark National Park, Alaska. 'What we see in these photographs is the interaction between the mother brown bear and her two cubs,' says D. Robert, of Cody, Wyoming.
SAT ON top of a Brazilian turtle’s head, this little ladybird looks content as he studies his environment from a new height .
WE’RE all familiar with the heart-wrenching pictures of dogs abandoned in animal shelters, but one photographer has found an innovative way of showcasing the pooch’s personality .
ROLLING across a 65-metre-high viaduct in the Alps, the red carriages of the Bernina Express add a splash of colour to the spectacular snow-covered Swiss surroundings .
From a platter of finger licking chicken wings to a bowl of Chinese noodle soup, these foodie snaps are enough to make your savoury saliva glands drool .
STOOD side by side next to a busy road, these buildings were once bustling with life .
NEVER mind being careful not to choke on your food, this mother bird has a bigger challenge on her hands, as her ravenous offspring impatiently launches its head down into her stomach .
POPE MOBBED BY THOUSANDS OF WORSHIPPERS IN RIO - Thousands of worshippers gather to celebrate the Papal visit on Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro ,Brazil .
With the full moon looming behind him, this polar bear nestles down for the night .
SNEAKING slowly into the water, this Bengal tiger plans a vicious attack on three unsuspecting deer .
Balanced on one leg, a frog assumes the crane kick martial arts stance made famous in the movie The Karate Kid .
FISTS fly as two gorillas take each other on in a dramatic battle .
BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .