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.
A lazy tree frog, tired of hopping along a branch, chooses the slowest form of transport when it jumps on top of an unsuspecting snail .
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 .
SQUEEZING their furry faces through a hole in a tree, a trio of curious baby squirrels leave their nest for the first time to explore their surroundings .
MEET the little lion of suburbia with a mane that makes him look like a mini-king of the jungle .
An Australian beach is illuminated by an enticing neon blue glow as a rare phenomenon lights up the water .
Surveying its surroundings, a tiny harvest mouse climbs the stem of a dandelion .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .
A doting seal smiles at her sweet little pup as she tickles its tummy on the beach .
SQUABBLING over the last piece of grain, these hungry squirrels are determined to stock up on as much food as possible .
CLIMBING, falling and tugging on his weary mum, this little orangutan is up to all kinds of trouble .
Staring death in the face, a little field mouse bravely confronts a hungry cat .
An intrepid explorer hopes to be reunited with his travel partner, after his cuddly toy companion was stolen .