A quiet Himalayan mountain village springs to life for a colourful Buddhist festival designed to expel evil spirits and bring happiness. The annual Torgya Festival in Tawang, in north-eastern India, is full of colourful dancing, music and theatre. The three day festival is held in the courtyard of the Tawang monastery, which is nestled on top of the hill overlooking the town. The vibrant event was attended by Australian photographers Stephen Axford and Catherine Marciniak.
With the full moon looming behind him, this polar bear nestles down for the night .
Pic By Graham Gibson/ HotSpot Media - SHARK HYPNOTIST BALANCES SHARK IN PALM OF HIS HAND- In Pic - Diver Tom and Caribbean reef sharks in the Bahamas- A SHARK hypnotist balances these predators in the palm of his hand by sending them to sleep with a gentle nose rub .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .
HUNDREDS of hot air balloons decorate the sky above Turkey as the rising sun illuminates the spectacular scenery below .
WITH THEIR adorable big round eyes and fluffy white fur, these baby seals are cute enough to melt any heart .
LIFTING their heads high and bumping beaks, these aggressive pelicans clash over fish .
THIS BIGFOOT 'Jesus bird' may look silly, but he's perfectly designed for walking on water .
A US firefighter has battled osteoarthritis and four hip replacements to break the world paddleboarding record .
HOPPING onto the scales, these adorable baby Humboldt penguins are ready for their first weigh-in .
SOARING through the air, a hungry white-tailed kite prepares to snatch a vole from his mother’s claws .
SURROUNDED by divers, a hungry green sea turtle enjoys being the centre of attention .