A manatee makes the most of his underwater guests by rolling onto his back for a belly rub. The manatee appears apprehensive at first, but he soon cosies up to the divers. The photographs were taken by marine biologist Andrew Pearson in Crystal River, Florida at the Crystal River Wildlife Refuge. The 32 year old photographer, of Southampton, says: ‘We spent several days snorkelling with wild manatees.
A group of otters put on a show of aqua aerobics, as they raise their flippers perfectly in sync .
CAUSING a splash, this determined kingfisher goes hunting for dinner .
Like a scene from a fairytale, THOUSANDS of fireflies create an enchanting glow as they dance in a forest .
With luminous colours and alien- like features, these magical mushrooms look like they belong on another planet .
With a dust covered coat hung from a wardrobe door and a pair of glasses left on a shelf, a remote farmhouse lies abandoned in the Welsh countryside .
IN THE not so MISTY MOUNTAINS of Wiltshire, there lies an abandoned hobbit house .
STARING open-mouthed into the camera, this shocked fish looks out of place in the middle of its angry friends .
PICKING up a tiny tea-pot with its paws, a little red squirrel struggles to prepare its morning tea .
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 .
A proud gorilla mum welcomes her newborn baby western lowland gorilla, a critically endangered species .
WEARING tiny Christmas accessories, these adorable babies get into the spirit of the season .
