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.
These adorable pictures show the moment two cuddly red panda cubs take their first look at the outside world and are weighed for the very first time .
GETTING behind the camera, this monkey practices his photography skills on his friends .
Beautiful turquoise waves rise and fall in a series of stunning images taken along the coastline of south-eastern Australia .
IN a galaxy not so far away lies a magical display of lights that could be the latest image from NASA .
BEHIND the doors of this building, with its stacks of mattresses and discarded remains of wheelchairs, lies another victim of austerity cuts .
FROM COLOURFUL autumn leaves to living trees at first glance you might miss these people blended with nature .
An adorable orangutan named Pongo celebrates his first birthday at Zoo Atlanta, Georgia, America .
While often referred to as the kings of the jungle, gorillas - for all their might - are notorious hydrophobes .
PERCHING on top of a gate, this young barn swallow waits patiently for his mum to return with dinner .
Families in an Indian slum put their lives on the line by living on top of an ACTIVE railway track .
A TEN-THOUSAND square foot wide Avatar-style grove is such a beauty it will leave you feeling VINE .
HUDDLED together in the hollow of a tree, it would be easy to overlook these two sleepy owls as they blend into the trunk .