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.
HUNDREDS of hot air balloons decorate the sky above Turkey as the rising sun illuminates the spectacular scenery below .
DIPPING his head into the vase of water, this little squirrel takes a refreshing break from an afternoon of eating .
MOUTH OPEN wide, this little stoat appears to be in mid-song as he belts out a tune for his onlookers .
AN ARRAY of colours, from pinks to blues and oranges, fill the night sky to create an amazing collection of interstellar patterns .
WITHOUT a care in the world, this little chimpanzee shows off her gymnastic skills as she swings around her enclosure .
CAMPED out in the middle of a forest, these unusual hut hotels take you back to basics .
Splashing around in the water, a mother otter and her son are tangled in a family feud .
WITH his spiked ears and yellow and blue body, a colourful monkey bears an uncanny resemblance to Marvel Comics’ Wolverine .
SNEAKING slowly into the water, this Bengal tiger plans a vicious attack on three unsuspecting deer .
A blanket of fog is lit up by the colourful glowing lights of the city below .
THIS is the awesome moment an Osprey catches its prey travelling at 50mph, giving new meaning to FAST FOOD .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .