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 pair of chicks bravely decided to befriend a python, despite being the snake's favourite choice of food .
POWERFUL bolts of lightning illuminate the night sky in an incredible autumn storm over the Sardinian coastline .
A hungry hippo is seconds away from catching a bird in its gigantic jaws .
These photographs of extreme weather capture storms furiously rolling across the sky above America .
HUDDLED together on a branch, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls soak up the sun .
COURAGEOUS climbers descend 400 metres as they manoeuvre their way through thick walls of ice .
An Italian photographer travelled to the highlands of New Guinea where he met an Indonesian tribe untouched by the modern world .
ARM extended and head flung back, this little chipmunk performs a loose-limbed yoga move .
EXPERTLY camouflaged, this clever panther chameleon knows how to catch its prey by surprise .
LUMINOUS green rocks could easily be a beach from Superman's homeland of Krypton .
