POLAR BEAR HUG

LYING back in the snow, these two polar bears share a cuddle as they call time out on playtime. The brother and sister embrace with a friendly hug, as they catch their breath after a busy afternoon. These adorable photographs were captured by Russian photographer Alexey Tishchenko, 43, after his love of wildlife and nature led him into photography. Pictured in Churchill, Canada, these images capture the cute relationship between these two bears perfectly. 'These young polar bears are brother and sister,' explains Alexey.

Other great stories
FRIENDLY TOAD READY FOR HIS CLOSE UP

STARING eagerly into the camera, this little toad is full of curiosity .

SEALED WITH A BUBBLE KISSED

MEET the underwater British seal who is so friendly he loves to grapple divers like a friendly puppy dog .

AMAZING ROBOTIC SCULPTURES

ESCAPING A LANDFILL FUTURE, these amazing science fiction inspired sculptures are made from everyday objects .

SNOWY SQUIRRELS PLAY A GAME OF BALL

Throwing their arms up in the air, these energetic squirrels play a game of ball with a walnut .

CHEETAH HUNT

Hot on the heels of a little rabbit, this cheetah is on a mission to catch his prey .

CHEEKY CHIPMUNK WITHDRAWS HIS GENEROUS OFFER

A cheeky chipmunk offers some of his spare food, before deciding against the idea and shoving the extra peanut into his already crammed mouth .

SPELLBINDING ENGLISH STAR TRAILS

A photographer has captured spellbinding images of stars swirling above the English countryside .

ADORABLE SHELTER DOGS STRIKE A ‘PAWS’ TO FIND FOREVER HOMES

A group of shelter dogs showcase their loveable personalities in a series of passport-style photographs - in the hope of finding their forever homes .

GATEWAY TO THE UNDERWORLD

SPURTING water 20ft into the air, this is one well you wouldn't want to dip your bucket into .

SNOWHERE TO HIDE MY NUTS! RARE RED SQUIRRELS FROLIC IN THE SNOW

If you had to scrape the snow off your car this morning or slip-slide your way into work over icy pavements spare a thought for these little critters .

SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS

A diver looks like a minnow as she swims alongside a gigantic whale shark, the largest species of fish on the planet .

DIVERS EXPLORE UNDERWATER CANYON WITH 100M VISIBILITY

A diver explores the crystal clear waters of the Silfra canyon in southern Iceland, which is the only place on Earth where you can dive or snorkel between two continental plates .