SURROUNDED by a snowstorm, these young polar bears battle the elements - as well as each other. The lumbering pair's sibling rivalry heats up the frosty winter setting in snow swept Alaska. American photographer and tour guide, Matthew Studebaker, 30, managed to capture these extraordinary shots in 25 miles per hour wind on Barrier Islands, Alaska in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. No strangers to the freezing weather, the playful polar bears sparred in temperatures of minus six degrees. "These siblings were teasing each other and sparring during a snowstorm," explains Matthew of Richfield, Ohio.
ROLLING across a 65-metre-high viaduct in the Alps, the red carriages of the Bernina Express add a splash of colour to the spectacular snow-covered Swiss surroundings .
THESE kingfishers prove no rod is needed as they go fishing for their dinner .
It's incredible to think anyone could live in such horrendous squalor - yet two men have been prosecuted for keeping their homes in such revolting conditions that it was no longer fit for their animals .
An osprey soars through the air at 30 miles per hour before swooping down to catch its prey from a lake .
WIDE EYED and staring straight down the lens of the camera, this intrigued seal is ready for his close up .
RACING through the mountain range on horseback, the Kazakh people practice their ancient tradition of hunting with golden eagles .
HUNDREDS of colour coordinated yarns lie abandoned in this once thriving textile mill .
A hungry hippo is seconds away from catching a bird in its gigantic jaws .
A lively lemon shark grins into the camera and showcases his impressive teeth .
LYING back in the snow, these two polar bears share a cuddle as they call time out on playtime .
SAT ON top of a Brazilian turtle’s head, this little ladybird looks content as he studies his environment from a new height .
CCTV shows a dark figure dumping the dog- A pet dog suffering with cancer has been put down after being dumped at an animal rescue in what officials said is the worst abandonment of any animal they have witnessed .