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.
A group of otters put on a show of aqua aerobics, as they raise their flippers perfectly in sync .
A photographer has captured stunning photographs of the Milky Way above picturesque landscapes in the UK and Italy .
LEAPING through the air this determined little mouse is on a mission for food .
Gigantic 100ft waves create the perfect playground for dare-devil surfers from across the world .
FLOATING effortlessly on his back, this little otter laps up a rare glimmer of English spring sunshine .
Jostling their quills into the noses of some unlucky cubs, this is the moment two feisty porcupines ALMOST defeat a pride of seven lions .
This cheeky macaque gets up close and personal as he examines the dental hygiene of his fellow primate .
This frozen lighthouse in Michigan could easily be mistaken for a still from the snow swept disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow .
A PENSIONER was left with a fractured jaw after being beaten and robbed outside his home in Birmingham last weekend .
WITH SNOW COVERING the ground around them, these two polar bears play fight .
SNEAKING slowly into the water, this Bengal tiger plans a vicious attack on three unsuspecting deer .