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.
LIFTING their heads high and bumping beaks, these aggressive pelicans clash over fish .
With luminous colours and alien- like features, these magical mushrooms look like they belong on another planet .
NEW DELHI, A woman activist of India's main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party crosses a police barricade near the residence of ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi during a protest against the recent rape of a five-year-old girl in New Delhi, India, April 21, 2013 .
WITH HIS PAW covering his mouth, this cheeky cub looks amused by something .
WITH A STERN look of determination on their faces, these adorable pooches perfect their doggy paddle as they dive head first into a swimming pool .
STRETCHING his little legs in the air, a smiley leaf-tailed gecko breaks free from his old, scaly skin .
BEHIND the doors of this building, with its stacks of mattresses and discarded remains of wheelchairs, lies another victim of austerity cuts .
THIS ONE of a kind experience brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 'a coffee to go' .
WITHOUT a care in the world, this little chimpanzee shows off her gymnastic skills as she swings around her enclosure .
These are the men with one of the most unpleasant jobs in the world .
With their guts spewing and eyes hanging out, these are the cuddly toys children might be reluctant to curl up to .
A baby sperm whale assumed the role of a friendly giant when faced with two awestruck divers .