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.
SAT ON top of a Brazilian turtle’s head, this little ladybird looks content as he studies his environment from a new height .
WITH A wide smile plastered across his face, this little gecko is ready for his close up .
Animal rescue volunteers have told how a cat riddled with cancer was forced to ripped off its own ears after it was abandoned by its owners .
COURAGEOUS CLIMBERS scale frozen waterfalls in Canada, as the ice threatens to collapse beneath them .
This longhorn beetle demon-strates a dark side as it looks just like the devil .
BEHIND the doors of this building, with its stacks of mattresses and discarded remains of wheelchairs, lies another victim of austerity cuts .
An adorable black bear cub struggles to find the perfect spot for an afternoon nap as he wriggles around on the branch of a maple tree .
This starling and prairie dog will not back down an inch as they have a fearsome stand-off over who gets to eat a nut .
PICKING up a tiny tea-pot with its paws, a little red squirrel struggles to prepare its morning tea .
Sprawled out on top of a log, this sleeping leopard takes a relaxing break from his daily routine .
