WITH a paw in the air and his tongue hanging from his mouth, it is clear to see that this little groundhog is struggling to wake up and leave behind the comfort of his burrow. The groundhog takes a moment to stretch before quickly becoming aware that he's not alone. The adorable scene was captured in the Tonale Pass, a high mountain pass in Trentino Alto Adige, Italy, by freelance photographer Maurizio Lancini. The 39-year-old, of Rodengo Saiano, Brescia, Italy, says:"I spotted the entrance to the burrow so decided to hide nearby and wait for the groundhog to appear.
Fetching a tiny carrot and a head-shaped snowball, a red squirrel builds the perfect snowman .
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 .
These are the men with one of the most unpleasant jobs in the world .
An Italian photographer travelled to northern India where he visited poverty stricken suburbs and captured ordinary people in a series of intimate and expressive portraits .
CAUSING a splash, this determined kingfisher goes hunting for dinner .
Here's a collection of art for the DIGIT-AL age as these fascinating illusions of landmarks, places and even a banana are made using just a pair of hands .
AN ARRAY of colours, from pinks to blues and oranges, fill the night sky to create an amazing collection of interstellar patterns .
PUCKERING up and enjoying some quality time, these are the most lovable monkeys on the planet .
ARMED with her camera, bikini and flippers, this brave diver goes swimming with SHARKS .
With a dust covered coat hung from a wardrobe door and a pair of glasses left on a shelf, a remote farmhouse lies abandoned in the Welsh countryside .
While often referred to as the kings of the jungle, gorillas - for all their might - are notorious hydrophobes .
