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.
Exploding out of the water, a great white shark performs a backflip during a hunt for seals .
With the full moon looming behind him, this polar bear nestles down for the night .
THIS LITTLE squirrel tries to keep himself snug as snow starts to fall around him .
A group of otters put on a show of aqua aerobics, as they raise their flippers perfectly in sync .
SPLASHING around in a paddling pool, this little elephant soaks up the sunshine .
PERCHING on top of a gate, this young barn swallow waits patiently for his mum to return with dinner .
A little brown bear cub shows his doting mum that she is always on parent duty as he uses her as a scratching post .
LYING back in the snow, these two polar bears share a cuddle as they call time out on playtime .
FLOATING effortlessly on his back, this little otter laps up a rare glimmer of English spring sunshine .
FULL OF STUNNING colours and swirling shapes, the furrows on these fields create a mix of mesmerising patterns .
A trio of ants are locked in a tug of war over a fly as they pull the bug by its legs .
