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.
MASKED intruders look sinister but really they are a gang of urban exploring pranksters .
ROLLING up snow in its tiny paws, this little squirrel is looking for a snowball fight .
A BUMPER season of births has left zoo with three of the cutest exotic kittens you're likely to see .
Surveying its surroundings, a tiny harvest mouse climbs the stem of a dandelion .
A diver explores the crystal clear waters of the Silfra canyon in southern Iceland, which is the only place on Earth where you can dive or snorkel between two continental plates .
DINING under the stars, this restaurant takes you back in time - inside an ancient cave .
SWIMMING in unison, millions of silverside fish dwarf the divers .
MESMERIZING night sky photographs offer a spellbinding look at the stars .
A BABY-faced burglar is starting a seven year stretch in custody after being nabbed by a Jaffa Cake .
Pic By HotSpot Media - GAME, SET-TEE AND MATCH: COUPLE INSTALL TENNIS COURT IN LOUNGE- In Pic - Ben Walters’ message to West Midlands Police via social media .
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 .
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 .