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.
THE THOUGHT OF BECOMING shipwrecked on a remote destination would fill most holidaymakers with dread .
BURSTING from the water, a beautiful but deadly Sumatran tiger jumps for food in an Indonesian zoo .
From squids to Star Wars, these flipping marvellous creations are pancake portraits .
The claws come out at meal time as a group of white tailed eagles brawl over road-kill .
AN ADORABLE one-eyed kitten has been dubbed the 'pirate cat' because of his pirate-like facial expressions .
GETTING behind the camera, this monkey practices his photography skills on his friends .
A pair of snarling foxes go paw-to-paw and brawl after unexpectedly crossing paths .
SQUABBLING over the last piece of grain, these hungry squirrels are determined to stock up on as much food as possible .
This tranquil setting stretches for miles as the sun sets behind the mountain .
TRYING their best to wriggle away, three adorable tiger cubs receive their health checks at Chester Zoo .
If you tune into primetime coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games, you’re most likely going to see London’s new Aquatic Center from many angles as athletes from all around the globe compete for the top spot on the podium .