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.
ROLLING around in the snow, these young brown bears take a break from their play fight to share a tender hug with one another .
This tranquil setting stretches for miles as the sun sets behind the mountain .
OFFERING a glimpse into the past, a mash-up of old and new photographs show how the world’s biggest cities have changed .
Some will get up close and personal with Mother Nature’s deadliest animals to get the perfect shot, posing the question, what lengths will a photographer go to for that all important picture? But in this case, the question should be what depths .
Lying angelically with a range of expressions etched on their tiny faces, little bundles of joy are innocently captured in their first few days in these adorable photographs .
WITH the phosphorescent blobs and mesmerising patterns, these spectacular images may look like the hall marks of an enchanted forest but it is in fact the scene of thousands of dancing FIREFLIES .
With luminous colours and alien- like features, these magical mushrooms look like they belong on another planet .
Going for long rides through vast fields together, this twosome share an unbreakable bond .
An osprey soars through the air at 30 miles per hour before swooping down to catch its prey from a lake .
STARING intently into the camera, a polar bear appears to be lost in thought while relaxing in the snow .
A carefree bear cub reclines in the water with his feet raised in the air .
A frilled lizard appears to be belting out a tune as it sits in a tree with its mouth open wide .