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.
TRYING their best to wriggle away, three adorable tiger cubs receive their health checks at Chester Zoo .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .
HOTSPOT MEDIA - FUNKY BUMP: FROM MIRROR bellies to rainbow bumps these pregnancy casts of stone and bronze could be the funkiest way to preserve your bump for posterity .
HOPPING onto the scales, these adorable baby Humboldt penguins are ready for their first weigh-in .
WELCOME to the drawing room that is home to the £100K world’s greatest collection of Margaret Thatcher autographed objects .
LIKE A living balloon this baitball of sardines is ready to burst when threatened by a pointy nosed sailfish .
SITTING quietly at the edge of the lake, these two baby bears watch and learn as the adults hunt for fish .
SHOWING off her best assets for the camera, this cheeky orangutan is in the mood for love, puckering up her lips to blow the biggest kiss she can .
This longhorn beetle demon-strates a dark side as it looks just like the devil .
MEET the underwater British seal who is so friendly he loves to grapple divers like a friendly puppy dog .
A pair of adorable polar bear cubs play-fight with each other in the Alaskan snow .
From a floating jelly fish to a relaxed seal, Britain’s unappreciated beach life is captured above and below the water .