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.
AN ARRAY of colours, from pinks to blues and oranges, fill the night sky to create an amazing collection of interstellar patterns .
Is your cat bored? Do his usual playthings simply not do it for him anymore? Not to worry - there's an app for that .
LYING back in the snow, these two polar bears share a cuddle as they call time out on playtime .
WIDE EYED and staring straight down the lens of the camera, this intrigued seal is ready for his close up .
FROM MRS Patmore to Lady Sybil, these barking mad illustrations show the WOOF-er side of some of our most loved Downton characters .
From vibrant blues to dazzling oranges, these eye catching hummingbirds proudly show off their impressive colours .
RACING through the mountain range on horseback, the Kazakh people practice their ancient tradition of hunting with golden eagles .
THIS RING of fire in the sky is the annular solar eclipse that wowed our cousins down-under .
AN OLD ENGLISH cottage packed full of history and valuables has been left to rot .
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 .
A little brown bear cub shows his doting mum that she is always on parent duty as he uses her as a scratching post .
