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.
WITH A STERN look of determination on their faces, these adorable pooches perfect their doggy paddle as they dive head first into a swimming pool .
SURROUNDED by divers, a hungry green sea turtle enjoys being the centre of attention .
A trout manages to escape the jaws of a hungry cormorant - only to find itself back inside the bird's long beak .
HIDDEN in the middle of the Mojave Desert, a secret oasis awaits intrepid travellers .
SPLASHING in the water and fighting in-between rocks, these energetic tigers enjoy their fun-filled morning .
WITH A LITTLE cap of fresh snow resting on his head, this squirrel tries his best to pull off his new look .
A lazy tree frog, tired of hopping along a branch, chooses the slowest form of transport when it jumps on top of an unsuspecting snail .
With an abandoned tricycle sitting in an empty corridor, this derelict but once grand mansion could be the setting for The Shining .
LUMINOUS green rocks could easily be a beach from Superman's homeland of Krypton .
SPLASHING around in a paddling pool, this little elephant soaks up the sunshine .
Kevin Silva, 52 from Indiana in the USA, has spent an estimated £65K ($100K) on Batman trinkets over the years, and even keeps his 2,500-item haul in his very own basement 'Bat Cave' .
Swirling water and sand create amazing aerial images of river deltas across Iceland .