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.
IN a galaxy far, far away, this collection of stunning interstellar formations will leave you STARSTRUCK .
DIVING boffins fired harpoons into 30-foot-long whale sharks in a bid to put the sea-beasts on Google Maps .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .
A tiny puppy who lost his front legs after being hit by a train has been given and new LEASH of life with a set of wheels .
Staring death in the face, a little field mouse bravely confronts a hungry cat .
A group of otters put on a show of aqua aerobics, as they raise their flippers perfectly in sync .
At least three people have been killed and more than 100 injured, some seriously, in two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon .
The aurora lights captured in Blair Nebraska, America - WITH electrifying purple and illuminous green brightening up the night sky, this is the rare moment a flash of 'sprite' lightening was captured on camera .
Full of tired and busy commuters, these underground stations are rarely admired for their architecture or beauty .
THIS incredible shimmer of silver fish mirrors the image of that of an underwater tornado .
A SHOCKING cartoon of a black man carrying bags saying‘’zippadydoohdah zip-up immigrant bags’ has appeared in a shop window and is being investigated by police .