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.
Playing, splashing and generally messing around, these polar bears show they certainly have a soft spot for the water, and not just each other .
HEART-MELTING shots of a French bulldog and a ten-month-old French baby could be the cutest you’re likely to see .
DIVING boffins fired harpoons into 30-foot-long whale sharks in a bid to put the sea-beasts on Google Maps .
A grey whale and her calf greet an audience of awestruck admirers on the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico .
A fox takes a tumble and lands on his head when he tries to fend off a pair of eagles in Japan .
Scurrying along the branch of a tree, a little squirrel pushes a pram packed full of Easter treats .
A man who conned tax officials out of £34 million and funded a lavish lifestyle of luxury hotels and restaurants has been jailed for one of the longest sentences in British criminal fraud history .
A brave leopard kicks back and relaxes in the sunshine - just inches from an enormous crocodile .
SQUEEZING their furry faces through a hole in a tree, a trio of curious baby squirrels leave their nest for the first time to explore their surroundings .
Primed and ready for action, this collection of striking images from the battlefield could be mistaken for authentic photos taking during World War II .
TUGGING on the wing of his sibling, this needy owl is after some attention .