A lazy otter finds the ideal spot to soak up the sun and sleep off his lunch. Stretching out on the dock, he laps up the warm weather and works on his tan. These cute shots were captured by Canadian triathlon coach Mark Bates, 46, when he spotted the little river otter relaxing on the marina docks in Pender Island, Canada. ‘This calm otter was sunbathing and napping on the dock of a marina,’ says Mark, of North Vancouver.
A brave praying mantis makes an unusual friend in an Oriental garden lizard .
Pouncing down on top of his twin brother, these two snow leopard cubs practice their kung-fu moves .
SPLASHING around in a paddling pool, this little elephant soaks up the sunshine .
Sprawled out on top of a log, this sleeping leopard takes a relaxing break from his daily routine .
BOXING DAY has come early for this pair of feisty squirrels, as their Christmas party quickly turns sour .
Exploding out of the water, a great white shark performs a backflip during a hunt for seals .
THIS RING of fire in the sky is the annular solar eclipse that wowed our cousins down-under .
STARING intently into the camera, a polar bear appears to be lost in thought while relaxing in the snow .
What lies beneath this building site? Britain's great hope of winning the pre-WW2 arms race against Nazi Germany .
WITHOUT a care in the world, this little chimpanzee shows off her gymnastic skills as she swings around her enclosure .
NOT YOUR everyday selfie, this plucky diver poses with some of the scariest predators in the ocean .
