SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS

A diver looks like a minnow as she swims alongside a gigantic whale shark, the largest species of fish on the planet. The docile giant, weighing a massive 66,000lbs, happily shares its waters during dinner time. The whale shark is a filter feeder and consumes plankton and small fish by swimming with its formidable jaws open. The amazing images were taken by Belgian photographer Ellen Cuylaerts, 44, on a trip to Isla Mujeres, Mexico.

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BABY WHALE AND MOTHER LAP UP TOURIST ATTENTION

A grey whale and her calf greet an audience of awestruck admirers on the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico .

AURORA BOREALIS ILLUMINATES LAPLAND

From vivid greens to glowing pinks, the colours of the aurora borealis fill the night sky above a snow covered Lapland .

MOST DANGEROUS ROAD IN THE WORLD

AT 4,800 metres high and just three metres wide, this is the most dangerous road in the world .

EMPTY LONDON UNDERGROUND

USUALLY full to bursting, these London Underground stations stand silent and completely commuter free .

HOLY COW! DARING FARMERS IN THRILLING CATTLE RACE

An Indonesian farmer is dragged through muddy water as he clings to the tails of two charging cows .

VISOR FASHION FAIL

FROM motorcycling to department store shopping these spookily faceless people are part of the Chinese-fad for wearing protective solar-visors in public .

MILEY MASH-UP

HOTSPOT MEDIA - MILEY MASH-UP: MILEY CYRUS’ naked wrecking ball vid has been lampooned in this side-spitting photo-mashup .

ADORABLE OWLS CUDDLE UP FOR THE CAMERA

HUDDLED together on a branch, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls soak up the sun .

EXERCISING OTTERS

A group of otters put on a show of aqua aerobics, as they raise their flippers perfectly in sync .

IDYLLIC ICELAND

With stunning scenery and otherworldly vistas, Iceland’s rural beauty is inescapable – especially for Hollywood .

COLOURFUL KINGFISHERS DIVE FOR THEIR DINNER

A kingfisher’s bright blue and orange feathers glisten in the sunlight as the bird dives into a lake .

BURSTING FIREWORKS

BURSTING colours of reds, pinks and purples give the illusion of a collection of stunning flowers .