PERCHED on a branch, this Little Owl plays third wheel to two love birds. Clearly not bothered by their uncomfortable onlooker, the owls pucker up and put on a very public display of affection. This trio of Little Owls were photographed by Uzbek photographer Ilia Shalamaev, 36, after he spotted the scene on a trip to the town of Kiryat Gat, Israel. “Here you can see a family of owls playing and having fun on a branch, not far from their nesting place,” says Ilia, now of Beit Hashmonay, Israel.
From vivid greens to glowing pinks, the colours of the aurora borealis fill the night sky above a snow covered Lapland .
LIKE A living balloon this baitball of sardines is ready to burst when threatened by a pointy nosed sailfish .
HOPPING onto the scales, these adorable baby Humboldt penguins are ready for their first weigh-in .
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 .
This cheeky macaque gets up close and personal as he examines the dental hygiene of his fellow primate .
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 .
Scurrying along the branch of a tree, a little squirrel pushes a pram packed full of Easter treats .
FLAUNTING its new accessory, a fashionable green dumpy tree frog poses for the camera while wearing a SNAIL as a hat .
A German photographer travelled around Africa where he met and photographed members of tribes in a series of intimate portraits .
LYING back in the snow, these two polar bears share a cuddle as they call time out on playtime .
A US firefighter has battled osteoarthritis and four hip replacements to break the world paddleboarding record .
A grand 56-bedroom hotel, once heaving with injured soldiers during the First World War, now lies completely abandoned .