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.
A little caterpillar fearlessly scampers down a branch and confronts a praying mantis .
CAUSING a splash, this determined kingfisher goes hunting for dinner .
The lighthouses of Brittany, from Brest to Le Conquet, stand tall on France’s north-western coast against stunning scenery .
A fox takes a tumble and lands on his head when he tries to fend off a pair of eagles in Japan .
A lazy otter finds the ideal spot to soak up the sun and sleep off his lunch .
SOARING through the air, this is the moment a hungry tawny owl arrives home with dinner .
BOXING DAY has come early for this pair of feisty squirrels, as their Christmas party quickly turns sour .
BEHIND the doors of this building, with its stacks of mattresses and discarded remains of wheelchairs, lies another victim of austerity cuts .
A young orangutan comes over all shy as she hides her face behind a broken bucket .
THESE kingfishers prove no rod is needed as they go fishing for their dinner .
POPE MOBBED BY THOUSANDS OF WORSHIPPERS IN RIO - Thousands of worshippers gather to celebrate the Papal visit on Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro ,Brazil .