A middle spotted woodpecker swoops into her nest and feeds her young in a forest in Trentino, Italy. Jacopo Rigotti, of Val Di Cembra, Trento, Italy, photographed the bird as she flew towards her nest, located in the trunk of a black pine tree, before feeding her hungry chicks a beakful of insects. The 25-year-old photographer says: "I decided to set up the camera on a tripod at the base of the tree, along with a flash that would help to prevent shadows in the photographs."
A trio of ants are locked in a tug of war over a fly as they pull the bug by its legs .
ROLLING around in the snow, these young brown bears take a break from their play fight to share a tender hug with one another .
This tranquil setting stretches for miles as the sun sets behind the mountain .
SNEAKING slowly into the water, this Bengal tiger plans a vicious attack on three unsuspecting deer .
IN a galaxy not so far away lies a magical display of lights that could be the latest image from NASA .
With blue waves tumbling over them, these surfers glide underneath a tunnel of water .
FROM the rolling hills of the Scottish highlands to looming chalk cliffs in Sussex, these stunning photographs capture the spectacular beauty of Great Britain .
It's incredible to think anyone could live in such horrendous squalor - yet two men have been prosecuted for keeping their homes in such revolting conditions that it was no longer fit for their animals .
BALANCING on top of a tree, this bear cub puts her climbing skills to the test .
TENNIS was a game made for three according to the first Victorian rule book .
A GLOWING range of greens and blues sweep across the sky in a spectacular display of light .