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."
Southern England, the south-west and west Wales have been warned to expect more wild weather, with heavy rain and high tides possibly leading to coastal flooding and travel disruption over the weekend .
This is the moment a nimble red fox and a lumbering Alaskan brown bear were locked in a tense stand-off .
HUDDLED together in the hollow of a tree, it would be easy to overlook these two sleepy owls as they blend into the trunk .
A baby sperm whale assumed the role of a friendly giant when faced with two awestruck divers .
SNUGGLING up against their teddy bears, these baby sloths could easily be mistaken for one of the cuddly toys .
PERCHING on top of a gate, this young barn swallow waits patiently for his mum to return with dinner .
Pouncing down on top of his twin brother, these two snow leopard cubs practice their kung-fu moves .
SOARING at 112 miles per hour through the air, this petite blonde certainly lives up to her title as the fastest flying woman in the world .
LYING back in the snow, these two polar bears share a cuddle as they call time out on playtime .
MOUTH OPEN wide, this little stoat appears to be in mid-song as he belts out a tune for his onlookers .
A diver attempts to control rising numbers of lionfish by feeding the venomous species to Caribbean reef sharks .
15-foot-long great white sharks on the hunt, in False Bay, South Africa - SHOCK and awe pictures of 15-foot-long great whites on the hunt will leave you stunned .