I'M READY FOR MY CLOSE UP NOW, MR NUTKIN

Red squirrels are well known for their intelligence and curiosity but when one snapper caught this furry little guy trying to take his own self-portrait he couldn't help but be taken aback. Professional wildlife photographer Simon Philpotts had only turned his back for a moment during a session spent snapping a new colony of red squirrels near his home in Wensleydale, North Yorks. But as he headed into a nearby hide to set up some equipment, he spotted one furry-tailed photographer commandeering his camera. After climbing up the tripod and sniffing about the rig, Simon captured the sneaky scamp seemingly attempting to take a picture of himself - placing his foot on the shutter release and sticking his nose into the lens. Simon, 38, said: "We are getting a lot of squirrels at the moment and they are very curious. This little one decided to climb up my tripod and basically try and take my camera apart. At one point it looked like he was trying to take a self portrait.

Other great stories
HITCHHIKING BIRDS

LINED up one by one on a deer’s back, these little birds give their wings a break as they catch a ride across London .

TEEN BOY FINALLY HITS PUBERTY AFTER ANOREXIA STUNTED HIS GROWTH

A student has finally hit puberty after a four year battle against anorexia stunted his growth .

DESPERATE FOR A THIGH GAP I STARVED MYSELF TO 5ST 8LB

When personal trainer, Victoria Spence dreamt of achieving a ‘thigh gap’, she didn'’t realise her obsession would leave her body gripped by anorexia .

BULLIES MADE MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ANOREXIC

A mum has warned of the dangers of child eating disorders, after her 10-year-old daughter developed anorexia when school bullies branded her ‘FAT’ .

BOY, 15, CAN ONLY EAT FRY UPS DUE TO ONE-IN-14M CONDITION

A schoolboy is the envy of his friends due to a one in 14-million condition which means he can only eat FRY-UPS to survive .

SHARK WHISPERER BALANCES SHARK IN HIS HAND

Pic By Graham Gibson/ HotSpot Media - SHARK HYPNOTIST BALANCES SHARK IN PALM OF HIS HAND- In Pic - Diver Tom and Caribbean reef sharks in the Bahamas- A SHARK hypnotist balances these predators in the palm of his hand by sending them to sleep with a gentle nose rub .

STUNNING ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE

LOCATIONS bursting with vibrant greens and chestnut browns, these photographs capture the peaceful English countryside in all its glory .

SNOWY SQUIRRELS PLAY A GAME OF BALL

Throwing their arms up in the air, these energetic squirrels play a game of ball with a walnut .

SPECTACULAR SCENERY AT CHILEAN OBSERVATORIES

An Italian photographer travelled to Chile where he visited several star-gazing sites, home to some of the world's most advanced telescopes, located in the spectacular setting of the Atacama desert .

SURPRISE BABY: WOMAN REVEALS SHE DIDN’T KNOW SHE WAS PREGNANT UNTIL SHE SAW HER BABY’S HEAD CROWNING

A woman has revealed how she didn’t know she was pregnant until she saw her baby’s head crowning .

SUN ALLERGY MUM NICKNAMED 'VAMPIRE' BY KIDS

While most Brits look forward to long hot summer days, a mum-of-six will be staying in the shade - as she is allergic to the sun .