WITH a paw in the air and his tongue hanging from his mouth, it is clear to see that this little groundhog is struggling to wake up and leave behind the comfort of his burrow. The groundhog takes a moment to stretch before quickly becoming aware that he's not alone. The adorable scene was captured in the Tonale Pass, a high mountain pass in Trentino Alto Adige, Italy, by freelance photographer Maurizio Lancini. The 39-year-old, of Rodengo Saiano, Brescia, Italy, says:"I spotted the entrance to the burrow so decided to hide nearby and wait for the groundhog to appear.
WIDE EYED with a huge smile across her face, this little elephant is a picture of happiness .
Suspended FIFTY metres in the air, this is the last place that you would expect to find a fine dining experience .
The view from this rooftop pool is sure to make most holidaymakers envious .
A pair of BEAUTIFUL rescue sea turtles spot their catch in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef .
A mother-of-one has told how she nearly died after contracting toxic shock syndrome from a tampon .
An adorable young fallow deer peers over its shoulder and is greeted by a cheeky jackdaw crow sitting on its back .
A Canadian couple celebrated their engagement by recreating iconic moments from the film The Notebook .
BALANCING 30 metres above ground, these slackliners take the expression of living dangerously one step further, by tightrope walking NAKED .
A man has lost an incredible 20st after his addiction to food left him £15k in debt .
Like a scene from a fairytale, THOUSANDS of fireflies create an enchanting glow as they dance in a forest .
PERCHED on a branch, these two frogs hold hands as they look into the camera .