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.
A BAMBI was dramatically caught in mid-air by a greedy Nile crocodile in a once-in-a-million flying pincer move .
BRAIDED, sculpted and beaded, these are the eye-catching hairstyles worn by the tribal women of Angola .
UNDERWATER and above-water seaside shots show the best of British beach-life .
FLOATING effortlessly on his back, this little otter laps up a rare glimmer of English spring sunshine .
A woman has spoken of her heartbreak after she was rejected by an adoption agency because of her pregnancy phobia .
A NINJA red squirrel cuts a dashing figure as the little fella jumps up to ten-feet between treetops in the Yorkshire Dales .
POPE MOBBED BY THOUSANDS OF WORSHIPPERS IN RIO - Thousands of worshippers gather to celebrate the Papal visit on Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro ,Brazil .
BREATHING life back into old photographs, these black and white images are transformed by colour .
A Canadian couple celebrated their engagement by recreating iconic moments from the film The Notebook .
FROM ICE bubbles to boiling lava, these photographs highlight the stunning shapes and patterns found in nature .
AS graffiti goes, this giant mural of a sweet little girl tenderly watering a tree beneath her is a far cry from what you usually see emblazoned across cities .
Sprawled out on top of a log, this sleeping leopard takes a relaxing break from his daily routine .