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.
If you had to scrape the snow off your car this morning or slip-slide your way into work over icy pavements spare a thought for these little critters .
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COVERING themselves in ash and face paint, these are the holy men who live their lives away from everyday society .
A puppy bit off more than he could chew when he stole a six inch Chinese spare rib from his owner and swallowed it WHOLE, Cheeky Staffordshire bull terrier Rossi had his life SPARED when he underwent a life-saving operation to remove the bone from his stomach after swiping part of the takeaway meal .
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This is the amazing moment two white-tailed kites take an in-flight meal - exchanging prey at 100 foot high in mid air .
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A Crohn's sufferer has slammed doctors who allegedly accused her of being anorexic after she lost 10st in just three months .
ALL IS not as it seems in these deceptive cityscapes .
A Little owl looks down the lens of a camera and gives the photographer a cheeky wink .
A transgender woman has beaten the bullies after spending £25K on surgery to become a beauty pageant queen .