PERCHED on a branch, this Little Owl plays third wheel to two love birds. Clearly not bothered by their uncomfortable onlooker, the owls pucker up and put on a very public display of affection. This trio of Little Owls were photographed by Uzbek photographer Ilia Shalamaev, 36, after he spotted the scene on a trip to the town of Kiryat Gat, Israel. “Here you can see a family of owls playing and having fun on a branch, not far from their nesting place,” says Ilia, now of Beit Hashmonay, Israel.
THIS RING of fire in the sky is the annular solar eclipse that wowed our cousins down-under .
A Romanian woman is celebrating her new job as a knife-thrower’s assistant after leaving her family behind to move to the UK .
SURROUNDED by a snowstorm, these young polar bears battle the elements - as well as each other .
FLOATING effortlessly on his back, this little otter laps up a rare glimmer of English spring sunshine .
HUDDLING under a leaf, a pair of adorable Javan scops owls take shelter from the rain .
A miracle baby has overcome a one-in-five-million brain condition – after a blob of glue saved his life .
These adorable pictures show the moment two cuddly red panda cubs take their first look at the outside world and are weighed for the very first time .
SURROUNDED by divers, a hungry green sea turtle enjoys being the centre of attention .
BALANCING on top of a tree, this bear cub puts her climbing skills to the test .
GLIDING through the water, these delightful frogs show off their vibrant colours as they practice their FROG crawl .
A young polar bear cub becomes the yogi bear as she stretches off for a morning aerobics session .
CONTRASTING settings reveal some of England’s most beautiful landscapes in all their glory .