Anup Shah / African Lion (Panthera leo) juvenile reaching out with curiosity, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March

Juergen & Christine Sohns / Black-footed Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) pair on beach, Betty's Bay, Stony Point Nature Reserve, South Africa

Phil Savoie / Point-to-Point horse racing, low angle view of racehorses jumping fence, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. March 2014.

Phil Savoie / Point-to-Point horse racing, low angle view of racehorses jumping fence, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. March 2014.

Phil Savoie / Point-to-Point horse racing, low angle view of racehorse jumping fence, Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. March 2014.

Tui De Roy / Nazca Booby (Sula granti) group on coast, Punta Suarez, Espanola Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Tui De Roy / Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) basking, Punta Suarez, Espanola Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Ingo Arndt / King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) dispute on beach, Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands, February

Ingo Arndt / Fisheries Protection Vessel (Pharos) arrived at King Edward Point with King penguins on shoreline, South Georgia Heritage Trust Rat Eradication Project, South Georgia, February 2011

Sandra Bartocha / European beech tree (Fagus sylvatica). in woodland, Serrahn, Muritz-National Park, World Natural Heritage site, Germany, Europe. October 2015.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) standing on ice floe, looking at camera. Svalbard, Norway. August.

Joris van Alphen / Montagu's harrier (Circus pygargus) preparing to land at her nest, clasping a songbird. Viewed from below. Groningen, the Netherlands. July.

Anup Shah / African elephants (Loxodonta africana) gathering at a waterhole, wide angle view. Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Anup Shah / Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) male juvenile aged about 18 months approaching a kill, wide angle view. Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Anup Shah / Marabou storks (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) feeding on catfish in waterhole, wide angle view. Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Anup Shah / African elephant (Loxodonta africana) walking toward camera, Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Anup Shah / African elephants (Loxodonta africana) wallowing at a waterhole, wide angle view. Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.

Andy Rouse / Galapagos land iguana (Conolophus subcristatus) feeding, Urbina Bay, Isabela Island, Galapagos.

Alex Hyde / Emperor moth (Saturnia pavonia) female wide angle view showing heather moorland habitat. Peak District National Park, UK. April.

Claudio Contreras / Boat on canal between chinampas, a wetland agricultural system. Xochimilco wetlands, Mexico City, September

Chris & Monique Fallows / Wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans), feeding and cleaning.

Andy Rouse / Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris) walking portrait, Ranthambhore National Park, India. Crop of image 01500288 Endangered species.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) underwater view, Edgeoya, Svalbard, Norway, June.

Steven Kazlowski / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) curious young bear approaches over newly forming pack ice during autumn freeze up, Beaufort Sea, off Arctic coast, Alaska

Steven Kazlowski / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) curious young bear approaching camera, over newly forming pack ice during autumn freeze up, Beaufort Sea, off Arctic coast, Alaska

John Waters / Barn Owl (Tyto alba) hunting/hovering, Somerset, UK, trained bird.

Aflo / Cat stretching forward whilst sunbathing, Hofu, Yamaguchi, Japan.

Frederique Olivier / Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) wide angle portrait of two with larger group in background, Antarctica.

Ann & Steve Toon / Ground squirrel (Xerus inauris) Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Northern Cape, South Africa Non-ex.

Ann & Steve Toon / Ground squirrel (Xerus inauris) Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Northern Cape, South Africa. Non-ex.

Roland Seitre / Young Lion (Panthera leo) in tree, Fathala Reserve, Senegal. Captive, occurs in sub-Saharan Africa, Vulnerable species.

Sam Hobson / Young urban Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) standing in front of Bristol City Council dustbins. Bristol, UK, September.

Matthew Maran / Mute swans (Cygnus olor) Highgate Ponds, Hampstead Heath, London, UK, February.

Olga Kamenskaya / Man looking through transparent ice (1m thick) on lake surface to see diver below. Lake Baikal, Russia, March 2008. Model released.

Markus Varesvuo / Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa) hunting, Tornio, Finland, March

Jabruson / African Crake (Crecopsis egregia) portrait in long grass ,Mboko savannah-forest mozaic, Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Jabruson / Mass emergence of rainforest Skipper butterflies (Melphina sp.) Lokoue Bai, Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Cuvette, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Ernie Janes / Boat full of people watching Common Seals (Phoca vitulina) on sand bank at Blakeney Point, Norfolk, August 2013.

Ernie Janes / Hands holding ripe Barley ears (Hordeum vulgare) ready for harvest at Salthouse, Norfolk, England, UK, August.

Anup Shah / Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) pup approaching with curiosity. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Taken with remote wide angle camera.

Anup Shah / Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) approaching with curiosity. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Taken with remote wide angle camera.

Anup Shah / White-backed vultures (Gyps africanus) feeding on the carcass of a Common or Plains zebra. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Taken with remote wide angle camera.

Anup Shah / Lion (Panthera leo) cub aged about 2 years approaching with curiosity - remote wide angle perspective . Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Taken with remote wide angle camera.

Anup Shah / African elephant (Loxodonta africana) close-up. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Taken with remote wide angle camera.

Anup Shah / Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) young male approaching with curiosity. Masai Mara Nationa Reserve, Kenya. Taken with remote wide angle camera.

Chris & Monique Fallows / Black browed albatros (Thalassarche melanophrys), Cape Point, South Africa.

Kirkendall-Spring / Lower Yellowstone Falls with rainbow, on the Yellowstone River viewed from Lookout Point Trail, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, June 2013.

Kirkendall-Spring / View over the Campbell Lakes with stormy clouds at dusk, viewed from Walker Valley Overlook in Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, Oregon, USA, May 2013.

Chris & Monique Fallows / Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) tail, Cape Point, South Africa.

Chris & Monique Fallows / Blue Shark (Prionace glauca) viewed from below with Pilot fish (Naucrates ductor) Cape Point, South Africa.

David Pattyn / Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) group of pelicans with dark storm clouds approaching, Lake Kerkini, Greece, February

Theo Bosboom,Theo Bosboom / Arctic tern (Sterna paradisae) on telegraph lines, near a small village on the Reykjanes peninsula in the south west of Iceland, June

Theo Bosboom,Theo Bosboom / White-legged damselfly (Platycnemis pennipis), Meinerswijk, The Netherlands, June 2005. Highly commended, Animal portraits category, Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards 2006.

Steven Kazlowski / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) curious young boar on the newly frozen pack ice reaches for remote camera with paw, Beaufort Sea, off the 1002 area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, North Slope, Al...

Steven Kazlowski / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) curious young male on the newly frozen pack ice, Beaufort Sea, off the 1002 area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, North Slope, Alaska

Steven Kazlowski,Steven Kazlowski / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) young bear in freezing water during autumn freeze up, Bernard Spit, 1002 area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, North Slope, Alaska, Beaufort Sea

Claudio Contreras / View from bangka boat at dawn, Danajon Bank, Central Visayas, Philippines, April 2013

Michael Pitts / Lake Assal shoreline - Africas lowest point at 515 feet below sea level, Djibouti, , March 2008

Cyril Ruoso / Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti), Point Coles Nature Reserve, Peru

Ben Cranke,Ben Cranke / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscatata) juvenile, reaching out to touch the camera, Jigokudani, Nagano Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

David Tipling / Dalmatian Pelicans (Pelicanus crispus) being fed by fisherman at Lake Kerkini, Northern Greece, February

Anup Shah / Celebes / Black crested macaque (Macaca nigra) two juveniles approaching with curiosity, one grimacing Tangkoko National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Anup Shah / Celebes / Black crested macaque (Macaca nigra) group up close, watching with curiosity, Tangkoko National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Mark Taylor / German Shepherd Dog bitch pup, Coco, 14 weeks old, with raised paw.

Anup Shah / Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) sub-adult female 'Mosoko' aged 8 years and juvenile male 'Mobangi' aged 5 years approaching with curiosity, Bai Hokou, Dzanga Sangha Special Dense For...

Bertie Gregory / Raccoon (Procyon lotor) standing up investigating camera, portrait, Stanley park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Cananda, September.

Kirkendall-Spring / Sunset over West and Middle Anacapa Islands, view from Inspiration Point on East Anacapa Island, Channel Islands National Park, California, USA, April 2011.

Rick Tomlinson / Aerial view, taken from the mast, of SY "Adele"'s bow in the bay of an iceberg, Portal Point, Reclus Pennisula, Antarctica, January 2007 Non editorial uses must be cleared individually.

Ernie Janes / Two people walking on Cley beach near boats looking towards Blakeney Point with storm clouds overhead, Norfolk, UK, July 2011

Nick Garbutt / Adult Fossa (Crytoprocta ferox) female investigating automatic remote camera in leaf-litter. Kirindy Forest, western Madagascar, November.

Steven Kazlowski / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) curious adult investigates a remote camera along a hillside on Spitsbergen and the northwest coast of the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway, Greenland Sea, July

Doug Perrine / Young Steller's / Steller / Northern Sealions (Eumetopias jubatus) curiously approaching the photographer. Glacier Island, Columbia Bay, Alaska, USA, July.

Anup Shah / Bonobo (Pan paniscus) adolescent male reaching out from a tree, portrait, Lola Ya Bonobo Sanctuary, Democratic Republic of Congo. October.

Nature Production / Aerial view of rice paddy fields (Oryza sativa) fixed-point observation of seasonal changes, ploughed fields in early winter, Shiga, Japan, November, sequence 7/8

Nature Production / Aerial view of rice paddy fields (Oryza sativa) fixed-point observation of seasonal changes, summer, Shiga, Japan, early August, sequence 4/8

Jeff Vanuga / Nakalele Point Blowhole with spray and a resulting rainbow. West Maui, Hawaii, September 2010.

Ingo Arndt / King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) group returning from the sea, Volunteer Point, Falkland Islands

Anup Shah / African lion (Panthera leo) three sub adults approaching remote camera with curiosity, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. February

Anup Shah / African elephant (Loxodonta africana) group drinking from waterhole - wide angle perspective. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March

Anup Shah / Cape / African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) approaching with curiosity, herd in the background, wide angle perspective, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. September

Anup Shah / Cape / African Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) approaching camera with curiosity, wide angle perspective, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. September

Frederique Olivier / Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) colony, adults incubating eggs at nests, Hurd Point, Macquarie Island, Southern Atlantic, Australian Antarctica, November 2007

Ross Hoddinott / View of Salcombe and harbour from Snapes Point in the early morning light. Salcombe, South Devon, UK, September 2010

Anup Shah / Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) juvenile head portrait, low angle, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March

Anup Shah / African lioness (Panthera leo) portrait with male behind, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. February

Anup Shah / Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus).head portrait of juvenile peering curiously, wide angle perspective Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. March

Anup Shah / African Lioness (Panthera leo) and cubs curiously approaching, low angle, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. February

Anup Shah / African lion (Panthera leo) male head portrait, at low angle, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. December

Anup Shah / African lion (Panthera leo) portrait of cub, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. August

Alex Mustard / split level view of a domestic pig (Sus domestica) bathing in the sea. Exuma Cays, Bahamas. Tropical West Atlantic Ocean. This family of pigs live on this beach in the Bahamas and enjoy swimming in t...

Petra Wegner / Neva Masquarade / Siberian Forest Cat, portrait of seal-tabby-point coated tomcat, sitting on log in snow, with picket fence behind

Petra Wegner / Sacred Cat of Burma / Birman, chocolate-point coated, portrait sitting on log in snow, with picket fence behind

Petra Wegner / Neva Masquarade / Siberian Forest Cat, blue-silver-tabby-point coated, sitting on log in snow, with picket fence behind

Alex Mustard / Split level of female California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) basking in the sun on the surface. La Paz, Baja California Mexico. Sea of Cortez, East Pacific Ocean. October

Steven Kazlowski / Aerial view of Ringed seals (Phoca hispida) on multi-layer ice (freshwater pans formed over many years where salt is squeezed out of the ice) with exit hole underneath ocean, Chukchi Sea, 20 miles off...

David Tipling / Rear view of Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) on beach Blakeney Point, Norfolk, England, November