Marie Read / Black skimmers (Rynchops niger), three in non-breeding plumage on beach, Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA. January. Digitally altered to remove distractions.

Markus Varesvuo / Long-tailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis) in flight. Porvoo, Sderskr, Finland. Digitally altered - one bird removed. May

Alex Hyde / Various pollen grains from several species of UK plant. False coloured scanning electron micrograph. Digital composite.

Alex Mustard / Split level image of Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi) breaking surface at dusk. Grand Bahama, Bahamas. Digitally manipulated image.

Nick Garbutt / Flock of Kelp / Southern black backed Gulls (Larus dominicanus) flying over iceberg. Graham Passage, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica. February. (digitally altered image)

Nick Garbutt / Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) flying over rugged coast near Stromness, South Georgia, South Atlantic. January (digitally altered image)

Neil Lucas / Dragons blood tree (Dracena cinnibaris) reflected, Socotra, Yemen, February 2007. Digitally created image

Mark Bowler / Red howler monkey (Alouatta seniculus) howling, captive, digitally modified

Markus Varesvuo / White-tailed eagle (Haliaetus albicilla) in flight. Vehmaa, Finland. March 2004 Digitally altered - one Raven removed.

Markus Varesvuo / White-tailed eagle (Haliaetus albicilla) standing in snow. Vehmaa, Finland. March 2004 Digitally altered - one raven removed

Markus Varesvuo / Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca) in flight. Oman. Digitally altered - Sky modified. November

Claudio Contreras / Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), Royal Tern (Sterna maxima) and tourists canoeing in background, El Requeson, Gulf of California, Baja California Peninsula, Mexico, December. (Digital...

Konrad Wothe / Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) female in Rainforest, Daintree National Park, Queensland, Australia, digitally altered

Nick Garbutt / Spear / Leaf-nosed twig snakes (Langaha madagascariensis) from the rainforest regions of eastern Madagascar. Male (top) and female (bottom) digitally altered image

Nick Garbutt / Spear-nosed Snake (Langaha madagascariensis) from the rainforest regions of eastern Madagascar. Male (top) and female (bottom) Digitally altered image.

Roy Mangersnes / Grey Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) female on the right and male on the left at nesting pond in arctic Alaska, USA. Digitally altered - rock removed. June

Shane Gross / Salmon sharks (Lamna ditropis) swimming, Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA, Pacific Ocean. *Note - Digitally altered image (chum removed)

Doug Gimesy / Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) female pup, portrait. Orphaned pup, photo under controlled conditions. Black Rock Animal Shelter, Beaumaris, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. November. D...

Doug Gimesy / Long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) hind foot, close up. Conservation Ecology Centre, The Otways, Victoria, Australia. Captive. Digitally altered image.

Doug Gimesy / Northern velvet gecko (Oedura castelnaui) on white background. Captive, rescued from illegal wildlife trade by The Department of Environment Land, Water and Planning during Operation Sheffield. Knoxfi...

Doug Gimesy / Marbled velvet gecko (Oedura marmorata) on white background. Captive, rescued from illegal wildlife trade by The Department of Environment Land, Water and Planning during Operation Sheffield. Knoxfiel...

Doug Gimesy / King's skink (Egernia kingii) on white background. Captive, rescued from illegal wildlife trade by The Department of Environment Land, Water and Planning during Operation Sheffield. Knoxfield, Mel...

Doug Gimesy / Major skink (Bellatorias frerei) on white background. Captive, rescued from illegal wildlife trade by The Department of Environment Land, Water and Planning during Operation Sheffield. Knoxfield, Melb...

Doug Gimesy / Centralian blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua multifasciata) on white background. Captive, rescued from illegal wildlife trade by The Department of Environment Land, Water and Planning during Operation Sheff...

Doug Gimesy / Western blue-tongued skink (Tiliqua occipitalis) on white background. Captive, rescued from illegal wildlife trade by The Department of Environment Land, Water and Planning during Operation Sheffield....

Doug Gimesy / Northern leaf-tailed gecko (Saltuarius cornutus) on white background. Captive, rescued from illegal wildlife trade by The Department of Environment Land, Water and Planning during Operation Sheffield....