Anup Shah / Juvenile Tawny or African Sea Eagle defending flamingo carcass from Marabou stork {Lepitoptilos crumeniferous}

Andrew Walmsley / Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea), adults defending their nests from photographers, Northumberland, June. No release available.

Stefan Huwiler / Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), adult defending carcass from Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), Sinite Kamani National Park, Bulgaria, Europe. February

Stefan Huwiler / Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) adult defending carcass from Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes), Sinite Kamani National Park, Bulgaria, Europe. February. Commended, Behaviour : Birds category, Wildlife Photogra...

Piotr Naskrecki / Fulgorid Planthopper (Fulgoridae) spreading wings to show aposematic coloration, Costa Rica

Andrew Parkinson / Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) adult hovering directly in front of the sun, defending nest from perceived threat, Farne Islands, UK. June

Anup Shah / Lioness (Panthera leo) trying to protect cubs from charging Cape buffalo herd (Syncerus caffer caffer), Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Piotr Naskrecki / Tessaratomid (Tessaratomidae) nymph with warning coloration, Papua New Guinea

Piotr Naskrecki / Looper Moth (Geometridae) caterpillar with aposematic coloration, Atewa Range, Ghana

Hiroya Minakuchi / Kunie's Chromodorid Nudibranch (Chromodoris kuniei), Borneo, Malaysia

Hiroya Minakuchi / Nudibranch (Hypselodoris bullockii) pair mating, Borneo, Malaysia

Anup Shah / Black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) male defending a kill from vultures after lions have finished - wide angle perspective, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. February

Kim Taylor / Wood Ant (Formica rufa) workers defending the nest by ejecting droplets of formic acid, UK.

Anup Shah / Black-backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) male defending a kill from vultures after lions have finished Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. February

Thomas Marent / Dyeing Poison Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius), Kaw, French Guiana

Thomas Marent / Alpine Newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) male, Switzerland

Thomas Marent / Alpine Newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) male, Switzerland

Thomas Marent / Alpine Newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) male, Switzerland

Thomas Marent / Alpine Newt (Ichthyosaura alpestris) female, Switzerland

Wild Wonders of Europe / Roggo / Male Pikeperch / Zander (Stizostedion / Sander lucioperca) defending nest, calm part of the Rhine, Schaffhausen, Switzerland, May 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Roggo / Male Zander / Pikeperch (Stizostedion / Sander lucioperca) defending nest, with Chub (Leuciscus cephalus) in the distance, calm part of the Rhine, Schaffhausen, Switzerland, May 2009

Piotr Naskrecki / Grasshopper with aposematic coloration aerates toxic blood as a defensive behavior, Kwazulu Natal, South Africa

Piotr Naskrecki / Grasshopper with aposematic coloration, Maloti Mountains, Lesotho, South Africa

Andrew Parkinson / Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) adult aggressively defending its nest from a perceived threat, Farne Islands, UK

Piotr Naskrecki / Milkweed Grasshopper (Phymateus morbillosus) member of the Foam grasshopper family has aposematic coloration, South Africa

Michael & Patricia Fogden / Harlequin Frog (Atelopus varius) displaying warning coloration, Monteverde, Costa Rica

Piotr Naskrecki / African Foam Grasshopper (Dictyophorus cuisinieri) blow air through their blood via their thoracic spiracles, creating foam that gives predators a taste of noxious chemicals, Guinea, West Africa, sequ...

Piotr Naskrecki / Drops of repellant on the body of Millipede, Solomon Islands

Piotr Naskrecki / Spiked Spider (Gasteracantha sp) their abdomen, or opisthosoma, is heavily sclerotized and armed with hard spines possibly to protect against birds and lizards, Solomon Islands

Pete Oxford / African Lion (Panthera leo) evading retaliation by Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) herd, Africa

Michael Quinton / Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) parent protecting eggs in nest, North America

ZSSD / African Hedgehog (Atelerix algirus) baby curled up in defensive posture, native to Africa

Anup Shah / Tawny eagle {Aquila Rapax} defending Lesser flamingo carcass from scavenging Sacred ibis{Threskiornis aethopicus} and Marabou storks {Leptoptilos crumeniferus} Lake Nakuru, Kenya.

Michael Durham / Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) jumping as an evasive behavior, Forest Park, Oregon

Michael & Patricia Fogden / Harlequin Frog (Atelopus varius) displaying colorful warning colors, cloud forest, Costa Rica

Fred Bavendam / Striped Catfish (Plotosus lineatus) form amazingly dense schools for protection from predators, Forster-Tuncurry, New South Wales, Australia

Fred Bavendam / Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) feeding on a large baitfish ball, Solomon Islands, South Pacific

Fred Bavendam / Pacific Giant Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) squirting ink in defense as it jets away, Quadra Island, British Columbia, Canada

Konrad Wothe / Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) female hissing from tree cavity, North America

Konrad Wothe / Red Wood Ant (Formica rufa) colony reacting in defensive behavior by spraying formic acid from a gland in rear of their abdomens, Sweden

Gordon Court / Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) gives a warning call when under threat, Cape Bird, Ross Island, Antarctica

Konrad Wothe / Mediterranean Mantis (Iris oratoria) female in defensive display, Spain

Norbert Wu / Flamingo Tongue Snail (Cyphoma gibbosum) feeding on Common Sea Fan (Gorgonia ventalina) showing deep purple tone where the Sea Fan has released protective compounds, Saba, Caribbean

Norbert Wu / Weddell Seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) male showing aggression towards the diver who is near breathing hole, Antarctica

Flip Nicklin / Long-spine Porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus) in defense posture, North America

Fred Bavendam / Leopard Sea Cucumber (Bohadschia argus) ejects a mass of long white sticky cuvierian tubules as a defense when disturbed, Manado, Indonesia

Fred Bavendam / Porcupinefish (Diodon nicthemerus) swallows water to puff itself up and points its spines outward as a defense against predators, South Australia

Anup Shah / Patas monkeys {Erythrocebus patas} fighting, Laikipia Plateau, Kenya.

Piotr Naskrecki / Katydid (Moncheca sp), newly discovered species, with red gland that shoots chemicals as a defense mechanism, Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Cockroach with aposematic coloration, Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Giant Crab Spider (Sparassidae), Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Giant Crab Spider (Sparassidae), Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Dyeing Poison Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius), Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Assassin Bug (Reduviidae), Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Leafhopper (Cicadellidae) nymph, Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Spiny Spider (Micrathena cyanospina), Suriname

Piotr Naskrecki / Leafhopper (Cicadellidae), Estabrook Woods, Concord, Massachusetts

Piotr Naskrecki / Leafhopper (Cicadellidae), Estabrook Woods, Concord, Massachusetts

Piotr Naskrecki / Mantis Fly (Climaciella brunnea), Estabrook Woods, Concord, Massachusetts

Richard Steel / 2020VISION / Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) perched on branch of a Rowan tree (Sorbus aucuparia), with berries, Clwyd, Wales, UK, November. Did you know? Fieldfares have an unusual way of defending their nests - by bo...

Andrew Walmsley / Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea), adult defending its nest, Inner Farne islands, Northumberland, June

Andrew Walmsley / Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea), adult defending its nest, Inner Farne islands, Northumberland, June

Matthew Maran / Raccoon (Procyon lotor) climbing out of a lake, escaping the nipping beak of a swan, defending its territory, Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Ingo Arndt / Leaf Beetle (Ischnocodia annulus) with aposematic coloration, Costa Rica

Ingo Arndt / Leichhardt's Grasshopper (Petasida ephippigera) on Pityrodia (Pityrodia jamesii) plant, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia

Ingo Arndt / Leichhardt's Grasshopper (Petasida ephippigera) on Pityrodia (Pityrodia jamesii) plant, Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia

Christophe Courteau / Pride of African lions (Panthera leo) with a kill at night time, watched by Brown hyaenas (Hyaena brunnea). The Dominant Lioness is defending the clan and faces the Hyaenas. Botswana

Hiroya Minakuchi / Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Oophaga pumilio), Costa Rica

Roger Powell / Herring gull (Larus argentatus) calling against intruders and defending its nesting territory, East Dunmore, Waterford, Republic of Ireland, June

Anup Shah / Black backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) defending pups and den from Banded mongooses (Mungo mungos) Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, August.

Anup Shah / Black backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) defending pups and den from Banded mongooses (Mungo mungos) Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, August.

Pete Oxford / Katydid (Copiphora sp), Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Assassin Bug (Reduviidae), Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Millipede (Pseudopolydesmus sp), Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Banded Tree Snake (Tripanurgos compressus), Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Banded Tree Snake (Tripanurgos compressus), Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Banded Tree Snake (Tripanurgos compressus), Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Two-horned Bug (Euagona diana), Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest, Ecuador

Martin Willis / Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) biting shoe after being stepped on, Traralgon, Victoria, Australia

Konrad Wothe / Red Stink Bug (Pycanum rubeus), also known as a Shield Bug, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia

Thomas Marent / Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Oophaga pumilio) on mushroom, Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica

Thomas Marent / Beebe's Rocket Frog (Colostethus beebei), Kaieteur National Park, Guyana

Thomas Marent / Harlequin Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates histrionicus) guayacana color morph, Colombia

Thomas Marent / Harlequin Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates histrionicus) arusi color morph, Colombia

Thomas Marent / Harlequin Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates histrionicus) codicia color morph, Colombia

Mark Moffett / Green Tree Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) colony envelops the queen to protect her from harm, Daintree, Queensland, Australia

Mark Moffett / Green Tree Ant (Oecophylla smaragdina) in defensive posture as parasitic wasps attempt to lay eggs on colony members, Daintree, Queensland, Australia

Chris Newbert / Scallop (Pectiniidae), Indonesia

Pete Oxford / Longhorn Beetle (Batus barbicornis) with aposematic coloration, Yasuni National Park, Amazon, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Fungus Beetle (Erotylidae) pair with aposematic coloration, Yasuni National Park, Amazon, Ecuador

Martin Willis / Red-capped Plover (Charadrius ruficapillus) female in diversion display, Townsville, Queensland, Australia

Richard Du Toit / Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax) mobbed by Fork-tailed Drongos (Dicrurus adsimilis), Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa

Norbert Wu / Brittle Star (Ophionotus victoriae) trying to defend itself against Antarctic Sun Starfish (Labidiaster annulatus), Palmer Station, Antarctic Peninsula, Antarctica

Roy Mangersnes / Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) defending prey from another bird, portrait, Southern Norway, December

Alex Mustard / Threespot damselfish (Stegastes planifrons) defending its garden of algae, Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies, Caribbean Sea.

Piotr Naskrecki / Dyeing Poison Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius), Sipaliwini, Surinam