Nick Garbutt / Infant Golden-crowned Sifaka (Propithecus tattersalli) on its mother's back. Forests adjacent to the village of Andranotsimaty, near Daraina, northern Madagascar. Critically endangered species.

Andy Trowbridge / Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) at rest on submerged rock, head and one flipper above water. Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK. July.

Erlend Haarberg / Stoat (Mustela erminea) in white winter coat. Vauldalen, Sor-Trondelag, Norway, April.

Erlend Haarberg / Mountain hare (Lepus timidus) head portrait. Vauldalen, Sor-Trondelag, Norway, April.

Dong Lei / Blood pheasants (Ithaginis cruentus) foraging in habitat, one looking at the camera, Meli Snow Mountain National Park, Yunnan Province, China, January. Endemic. Taken with remote camera.

Robin Chittenden / Boy looking at Green-veined White butterfly (Pieris napi) on his hand, Dorset, UK, May 2013, Model released.

Alex Hyde / Malaysian Orchid Mantis (Hymenopus coronatus) white colour morph camouflaged on an orchid. Captive. Originating from Malaysia.

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

Peter Cairns / American Bison (Bison bison) lying in snow field, Hayden Valley,Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA, January.

Daniel Heuclin / Rhinoceros viper (Bitis nasicornis), from Central Africa, captive, July.

David Pike / Two European polecat kittens (Mustela putorius) in grass, West Country Wildlife Photography Centre, captive, July.

Anup Shah / Olive baboon (Papio anubis) juveniles watching with curiosity. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya. Taken with remote wide angle camera.

Andy Rouse / Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) cub climbing tree. Chengdu, China. Captive.

Jussi Murtosaari / European hare (Lepus europaeus) portrait, central Finland, April.

Jussi Murtosaari / Scarce Copper (Lycaena virgaureae) male in meadow on ox-eye daisy, Joutsa (formerly Leivonmaki), Finland, July.

Jussi Murtosaari / Timberman beetle (Acanthocinus aedili) showing antennae which are four times the length of its body, central Finland, May.

Jussi Murtosaari / Pallas Fritillary (Argynnis laodice) portrait of female head on, southern Finland, August.

Jussi Murtosaari / Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) portrait of female in snow, southern Finland, March.

Shattil & Rozinski,Shattil & Rozinski / Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), with the Denver skyline and Rocky Mountains in the background, Denver, Colorado, USA, November.

Loic Poidevin / Female Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) standing up, with two cubs nearby, Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, British Columbia, Canada, June.

Erlend Haarberg / Stoat (Mustela erminea) in white winter coat. Vauldalen, Sor-Trondelag, Norway, May.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Red-legged Seriema (Cariama cristata) portrait, captive, Apenheul Park, Netherlands.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Black howler monkeys (Alouatta caraya) male and two females calling from tree, captive, Apenheul Park, Netherlands.

Jabruson / Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in cage, confiscated from poachers, housed in Epulu, Okapi Wildlife Reserve, Orientale Province, North-East, Democratic Republic of Congo

Fiona Rogers / Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) female 'Sandra' aged 22 years portrait. Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia. Apr 2012. Rehabilitated and released (or descended from those which were rele...

Fiona Rogers / Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) female 'Pesec' aged 28 years portrait. Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia. Apr 2012. Rehabilitated and released (or descended from those which were relea...

Fiona Rogers / Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) mature male 'Halik' aged 26 years lying down - portrait. Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia. Apr 2012. Rehabilitated and released (or descended from thos...

Fiona Rogers / Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) female portrait. Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India. Apr 2013.

Edwin Giesbers / Close-up of an eye of a Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), captive, native to Sumatra, Indonesia.

Edwin Giesbers / Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae), captive, occurs in Sumatra, Indonesia

Edwin Giesbers / Wide angle close-up of two European grey wolves (Canis lupus), captive, Norway, February.

Edwin Giesbers / Artic fox (Vulpes lagopus) portrait, captive, Norway, February.

Ann & Steve Toon / Namaqua chameleon (Chamaeleo namaquensis), being scanned for microchip, part of conservation project, Namib Desert, Namibia, April

Chris Mattison / Barred leaf frog (Phyllomedusa tomopterna) captive from South America.

Pascal Tordeux / Boy feeding a Little owl (Athene noctua) chick hit by a car, France, May 2013. Model released.

Roger Powell / Little owl (Athene noctua) perched on a fence post, stretching its wings, Castro Verde, Alentejo, Portugal, April.

Mark Taylor / Black Maine Coon kitten and cute Doxiedoodle puppy.

Mark Taylor / Liver Flatcoated Retriever puppy, 6 weeks, with two baby Guinea pigs.

Mark Taylor / Liver Flatcoated Retriever puppy, 6 weeks.

Mark Taylor / Tabby cat, Max, 5 months, with smoke black kitten.

Anup Shah / Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) female 'Jaki' aged 16 years with baby daughter 'Jodi' aged 2-3 years - portrait. Gunung Leuser National Park, Sumatra, Indonesia. Rehabilitated and released (or desce...

Juan Carlos Munoz / Proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus), Sabah Malaysia, Borneo.

Cheryl-Samantha Owen / Southern Rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) tame bird 'Rocky' used for educational purposes, Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), Cape Town, South Africa....

Jeff Rotman / Eye of a Peacock grouper (Cephalopholis argus) Red Sea, Egypt.

Andy Rouse / Verreaux Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) portrait, Madagascar

Andy Rouse / Verreaux Sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi) jumping ('dancing') across ground, Madagascar

Andy Rouse / Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) mother and cub playing, Maasai Mara, Kenya, Africa. Honoured in the African wildlife category

Andy Rouse / Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) female hunting, Maasai Mara, Kenya, Africa

Andy Rouse / African Lioness (Panthera leo) portrait, with aggressive expression because of cubs nearby Maasai Mara, Kenya, Africa

John Cancalosi / White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in snow, New York, USA, winter

Suzi Eszterhas / White-faced Capuchin (Cebus capucinus imitator) mother and baby. Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Nick Garbutt / The view at night from 'At the Top', 124th floor of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building at 829.8m at night. Dubai, United Arab Emirates. April 2013

Nick Garbutt / Male Arabian Leopard (Panthera pardus nimr) at the Arabian Wildlife Centre & captive-breeding project, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates.

Tony Heald / Black-backed Jackal (Canis mesomelas) drinking, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa. January

Alex Mustard,Alex Mustard / A portrait of a Mediterranean anthias (Anthias anthias) against open water. Secca Del Papa, Tavolara Marine Protected Area, Sardinia, Italy. Mediterranean Sea.

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

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) adult with wet snowy head in the hot springs of Jigokudani, Japan.

Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) juvenile riding on its mother's back, along snow trail in Jigokudani, Japan.

Alex Mustard / Butterfish (Pholis gunnellus) portrait. Gardur, south west Iceland. North Atlantic Ocean.

Alex Mustard,Alex Mustard / Wolf fish (Anarhichas lupus) face portrait. Gardur, south west Iceland. North Atlantic Ocean.

Alex Mustard / Lemon sole (Microstomus kitt) portrait. Gardur, south west Iceland. North Atlantic Ocean

Alex Mustard,Alex Mustard / A portrait of a small Candy stripe shrimp (Lebbeus grandimanus) in front of its host pink anemone (out of focus because of the magnification). Browning Wall, Browning Pass, Port Hardy, Vancouver Islan...

Alex Mustard,Alex Mustard / Red eye medusa (Polyorchis penicillatus) with its feeding tentacles extended to catch planktonic prey. Note that the bell of the jelly has hitchhiking amphipods (Hyperia medusarum). Browning Pass, Van...

Alex Mustard,Alex Mustard / Portrait of a Yellow moray eel (Gymnothorax prasinus) - endemic to SE Australia. Chowder Bay, Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia.

Tony Phelps / Chacma baboon (Papio hamadryas ursinus) portrait of adult male. deHoop Nature reserve. Western Cape, South Africa.

Alex Mustard / Portrait of a spotted sunfish (Lepomis punctatus) in front of reeds in a river. Rainbow River, Florida, United States of America.

Alex Mustard,Alex Mustard / Veined octopus (Amphioctopus marginatus) shelters in discarded coconut shell. Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Molucca Sea.

Daniel Heuclin / Unau / two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus) portrait, French Guiana

Konrad Wothe / Black kitten in garden, Germany

Konrad Wothe / Foureyed fish (Anableps anableps) split level view, South America, captive

Florian Möllers / White stork (Ciconia ciconia) adult portrait, captive, Vogelpark Marlow, Germany, May.

Florian Möllers / White stork (Ciconia ciconia) adult portrait, captive, Vogelpark Marlow, Germany, May.

Claudio Contreras / Keel billed toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus), captive.

Claudio Contreras / Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), IUCN Near Threatened, captive.

Claudio Contreras / California condor (Gymnogyps californianus), IUCN Critically Endangered, captive.

Markus Varesvuo / Tengmalm's Owl (Aegolius funereus) close-up of eye. Kuusamo Finland, May. Winner of the Birds Category in the Finnish Nature Photo of the Year Competition 2013

Jan Hamrsky,Jan Hamrsky / Darner dragonfly nymph (Aeshnidae) portrait, Europe, July, controlled conditions

Loic Poidevin,Loic Poidevin / Northern Goshawk(Accipiter gentilis) on a branch, Bulgaria, February

Petra Wegner,Petra Wegner / Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies aged 7 weeks, with tricolour and blenheim colouration, on hay bale in straw

Petra Wegner / Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, puppy aged 7 weeks with blenheim colouration, resting on hay bale in straw

Neil Aldridge / Portrait of an African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) wearing a radio collar in dense mopane bushveld, Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve, Limpopo Province, South Africa, February 2010.

Bence Mate / Dalmatian pelicans (Pelecanus crispus) underwater view of group feeding, Lake Kirkini, Greece. Highly commended in the GDT competition 2013. Commended in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards c...

Mark MacEwen / Broad snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) baby carried in mother's mouth from the nest, Sante Fe, Argentina, February

Bernard Castelein / Red-bellied Lemur (Eulemur rubriventer) pair, Ialasatra, Madagascar

Alex Mustard / Blue shark (Prionace glauca) swimming near the surface of the English Channel. Penzance, Cornwall, England, British Isles. North East Atlantic Ocean, August. Highly commended in the Portraits category...

Erlend Haarberg / Mountain hare (Lepus timidus) portrait. Vauldalen, Sor-Trondelag, Norway. Highly commended in the GDT 2013 Competition.

Laurent Geslin / Close up of an eye of a Racing horse (Equus caballus) France

Laurent Geslin / Southern plains grey / Hanuman langur {Semnopithecus dussumieri} stretching out hand to touch camera, Ranthambore NP, Rajasthan, India. 2006

Laurent Geslin / Close up of Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) eye, India

Franco Banfi / Pink River dolphin / Boto (Inia geoffrensis) Acajatuba Lake, Negro River, Amazonas, Brazil

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.

Igor Shpilenok,Igor Shpilenok / Wolverine (Gulo gulo) portrait. Kronotsky Zapovednik Nature Reserve, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russian Far East, February.

Juan Carlos Munoz,Juan Carlos Munoz / Leopard (Panthera pardus) portrait, Samburu National Reserve, Kenya

Rod Williams / Young male Northern White-cheeked Crested Gibbon (Nomascus leucogenys) Northern Vietnam. Critically Endangered, Captive

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 / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) curious young 2-year-old in water off a barrier island, its mother on the beach, Bernard Spit, 1002 area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, North Slope, Alaska