Nature Production / Bombardier Beetle (Pheropsophus jessoensis) protecting itself by ejecting a boiling, noxious chemical spray, Nagasaki, Japan.

Bence Mate / Leaf cutter ant (Atta sp) female worker carrying leaf to nest, with a smaller 'minor' ant riding. The minor's job is to protect her sister from parasitic flies. Costa Rica, December. Highly Commended,...

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) attacking an Arctic Fox (Vulpes / Alopex lagopus) protecting its nest site, Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway. Highly commended, MAMMALS, GDT 2011 competition

Tony Heald / Hippopotamus {Hippopotamus amphibius} territorial defense at water edge, Chobe national park, Botswana.

Morley Read / Slow motion clip of a Linnaeus' sipo snake (Chironius exoletus) with open mouth, part of threat display, Amazon rainforest, Orellana Province, Ecuador. (non-ex)

Morley Read / Parrot snake (Leptophis ahaetulla) threat display, Amazon rainforest, Orellana Province, Ecuador. (non-ex)

Gary Bell/ Oceanwide / Oriental Flying Gurnard (Dactyloptena orientalis) with pectoral fins extended in defense posture, Anilao, Philippines

Matthew Maran / Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) cub defending its kill,a large Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) from another cub, North London, UK. August. Highly commended in the Behaviour : Mammals Category of the Wildlife Ph...

Tony Wu / Sardines (Clupeidae) fleeing from predators in the early morning. They were being herded and chased by Trevallies and Blacktip reef sharks in the water, and picked off by brown boobies and terns from...

Nigel Cattlin / Large rose sawfly (Arge pagana) larvae feeding on ornamental rose leaves in summer, Berkshire, September

John Shaw / Common eider duck (Somateria mollissima) female defending her nest from arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus). Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen. June.

Georgette Douwma / Boxer Crab (Lybia tessellata) with sea anemones in its claws for defense. Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.