Gavin Hellier / Aerial view of the famous Blue Lagoon and Belcekiz beach along the 'Turquoise' coast, Oludeniz near Fethiye, Mediterrean Coast, Turkey 2008

Gavin Hellier / Aerial view of the famous Blue Lagoon and Belcekiz beach along the 'Turquoise' coast, Oludeniz near Fethiye, Mediterrean Coast, Turkey 2008

Gavin Hellier / Seaside cafe at Little Venice, Mykonos (Hora), Cyclades Islands, Greece, 2010

David Pattyn / Three Dalmatian Pelicans (Pelecanus crispus) portrait on lake. Lake Kerkini, Greece, March 2012.

David Pattyn / Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) close-up portrait. Lake Kerkini, Greece, March 2012.

Juan Manuel Borrero / Mixed forest in Val d'Aran / Aran Valley in the mist, Pyrenees, Lleida Province, Spain, June

David Pattyn / Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) head on close up portrait. Lake Kerkini, Greece, March.

Alex Mustard / Portrait of a Yellow seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus), Capo Galera, Alghero, Sardinia, Italy, Mediterranean Sea.

Alex Hyde / Horsefly (Philipomyia aprica) Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Silver Studded Blue (Plebejus argus), Gran Paradiso National Park, Aosta Valley, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Aposematism describes the use of bright colouration and bold patterns to advertise that an organism is unpalatable or dangerous. All three insects are foul-tasting or toxic if eaten: Wood Tiger moth...

Alex Hyde / Small Gold Grasshopper (Euthystira brachyptera) photographed on a white background. Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Wolf Spider (Xerolycosa nemoralis) female carrying egg sac, photographd on a white background. Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Burnet Moth (Zygaena carniolica), photographed on a white background. Aosta Valley, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Wood Tiger moth (Parasemia plantaginis) photographed on a white background. Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Northern Spinach moth (Eulithis populata), photographed on a white background, Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Cynthia's Fritillary (Euphydryas cynthia) male photographed on a white background. Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy. July.

Alex Hyde / Mountain Clouded Yellow (Colias phicomone) profile portrait, Aosta Valley, Monte Rosa Massif, Pennine Alps, Italy

Juan Carlos Munoz / Bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) in flight. Ordesa National Park, Spanish Pyrenees, April.

Kristel Richard / Lady riding a black Menorquin stallion, performing the bot or walking courbette of the Doma Menorquina, during the festival Mare de Deu de Gracia, in Mahon, Menorca, Spain 2012. Tourists are trying t...

Kristel Richard / Portrait of a grey Andalusian stallion, in Ciutadella, Menorca, Spain.

Markus Varesvuo / Great Bustards (Otis tarda) males, Spain, April . Fascinating birds bookplate.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Widstrand / Ganado bravo, fighting bull portrait, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca Region, Castilla y Leon, Spain

Mark Carwardine / Common dolphins bow riding {Delphinus delphis} Gibraltar

Oriol Alamany / Hiker walking the Calanche de Piana, Corse-du-Sud, Corsica Island, France, Model released.

Oriol Alamany / Woman hiker sheltering from rain at the hermitage of Sant Aniol, Espai Natural Alta Garrotxa, Pyrenees, Catalonia, Spain. Model released

Oriol Alamany / Hikers crossing scree along the 'Carros de foc' trail, Boi valley, Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park, Pyrenees, Catalonia, Spain. No release available.

Jordi Chias / Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) trapped in a drifting abandoned net, Mediterranean Sea. (Winner of the One Earth Award, WPY Competition 2010 )

David Pattyn / Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) adult male chasing two young males away, Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy, July

David Pattyn / Dalmatian pelicans (Pelecanus crispus) group of three on water, Lake Kerkini, Greece, March

David Pattyn / Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) abstract head portrait, Lake Kerkini, Greece, March

David Pattyn / Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus) resting on water in mist, Lake Kerkini, Greece, March

David Pattyn / Dalmatian pelicans (Pelecanus crispus) group on water in mist, Lake Kerkini, Greece, February

Solvin Zankl / Schreiber's long fingered bat (Miniopterus schreibersi) in flight in cave, Grotta Monte Majore, Sardinia, Italy. Highly commended, Mammals category, GDT 2012 competition.

Jordi Chias / Green Turtle, (Chelonia mydas), Swimming over volcanic sandy bottom, Armenime cove, South Tenerife coast, Canary Islands, Spain, Atlantic Ocean, May 2011, Commended in Wildlife Photographer of the Yea...

Kristel Richard / A herd of Retuerta mares trotting, Guadiamar scientific reserve, Donana National Park, Andalusia, Spain. This breed of horse was close to extinction in the 1990s with only 5 individuals left, but now...

David Noton / Poppies flowering in a field, near Norcia, Umbria, Italy. May 2005.

David Noton / Poppies flowering in a field, near Norcia, Umbria, Italy. May 2005.

David Noton / Les Aiguilles de Bavella, Corsica, France. June 2011.

David Noton / The Col de Bavella at dawn, Corsica, France. June 2011.

David Noton / Rain clouds hanging over the Col de Bavella, Bavella Mountains, Corsica, France. June 2011.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Detail of geological rock formations in the sandstone cliffs of Jaizkibel Beach, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain, May 2012

Juan Carlos Munoz / Man studying the geological rock formations in the sandstone cliffs of Jaizkibel Beach, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain, May 2012

Jean E. Roche / Aerial view of modern achitecture housing designed by Balladur at La Grande Motte, Port Camargue, Southern France, June 2008. No release available.

Jean E. Roche / Aerial view of cars tracks on beach, near Arles, Camargue, Southern France, May 2009

Jean E. Roche / Aerial view of wind turbines of wind farm on the Camargue, Port Saint Louis du Rhone, Southern France, September 2008

Jean E. Roche / Flock of Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) in flight, Camargue, Southern France, November 2006

Enrique Lopez-Tapia / ENCE Company Paper mill at night, Navia, Asturias Spain, April 2006 No release available.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Aerial view saltmarshes of Bahia de Cadiz Natural Park, Huelva, Andalucia, Spain, March 2008

Juan Carlos Munoz / Aerial view of patterns created by agricultural work on land, Los Monegros, Zaragoza Province, Aragon, Spain, July 2011

Juan Carlos Munoz / Aerial view river tributaries and saltmarshes of Bahia de Cadiz Natural Park, Huelva, Andalucia, Spain, March 2008

Juan Carlos Munoz / Aerial view of patterns created by agricultural work on land, Los Monegros, Zaragoza Province, Aragon, Spain, July 2011

Juan Carlos Munoz / Aerial view of sun reflected on the Odiel marshes, Huelva, Andalucia, Spain, March 2008

Juan Carlos Munoz / Aerial view of sun reflected on the Odiel marshes, Huelva, Andalucia, Spain, March 2008

Carol Walker / White horse of the Camargue, foal with its brown baby coat, Camargue, Southern France

Carol Walker / Two white horses of the Camargue, interacting, greeting head to head in marshes, Camargue, Southern France

Carol Walker / White horses of the Camargue with guardian, Camargue, Southern France. No release available.

Carol Walker / Two white horses of the Camargue, running through the sea, Camargue, Southern France

Carol Walker / White horses of the Camargue, herd running through water, Camargue, Southern France

Carol Walker / Two white horses of the Camargue, head to head at water, Camargue, Southern France

Ben Lascelles / The 'Perigree Super-moon'. A supermoon is the coincidence of a full moon with the closest approach the Moon makes to the Earth on its elliptical orbitis resulting in it appearing up to 14% larger and...

Merryn Thomas / View across Garachico, site of a major lava flow in 1706. Tenerife, Canary Islands, April 2011.

Orsolya Haarberg / Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) calling, portrait, Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy, November

Orsolya Haarberg / Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) in snow, Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy, November

Orsolya Haarberg / Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) in alpine landscape with light mist, Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy, October

Roland Seitre / Iberian / Spanish Lynx (Lynx pardina) cub, 2-3 months, in transport box at the Donana breeding station. Lynx reintroduction program, Andalusia, Spain, June 2007.

Roland Seitre / Program director Dr Astrid Vargas examining Iberian / Spanish Lynx (Lynx pardina) at the Donana breeding station. Andalusia, Spain, June 2007.

Roland Seitre / Mother Iberian / Spanish Lynx (Lynx pardina) with cubs climbing the fence of their enclosure. Donana breeding station, part of the lynx reintroduction project in Andalusia. Spain, June 2006.

Roland Seitre / Spanish / Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardina) cub portrait, part of a breeding and reintroduction program. Captive: critically endangered. Andalusia, Spain, June 2006.

Roland Seitre / Spanish / Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardina) cub playing with its mother; part of a breeding and reintroduction program. Captive: critically endangered. Andalusia, Spain, June 2006.

Roland Seitre / Spanish / Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardina) female with cub, part of a breeding and reintroduction program. Captive: critically endangered. Andalusia, Spain, June 2006.

Roland Seitre / Spanish / Iberian Lynx (Lynx pardina) in profile, part of a breeding and reintroduction program. Captive: critically endangered. Andalusia, Spain, June 2006.

Roland Seitre / Polar Wolves (Canis lupus arctos), a high arctic variant of the Grey Wolf. Captive. Lobo Park, Antequera, Spain, January.

Roland Seitre / Hermit / Northern bald ibis (Geroniticus eremita) breeding project of the Jerez de la Frontera Zoo, Cadiz, Spain. Keeper with juvenile birds on open land, keepers wear ibis helmets to limit human impr...

Roland Seitre / Hermit / Northern bald ibis (Geroniticus eremita) breeding project of the Jerez de la Frontera Zoo, Cadiz, Spain. Keeper with two chicks pecking his face, keepers wear ibis helmets to limit human impr...

Benoit Stichelbaut / 15M Fife cutter "Tuiga" sailing at her centenary, Monaco Classics Week, September 2009.

Benoit Stichelbaut / 15M Fife cutter "Tuiga" sailing at her centenary, Monaco Classics Week, September 2009.

Rick Tomlinson / "Team Russia" bowman Michael Joubert during in-port race training in Alicante, Spain, for the 10th Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009. For EDITORIAL USE only.

Nick Upton / Mourtia beach and bay with the southeast tip of Samos and Mount Mycale in Turkey's Dilek Peninsula National Park in the background, east coast of Samos, August 2011.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Red waters of the Rio Tinto, coloured by dissolved minerals, primarily iron. Andalusia, Spain, December 2011.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Red waters of the Rio Tinto, coloured by dissolved minerals, primarily iron. Andalusia, Spain, December 2011.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Red waters of the Rio Tinto, coloured by dissolved minerals, primarily iron. Andalusia, Spain, December 2011.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Red waters of the Rio Tinto, coloured by dissolved minerals, primarily iron. Andalusia, Spain, December 2011.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Red waters of the Rio Tinto, coloured by dissolved minerals, primarily iron. Andalusia, Spain, December 2011.

Inaki Relanzon / Rocks at water edge with reflection and Water crowfoot (Ranunculus peltatus) flowering, National Park Los Barruecos, Malpartida de Caceres, Spain, March 2011

Inaki Relanzon / Trashumancia / seasonal migration, large herd of moving livestock, French Pryrenees, Spain, June 2011.

Markus Varesvuo / Great Bustard (Otis tarda) Spain April

Solvin Zankl / Octopus (Octopus vulgaris), close up of eye, San Pietro Island, Sardinia, Italy, Mediterranean, July

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Ophrys orchid (Ophrys x maremmae) a natural hybrid between (Ophrys fuciflora) and Ophrys tenthredinifera) occasionally found where both species are present together, Umbria, Italy, May. focus-stack-c...

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Monkey orchid (Orchis simia) widespread in Central and Southern Europe, very rare in UK, Italy, April. meetyourneighbours.net project

Bert Willaert / Large Psammodromus Lizard (Psammodromus algirus) against sand. Ebro Delta, Spain.

Bert Willaert / Portrait of Balearic Green Toad (Pseudepidalea balearica / Bufo balearicus) close up, Mallorca, The Mediterranean.

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Caterpillar larva of Southern festoon butterfly (Zerynthia polyxena cassandra) on foodplant (Aristolochia rotundifolia) Italy, May. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) the national flower of California naturalised areas of Europe, Italy, June. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Paul Harcourt Davies / Horsefly (Tabanus bovinus) close up of male feeding on fennel flower nectar (the females are blood suckers) Lazio, Italy, July. meetyourneighbours.net project

Juan Carlos Munoz / Jersey tiger moth (Euplagia quadripunctaria) large numbers resting on leaves of Sweetgum trees (Liquidambar orientalis) in the Petaloudes Valley, Rhodes island, Greece, August 2011