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

Ingo Arndt / Red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas) eye closed with semi-transparent eyelid that allows it to see its surroundings even while resting, Costa Rica.

Andy Rouse / African Lion (Panthera leo) female carrying young cub. Masai Mara, Kenya, Africa. August.

Edwin Giesbers / Western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) twin babies age 45 days resting on mother's chest, one suckling. captive, occurs in Central Africa. Critically endangered.

Yukihiro Fukuda / Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata fuscata) rare white furred baby playing with another baby. Jigokudani Valley, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. June.

Staffan Widstrand / Wild Wonders of China / Crested myna starlings (Arcidotheres cristatellus) sitting on domestic waterbuffaloes (Bubalus domesticus), Poyang Ho Lake, Jiangxi province, China

Espen Bergersen / Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) group interacting, Hornoya bird cliff, Finnmark, Norway. March.

Pal Hermansen / Yellow-billed oxpecker (Buphagus africanus) on African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), Masai Mara, Kenya

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) adult and young hauled on ice. Hinlopen, Svalbard, Norway, June.

Ole Jorgen Liodden / Arctic tern (Sterna paridisea) mobbing, Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) in Spitsbergen, Svalbard, Norway, July.

Solvin Zankl / Black backed jackal (Canis mesomelas) attacking Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus) pup, Sperrgebiet National Park, Namibia, December. Sequence 3/6

Steven Kazlowski / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) young bear rolling around in the snow, on newly formed pack ice during autumn freeze up, Beaufort Sea, off Arctic coast, Alaska

Mark MacEwen / Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) relaxing in hot spring in Jigokudani, Yaenkoen, Nagano, Japan, February.

Mark MacEwen / Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) sleeping at hot spring in Jigokudani, Yaenkoen, Nagano, Japan, February.

Andy Trowbridge / Arctic Fox (Alopex / Vulpes lagopus) yawning, during moult from grey summer fur to winter white. Dovrefjell National Park, Norway, September.

Shattil & Rozinski,Shattil & Rozinski / Black bear (Ursus americanus) cub climbing a fence, Minnesota, USA, May.

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

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

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

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

Ben Cranke,Ben Cranke / Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscatata) grooming in hot springs, Jigokudani, Nagano Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

Diane McAllister,Diane McAllister / Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata) young one, appearing quite relaxed in thermal pool, even falling asleep, in Jigokudani, Japan, February

Edwin Giesbers,Edwin Giesbers / Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) one week old orphan at rescue centre, captive

Denis-Huot / Leopard (Panthera pardus) female yawning, Samburu game reserve, Kenya

Solvin Zankl / Common European toads (Bufo bufo) mating, with membranes closed over eyes for protection, Solling, Central Germany.

Andy Rouse / African lioness (Panthera leo) resting with head on another at sunrise, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya

Juergen Freund / Spectacled flying fox (Pteropus conspicillatus) babies swaddled in cloth ready to sleep, Tolga Bat Hospital, Atherton, North Queensland, Australia. January 2008.

Klaus Echle / Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) resting in woodland, sleeping, Black Forest, Germany, Winner of Fritz Polking portfolio prize , GDT 2011 competition

Carol Walker / Mustang / wild horse, yearling cremello colt Claro in thick winter coat, stretching, McCullough Peak herd, Wyoming, USA, February 2008

Laurie Campbell / Common / Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina) bottling / sleeping upright in water and moored in bed of sea thong weed, Islay, Scotland, April

Chadden Hunter / Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) close up of sleeping individual, South Georgia. Taken on location for BBC Frozen Planet series, 2008

David Woodfall / Bull Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) asleep in pool with reflection of bombing range sign in pool. Donna Nook, UK, November.

David Woodfall / Bull Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) asleep in pool with reflection of bombing range sign in pool. Donna Nook, UK, November.

Michele Westmorland / Underwater Sculpture Gallery off Molinere Point, created by Jason de Caires Taylor. Colonised by sea life, Grenada, West-Indies, Caribbean, May 2009. No release.

Grzegorz Lesniewski / Ural Owl (Strix uralensis) perched. Bieszczady National Park, the Carpathians, Poland, December.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Couch's Spadefoot (Scaphiopus couchii) adult at night calling with vocal sac inflated. Laredo, Webb County, South Texas, USA, April.

Jeff Rotman / Snake charmer with scorpions climbing over his hands and face, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, December 2007, Model released

Markus Varesvuo / Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) landing in snow. Kuusamo, Finland, February.

Lisa Hoffner / Orphan elephant (Loxodonta africana) flings red dirt during its daily dust bath. David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nairobi Elephant Nursery, Kenya, April 2007.

Lisa Hoffner / Two orphan baby Elephants (Loxodonta africana) being affectionate. David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Nairobi Elephant Nursery, Kenya, July 2010.

Brent Stephenson / Crabeater Seal (Lobodon carcinophaga) hauled out on ice. Pleneau Island, Antarctica, January.

Diane McAllister / Wild stallion (Equus caballus) lying down in the sagebrush and yawning. The foothills south of Reno, Nevada, USA, May.

Jane Burton / Border Collie having a good shake.

Andy Rouse / Mountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) adult playing with an infant. Rwanda, Africa

Juergen Freund / Schooling Banggai cardinalfish in anemone tentacles. (Pterapogon kaudemi). Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Fiona Rogers / Bornean Orang-utan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) female 'Tutut' cradling her sleeping baby 'Thor' aged 8-9 months head portrait. Camp Leakey, Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, Borneo, Indon...

Fiona Rogers / Bornean Orang-utan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) mature male 'Tom' yawning head portrait. Camp Leakey, Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia, June 2010. Rehabilitated and rele...

Ernie Janes / Suffolk Punch heavy horse in field resting head another's back, UK, September

Ernie Janes / Basset hound, portrait, resting head on back of car, eyes half closed, UK

John Cancalosi / Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) head portrait of male, sleeping in snow, Captive

Petra Wegner / British Shorthair Cat, kitten, silver-shaded, sleeping

Andrew Parkinson / Great skua (Stercorarius skua) bathing in a freshwater pool. Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK, June. (non-ex)

Claudio Contreras / Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) close-up of weaner / juvenile sleeping, Guadalupe Island Biosphere Reserve, off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, April

Guy Edwardes / Grey-breasted Spurfowl (Pternistis rufopictus) calling, Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, Africa February

Steven Kazlowski / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) head portrait of adult scenting the wind, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

Steven Kazlowski / Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) juvenile shaking off snow after rolling around on the pack ice, arctic coast, 1002 area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, Beaufort Sea

David Tipling / Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) resting, Salton Sea, California, USA, April

Mark Taylor / Two kittens asleep under a scarf.

Mark Taylor / Mongrel dog, Mutley, sniffing

Wild Wonders of Europe / Schandy / European green toad (Bufo viridis) calling, vocal sac inflated, with eyes closed, in a pond (at 2,711m) Adylsu valley, side valley to Baksan valley and Elbrus, Caucasus, Russia, June 2008

Elio Della Ferrera / Southern plains grey / Hanuman langur {Semnopithecus dussumieri} sitting on arm of statue of Buddha. Sri Lanka

Kim Taylor / Tokay gecko {Gecko gecko} eye showing pupil partially closed. Captive occurs Asia.

Shin Yoshino / Bengal Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) with closed eyes, India

Michael Durham / Blue and Yellow macaw portrait eye closed {Ara ararauna} captive - occurrs Central-America and South-America

Morley Read / Leaf frog (Agalychnis hulli) blinking its eyes, Amazon rainforest, Orellana Province, Ecuador. (non-ex)

Tony Wu / Ural owl (Strix uralensis japonica), portrait. Hokkaido, Japan. April.

Eric Baccega / Common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), close up of eye. Skin spotted with secretion of blood sweat, a red substance that acts as natural sunscreen. Beauval Zoo Parc, France. Captive.

Eric Baccega / Common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) portrait, underwater. Beauval Zoo Parc, France. Captive.

Eric Baccega / Mountain gorilla silverback (Gorilla beringei) lying down, member of the Nyakagezi group, Mgahinga National Park, Uganda, January.

Sven Zacek / Ural owl (Strix uralensis) female interacting with chick on nest. Southern Estonia. May.

Tony Heald / Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina), male flicking sand over body on beach. Right Whale Bay, South Georgia. September.

Eric Baccega / Shoebill stork (Balaeniceps rex) portrait with a closed eyelid. Swamps of Mabamba, Lake Victoria, Uganda.

Ingo Arndt / House mouse (Mus musculus) newborn baby, hairless, with eyes closed, Germany.

Ingo Arndt / Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) shortly after birth, hairless with eyes closed. They are a common pest species native to Europe, and also introduced worldwide.

Ingo Arndt / House mouse (Mus musculus) newborn baby, hairless, with eyes closed, Germany.

Ingo Arndt / Tropical moth on leaf reveals eyespots to avoid predation, Costa Rica. Sequence 1/2

Nick Garbutt / Close up of the closed eye of a female Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas) - Caribbean slope race (blue flanks). Mid-altitude rainforest near Aranal, central Costa Rica.

Carol Walker / Wild mustang mare with filly suckling, Pryor Mountains, Montana, USA. June.

Graham Eaton / Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) sitting on branch of tree. Cheshire, England, UK. September.

Eric Baccega / A tundra nenets woman with her ""akva"" pet reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), Yar-Sale district, Yamal, Northwest Siberia, Russia, April 2016

Andy Rouse / African Lion (Panthera leo) female carrying young cub. Masai Mara, Kenya, Africa. August.

Andy Rouse / African Lion (Panthera leo) female carrying young cub. Masai Mara, Kenya, Africa. August.

Andy Rouse / African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) calf in mud wallowing in rain. Maasai Mara, Kenya, Africa. September.

Andy Rouse / African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) in rain, wallowing in mud. Maasai Mara, Kenya, Africa. September.

Andy Rouse / Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) sleeping in snowstorm. Svalbard, Norway. July.

Richard Du Toit / Two Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) standing, one with neck bent, Itala Game Reserve, Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa.

Richard Du Toit / Young giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) head and neck portrait, Eyes open / closed sequence, Itala Game Reserve, Kwa-Zulu Natal Province, South Africa.