This is our editor's choice of the best images added to our collection in September and October 2012. There was some great new material: rare wild Amur tigers from Vladimir Medvedev; dramatic sharks from new contributor Cheryl-Samantha Owen; great new dolphins from Brandon Cole, Tui de Roy's comprehensive Galapagos coverage; Sandra Bartocha's creative flower and landscape work; Solvin Zankl's innovative insect portraits using digital focus stacking; Anup Shah's new Kenyan material including a lion/waterbuck confrontation; British wildlife from Andy Rouse, including brown hares in action; unusual reptile and amphibian portraits from Michael Kern;
Mary McDonald / Northern Plains grey Langur (Semnopithecus entellus) baby holding onto mother, Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh, India
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George Sanker / Black bear (Ursus americanus) young cub portrait, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
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Ben Hall / Whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) in snowfall. Martin Mere Wetlands Trust, Lancashire,UK, January. 'Animal Portraits' category, British Wildlife Photographer Awards (BWPA) competition 2012.
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Andy Rouse / 2020VISION / Gannet (Morus bassanus) portrait showing blue eyes. Bempton Cliffs RSPB reserve, UK, Yorkshire, July.
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Matthew Maran / Canada goose (Branta canadensis) gosling portrait, Hornsey, London, UK May
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Tui De Roy / Wolf-Volcano giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra becki) portrait with ground finch (Geospiza sp. ) sitting on foot, Isabela Island, Galapagos. Did you know? Galapagos tortoises have a mutualistic relati...
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Cheryl-Samantha Owen / Mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei) resting on back yawning, Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda, East Africa
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Solvin Zankl / Jet Ant / Shining Jet Black Ant (Lasius fuliginosus), worker. Specimen photographed using digital focus stacking
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Anup Shah / African lion (Panthera leo) male head and shoulders profile portrait, Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, September
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Sandra Bartocha / Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) Stadtkreis Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, May
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Andy Rouse / European otter (Lutra lutra) running, UK, taken in controlled conditions July
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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...
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Steven Kazlowski / Moose (Alces alces) newborn calves playing in spring vegetation. Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Anchorage, south-central Alaska.
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Cheryl-Samantha Owen / Blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) in shallow water gathering very close to shore, Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, Indian Ocean
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Mark Hamblin / 2020VISION / Pine marten (Martes martes) two playing on fallen pine log in woodland, Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve, Wester Ross, Scotland, UK
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Brent Stephenson / Short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) breaking the surface and leaping from the water. Off Napier, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
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Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Rear view of a Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), Cairns of Coll, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, June.
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Andy Rouse / Agile wallabies (Macropus agilis) sparring and fighting, Bamarru Plains, Northern Territories, Australia
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Alex Mustard / Pacific giant octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) hunts for food on a colourful reef in Browning Pass, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
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Tui De Roy / Hood island giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra hoodensis) used for breeding program since 1960s, Tortoise Breeding Centre, Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, Critically endang...
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Alex Mustard / The eye of a Pacific giant octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini). Browning Pass, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
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Michael D. Kern / Waxy monkey tree frog (Phyllomedusa sauvagii) captive, from Central and South America
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Alex Mustard / 2020VISION / Amphipod (Iphimedia obesa) on top of a colony of Deadman's fingers (Alcyonium digitatum) coral, Loch Carron, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland, UK, April.
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Michael D. Kern / Madagascar Ground Gecko / Big headed gecko(Paroedura Pictus) captive, from Madagascar
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Solvin Zankl / GEOMAR / Polar shrimp (Lebbeus polaris) on live Lophelia (Lophelia pertusa) from Trondheimfjord, North Atlantic Ocean, Norway. Controlled conditions. Photo taken in cooperation with GEOMAR coldwater coral res...
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Vladimir Medvedev / Camera trap image of wild Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) walking through woodland, Lazovsky Zapovednik Nature Reserve, Primorsky Krai, Far East Russia, November 1994
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Juan Carlos Munoz / Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) talon. Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, February.
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Michael D. Kern / Panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) coloured blue, walking along branch, captive, from Madagascar
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Sandra Bartocha / Common Hepatica (Anenome hepatica) Stadtkreis Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, March
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Sandra Bartocha / Sporangia of a moss, in Stadtkreis Neubrandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, March
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Solvin Zankl / Close up of ant (Harpegnathos venator) head from Asia. Specimen photographed using digital focus stacking
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Paul Hobson / Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) flocking above urban streetlights at dusk. Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, UK, March. 'Urban Wildlife' category, British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA) competition 20...
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Sandra Bartocha / Forest view of trunks of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Downy European white birch (Betula pubescens) and European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) trees, Muritz National Park, Germany, November
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Andy Rouse / European hare (Lepus europaeus) leveret jumping, Essex, UK, June
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Sandra Bartocha / Field of ripe barley with green barley growing in vehicle tracks (Hordeum vulgare) Germany, July
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Peter Cairns / Red Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) in flowering heather. Inshriach Forest, Scotland, UK, September. 2020VISION Book Plate. Did you know? For every Red Squirrel in Britain there are around 18 Grey Squirre...
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Sandra Bartocha / European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) trees, with sunlight shining between branches, Germany, September
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Andrew Parkinson / Adult Badger (Meles meles) at entrance to sett, with some young Domestic cattle in the background, Derbyshire, England, UK, May 2012 (non-ex).
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Sandra Bartocha / Waves of Baltic Sea washing over and polishing coloured pebbles, Markgrafenheide, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, January
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Chris Mattison / Common wasp (Vespa vulgaris) caught in a Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula), cultivated, occurs in North America
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Michael D. Kern / South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus cumanensis) captive, from Venezuela and Colombia
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Sandra Bartocha / Sporangia of moss, Dueodde, Hovedstaden, Denmark, June
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Michael D. Kern / Common iguana (Iguana iguana) albino, captive, from Central and South America
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Sandra Bartocha / Spring Snowflake (Leucojum vernum) in flower, Hungary, March
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Michael D. Kern / Rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta) captive, from Hispaniola, Caribbean, Vulnerable species
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Sandra Bartocha / Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) flowers in cereal field, April
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Michael D. Kern / Albino Common Iguana (Iguana iguana) captive pair from Tom Crutchfield's collection, from Caribbean and South and Central America
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Cheryl-Samantha Owen / Blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) swimming in shallow crystal clear water, Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, Indian Ocean
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Mary McDonald / Somali ostrich (Struthio camelus) peering beneath itself, Samburu Game Reserve, Kenya, East Africa
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Andy Rouse / Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) chasing Thomson's gazelle fawn (Eudorcas thomsoni) Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya
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MYN / Joris van Alphen / Tractor millipede (Barydesmus sp.) male, Crocker Range, Borneo, Malaysia. meetyourneighbours.net project
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MYN / Seth Patterson / Forbes' silkmoth (Rothschildia forbesi) Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, October. meetyourneighbours.net project
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Cheryl-Samantha Owen / Blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) group swimming in shallow turquoise sea, Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, Indian Ocean
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Kristel Richard / Wild Chincoteague (Equus caballus) two breeding stallions greeting one another, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Chincoteague Island, Virginia, USA, June
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Vladimir Medvedev / Camera trap image of wild female Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) scent marking the trunk of a Cedar (Cedrus) tree, Lazovsky Zapovednik Nature Reserve, Primorsky Krai, Far East Russia, April...
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Vladimir Medvedev / Camera trap image of wild male Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) scent marking the trunk of a cedar (Cedrus) tree, Lazovsky Zapovednik Nature Reserve, Primorsky Krai, Far East Russia, December...
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Steven Kazlowski / Moose (Alces alces) cow with a newborn calves grazing on spring grass. Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Anchorage, south-central Alaska, May.
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Steven Kazlowski / Moose (Alces alces) cow with a newborn calf. Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Anchorage, south-central Alaska, May.
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Steven Kazlowski / Moose (Alces alces) cow suckling her newborn calves. Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Anchorage, south-central Alaska, May.
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Terry Whittaker / 2020VISION / European Badger (Meles meles) on the North Downs above Folkestone. Kent, UK, June. Camera trap photo.
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Loic Poidevin / Yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia) at nest, Pointe Pelee, Ontario, Canada, May
Georgette Douwma / Powder blue surgeonfish (Acanthurus leucosternon), large school swimming, Andaman Sea, Thailand
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Georgette Douwma / Guineafowl puffer fish (Arothron meleagris) also known as the Golden puffer or Spotted puffer because is has three colour phases which differ dramatically. Maldives, Indian Ocean
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Alex Mustard / Big fin reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana) descends from open water to the reef at night. Arafur Sea, Triton Bay, West Papua, Indonesia.
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Brent Stephenson / Buller's albatross (Thalassarce bulleri) landing on the sea with wings outstretched off Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand.
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Brent Stephenson / Buller's albatross (Thalassarche bulleri) flying low with wing tip cutting the surface of a calm sea. Off Napier, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.
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Brent Stephenson / Salvin's albatross (Thalassarche salvini) in flight low over the sea, off Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand.
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Brent Stephenson / Salvin's albatross (Thalassarche salvini) in flight against a blue sky, off Kaikoura, Canterbury, New Zealand.
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George Sanker / American darter / Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) with caught fish prey, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, March
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Philippe Clement / Canada goose (Branta canadensis) swimming with goslings in lake, Belgium, May
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Juan Carlos Munoz / Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) in flight with caught fish. Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, August.
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Cheryl-Samantha Owen / Whale headed stork (Balaeniceps rex), Lake Albert, Uganda, East Africa
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Loic Poidevin / Common peafowl (Pavo cristatus) silhouetted at dawn, with House crow, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India, March
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Juan Carlos Munoz / Great Egrets (Ardea alba) territorial dispute above nest colony, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, February.
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Juan Carlos Munoz / Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) rear view wings open, in mangrove canopy. Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, February.
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George Sanker / Purple gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) moving across waterlily leaves, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA, April
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Sandra Bartocha / Japanese flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata) Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, April
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Sandra Bartocha / Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla pratensis) in Landkreis Demmin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, April
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Sandra Bartocha / Brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in field with cowslips in flower Brandenburger Vorstadt, Potsdam, Germany, April
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Sandra Bartocha / Waves of the Baltic sea washing over pebbles creating a rainbow from the spray, Nienhagen, Germany, April
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Sandra Bartocha / Common Crane (Grus grus) in wetland habitat, with mist woodland in background, Serrahnbruch, Muritz National Park, Germany, May
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Sandra Bartocha / Dead Grass (Poaceae sp) stems arched over in winter snow, Neuendorf, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, December
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Sandra Bartocha / Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) in flower amongst flowering Rapeseed (Brassica napus) crop, Muritz, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, June
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Sandra Bartocha / Common Water-Crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis) with reflections in water, June
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Alex Hyde / Brittle Bladder / Common Fragile Fern (Cystopteris fragilis) growing in protective gryke in limestone pavement, Yorkshire Dales, UK. April.
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Cheryl-Samantha Owen / Aldabra giant tortoise (Geochelone gigantea) on beach at dusk, Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, Indian Ocean
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Tui De Roy / Wolf Volcano giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra becki) portrait, Isabela Island, Galapagos
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Tui De Roy / Volcan Alcedo giant tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra vandenburghi) wallowing in rain pools on caldera floor, possibly for thermoregulation or detering parasites, with sulphur fumaroles in background, Alce...