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This hare looks a little sleepy as it raises its head above its grassy cover.
(Photo by Vincent van Zalinge)
A female leopard climbs down a tree at the Lion Sands Game Reserve in South Africa.
(Photo by Owain McGuire)
A pair of Grant's gazelles butt heads while an African elephant looms behind them at the Etosha National Park in Namibia.
(Photo by Hidde Rensink)
A red squirrel stops in fright with a large walnut in its mouth.
(Photo by Vincent van Zalinge)
This seal in Iceland shows off his best yoga poses for the camera.
(Photo by Pascal Mauerhofer)
A tireless Atlantic puffin carries his catch back to his nest.
(Photo by Sharon Watters)
Three orcas surface for air in a gap in the ice made by the ship USCGC Polar Sea (WAGB-11) in Antarctica.
(Photo by Bryan Goff)
A bright green chameleon opens its mouth in preparation to catch flies on the island of Hawaii.
(Photo by Claudel Rheault)
This little owl in the desert of Qatar looks either bored or hot—or maybe both!
(Photo by Abdelrahman Hassanein)
A young male white-tailed deer shakes off water droplets caught in his thick coat after a cold swim off the shores of Maumee, Ohio.
(Photo by Gary Bendig)
This laughing kookaburra at Marcus Beach in Queensland, Australia shows off his most recent catch.
(Photo by Michael Atkinson)
A seabird takes off with a prize catch in its talons.
(Photo by Justin Clark)
Two male spotted deer lock horns during mating season in the Kanha National Park in India.
(Photo by Vincent van Zalinge)
A red panda slides lazily off a branch in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
(Photo by Ales Krivec)
A bald eagle proudly soars through the skies after picking up some lunch to go.
(Photo by Jongsun Lee)
An impala gets a thorough grooming from a red-billed oxpecker at Kruger National Park in South Africa.
(Photo by Valerie Bosch)
A heron emerges from the waters of the Alafia River State Park in Florida with a tasty treat.
(Photo by R. Mac Wheeler)
A solitary, yawning fox sits in a grassy meadow.
(Photo by Vincent van Zalinge)
Three long-tailed gentoo penguins search for cover during a sandstorm in the Falkland Islands.
(Photo by Ian Parker)
A great blue heron is caught with his beak full.
(Photo by Gary Bendig)
Two adult male red deer lock antlers in the snow at Richmond Park in London.
(Photo by Ming Jun Tan)
This vibrant red male northern cardinal strikes a beautiful harmony with the red berries on this holly branch, in Vineland, New Jersey.
(Photo by Ray Hennessy)
A huge flock of snow geese launches into the skies at Newmanstown, Pennsylvania.
(Photo by Ray Hennessy)
A short-eared owl appears to wave mid-flight as it swoops past the camera.
(Photo by Richard Lee)
A herd of zebras simultaneously stretch out their necks for a cooling drink.
(Photo by Fabrizio Frigeni)
A curious moose in Jasper, Alberta in Canada is caught nosing through the snow to get at the salty grit scattered on the road below.
(Photo by Ivars Krutainis)
A short-eared owl gives the camera a sneaky wink in Yeoju-gun, South Korea.
(Photo by Mathew Schwartz)
A highland cow stalks grumpily towards the camera with its tongue out in Stockport, England.
(Photo by Peter Lloyd)
A bald eagle carries home some fish for dinner in Maryland.
(Photo by Mathew Schwartz)
A hummingbird concentrates as it gathers nectar from a lavender flower.
(Photo by Olesya Grichina)
This bird in New Jersey looks like it's bitten off more than it can chew!
(Photo by Mathew Schwartz)
Three ponies pose with their manes in the breeze in Iceland.
(Photo by timothy muza)
A honey bee hovers close to a sunflower.
(Photo by Boris Smokrovic)
Two Atlantic puffins have a heated conversation on the Saltee Islands in Ireland.
(Photo by Wynand van Poortvliet)
A bald eagle swoops in for the kill over a river in Woodbine, Georgia.
(Photo by Ray Hennessy)
A seagull flies homeward with a prized crab in its mouth in Brewster, Massachusetts.
(Photo by Christine Roy)
An antlered deer peeps through a green covering of ferns at Bradgate Park in in Leicestershire, England.
(Photo by Chris Greenhow)
A small green frog sits in water at Side Cut Metropark in Maumee, Ohio, waiting patiently to grab a pesky mosquito.
(Photo by Gary Bendig)
These two ducks in Huntington, West Virginia are quacking up.
(Photo by Gary Bendig)
A fox leaps into the air at the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park in Spain.
(Photo by Francisco Moreno)
A mother humpback whale and her calf briefly show their tails above water before diving into the depths again off the Hawaiian Island of Maui.
(Photo by guille pozzi)
...swimming? This water-loving creature was captured taking a dip in the Bahamas.
(Photo by Jakob Owens)
This smooth sea lion sits poised and ready to catch piece of fish at Dublin Zoo in Ireland.
(Photo by Alan Campbell)
A pair of Magellanic penguins embrace and touch beaks at Puerto Deseado in Argentina.
(Photo by Paz Arando)
This Andean emerald hummingbird focuses on collecting nectar from a hanging flower at the Tandayapa Bird Lodge in Quito, Ecuador.
(Photo by Chris Charles)
This great blue heron stands proudly with his catch in Ladner, British Columbia in Canada.
(Photo by DEAN FAULKNER)
Atlantic puffins and razorbills take flight from the rocks of Machias Seal Island off the coast of Maine.
(Photo by Ray Hennessy)
A family of elephants take a drink from a waterhole at Etosha National Park in Namibia.
(Photo by Richard Jacobs)
Migrating American white pelicans cruise over Jalisco, Mexico.
(Photo by Gareth Davies)
A giraffe takes a good tongue-full of tree.
(Photo by Slawek K)
It's a fact that most of our planet's fascinating creatures are usually seen at their best when they're caught unawares. Even if we travel to specific places to bird watch or spot rare species, it's likely that we'll miss the fleeting opportunity to see wild animals at their most dramatic, hilarious, and adorable.
Luckily there are some photographers who've captured these rare moments for your viewing pleasure! Click to discover these perfectly-timed snapshots.
Perfectly-timed wildlife photos
These extraordinary images were captured at just the right moment
LIFESTYLE Animals
It's a fact that most of our planet's fascinating creatures are usually seen at their best when they're caught unawares. Even if we travel to specific places to bird watch or spot rare species, it's likely that we'll miss the fleeting opportunity to see wild animals at their most dramatic, hilarious, and adorable.
Luckily there are some photographers who've captured these rare moments for your viewing pleasure! Click to discover these perfectly-timed snapshots.