A stoat "dancing" over the snow, a David Bowie spider and a jaguar going for the kill are among the first images released from this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
More than a dozen highly-commended images have been unveiled on Thursday by the Natural History Museum for this year's competition.
It comes ahead of the winners being announced at a ceremony hosted by TV presenters and conservationists Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin on October 8 .
Among the newly-released images, which received highly commended awards in their categories, are Jose Manuel Grandio's joyous image of a stoat jumping high into the air over fresh snow and young photographer Sasha Jumanca's shot of two curious tawny owlets.
"Over the decades, Wildlife Photographer of the Year has pushed the boundaries of wildlife photography as the competition evolved alongside technological advancements.
"But still today, the competition remains true to one of its founding objectives: 'to enhance the prestige of wildlife photography in the hope that ultimately the awards would benefit animals 'by creating greater public interest in them and in that all-important topic - conservation.'"
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is developed and produced by the Natural History Museum , London , supported by Associate Donor The William Brake Foundation .
1. A Pallas's cat in Hulun Buir, Inner Mongolia, China , which was Highly Commended in the Behaviour: Mammals section of the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
Xingchao Zhu/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
2. Two tawny owlets in Maximiliansanlagen, Munich, Germany, which was Highly Commended in the 10 Years and Under section of the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
Sasha Jumanca/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
3. Mussels bind together to avoid being washed away from the shoreline in Praia da Ursa, Sintra, Portugal, which was Highly Commended in the Animals in their Environment section of the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
Theo Bosboom/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
4. The moment a jaguar delivers a fatal bite to a caiman in the Pantanal, Mato Grosso, Brazil which was Highly Commended in the Behaviour: Mammals section of the Young Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
Ian Ford/Wildlife Photographer of the Year