Exactly 100 pieces of stunning wildlife photography are to go on display at the Natural History Museum in London ahead of the announcement of the Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
The competition, which saw 48,000 entries stripped down to a premier 100, sees photographs of insects, foxes, baboons and turtles compete for the prize.
The chosen few images will feature in the exhibition, which opens on 19 October, before heading on a UK and international tour.
Klaus Tamm's photo, Sizing Up
Included in the final list is Klaus Tamm's Sizing Up, featuring two insects preparing for a fight on the veranda of the photographer’s holiday apartment.
"I was so impressed by the harmony that I ended up photographing them for several hours," said Tamm.
Dutch photographer Jasper Doest contributed a photograph of a Japanese Macaque seemingly in a state of serene relaxation.
Jasper Doest's Relaxation
The award-winning photographer, who has traveled far and wide to photograph arctic foxes, birds, seals and spiders among others, will also feature in the top 100 in the exhibition.
Among the other entries, which have come from 98 countries around the globe, will be Ofer Levy's snap of a bat skipping along water, Fly-By Drinking.
Ofer Levy's Fly-By Drinking
The Australian, primarily a bird photographer, was formerly a biology teacher before deciding to take up his hobby full-time.
"I see my photography as a tool to promote the love for nature and conservation," Levy writes on his website.
It's a statement that applies not just in his work but also to all the entries that serve to remind just how beautiful the natural world can be.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year runs from 19 October 2012-3 March 2013 at the Natural History Museum. Admission is £10 for adults, £5 for concessions and is free for members, patrons and under threes