Magic of the animal kingdom captured in vivid photo entries that some photographers took weeks to snap

By Larisa BrownFrom herons rudely showing off their behinds while hunting for fish, to hungry cheetahs preparing to pounce on their next dinner - these striking images capture the magic of the animal kingdom.
The photos are entries to the European Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition and are among a field of almost 12,500 entries by photographers from 27 countries.
The winning image, titled 'Stargazer', is a night shot of white-tailed deer in winter at their feeding place in Finland...Photos here...