In pictures: Incredible moments from the animal kingdom and other amazing images from the Siena International Photo Awards

From playful seals and pensive monkeys, to voracious tigers and owls, these stunning images reveal a hidden side to the world’s animal kingdom. Take a look.

It’s the animal kingdom as you’ve never seen it before.

These five photos were among those commended at this year’s Siena International Photo Awards, where more than 180 photographers from 54 countries received prizes across 10 categories.

Their release comes at the competition invites entries from amateur and professional photographers for its 2020 edition.

’A Boy in the Crowd’ was the overall winner of this year’s Siena International Photo Awards. Picture: Jonathan Banks (GB)

A protester of the ‘Yellow Vests’ wearing a surreal outfit in Paris on the Avenue des Champs Elysées. Picture: Arnaud Guillard

Hello there... A seal playfully lays around on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal, Siberia. Picture: Sergey Anisimov

Photographer Sergey Anisimov managed to get up close and personal with a Lake Baikal seal lying around on the frozen surface in the early days of spring in Russia.

The seal appeared to wave ‘hello’ with his paw at the camera.

“It was March and I was on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal, Siberia, when I took this shot of a young Lake Baikal seal, endemic to the place, in this curiously friendly pose,” Mr Anisimov said.

Work those angles. Picture: Chin Leong Teo

A young protester gripping a Palestinian flag with one hand and swinging a slingshot over his head with the other, on the northern border between Gaza Strip and Israel during protests against the Israeli blockade. Picture: Mustafa Hassona

Unbreakable focus... a portrait of a monkey in Indonesia. Picture: Roman Shteynbrekher

You wouldn’t want to engage in a staring contest with the monkey captured by Roman Shteynbrekher in Indonesia.

Gazing down the lens with a seemingly unbreakable focus, the incredible portrait was recognised as a remarkable artwork by judges.

Chomp chomp. Picture: Eduardo del Álamo

Happy days. Picture: Chin Leong Teo

If dinnertime for you is mostly free of interruptions, then spare a thought for a little rodent photographed by Paolo Rizzola.

The photographer had been following this owl for months to get the perfect shot. Picture: Paolo Rizzola

An owl swooped down on the fuzzy critter while it was dining alfresco, and while we don’t have after shots, it was most likely its last supper.

“I’d been following this owl for a few months,” Mr Rizzola said.

“Having diligently observed it, I learned its habits and could finally take close-up images.”

And it wasn’t the only jaw-dropping, mealtime moment captured by photographers.

A powerful tiger chases a bird through the snow. Picture: Shouzhi Wang

Feeding time. Picture: Chin Leong Teo

Shouzhi Wang captured a voracious tiger causing a flap as it charged through the snow in an attempt to sink its claws into a bird.

With little endurance to chase its prey, the powerful creature would have had to carefully plan the attack.

While in Indonesia, Chin Leong Teo snapped a lizard’s final moments in the jaws of a snake.

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The Siena International Photo Awards is now accepting entries for its 2020 competition.

Find out more here.

Originally published as In pictures: Incredible moments from the animal kingdom and other amazing images from the Siena International Photo Awards