The week in wildlife - in pictures

Hummingbirds, leopards, pangolins and sharks are among the pick of this week’s images from the natural world

theguardian.com, Friday 22 August 2014 10.56 EDT

A hummingbird flies in a garden in Pereira, Colombia. Hummingbirds are known for their ability to hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings, 15 to 80 times per second, depending on the size of the bird. — A hummingbird Pereira, Colombia. Hummingbirds are known for their ability to hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings, 15 to 80 times per second, depending on the size of the bird. Photograph: Luis Acosta/AFP/Getty Images

Donkeys standing in a group on the Bargis Alp near Flims, Switzerland. — Donkeys on the Bargis Alp near Flims, Switzerland. Photograph: Arno Balzarini/EPA

A leopard walks towards a lagoon at Yala National Park, Sri Lanka. — A leopard walks towards a lagoon at Yala national park, Sri Lanka. Photograph: Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters

A Red-billed hornbill attempts to eat a large lizard, near Satara, Kruger National Park, South Africa. — A red-billed hornbill attempts to eat a large lizard, near Satara, Kruger national park, South Africa. Photograph: Massimo Da Silva/Barcroft Media

A night shot of pangolin in Zambia. British wildlife photographer and cameraman Luke Massey spent three months in Zambia's South Luangwa National park capturing lions, leopards and rare pangolins. — A pangolin at night in Zambia. Luke Massey spent three months in South Luangwa national park capturing lions, leopards and rare pangolins on film. Pangolins are being ‘eaten to extinction’ due to demand for their meat at banquets in Asia and their scales for use in Chinese medicine, conservationists warned last month. Photograph: Luke Massey/REX

A dead whale is being dragged by the Royal Dutch Rescue Organisation (KNRM) onto the beach of Scheveningen, the Netherlands. — A dead whale is dragged by the Royal Dutch Rescue Organisation onto the beach of Scheveningen, the Netherlands. Photograph: Valerie Kuypers/EPA

A brown bear tries to snatch a leaping salmon between its jaws in Katmai National Park, Alaska. HUNGRY brown bears scramble for the best fishing spot during the annual salmon run. — A brown bear tries to catch a leaping salmon between its jaws in Katmai national park, Alaska. Photograph: Brice Petit/Barcroft Media

American white pelicans gather in Washington Park as temperatures soar above 90 degrees in Denver. Forecasters predict that the warm weather will continue to envelop Colorado's Front Range communities through the week ahead. — American white pelicans gather in Washington Park as temperatures soar above 90F in Denver. Photograph: David Zalubowski/AP

A lemon shark bears its razor sharp teeth just moments before devouring fish bait in Jupiter, Florida. Wildlife photographer John Chapa, 41, has taken jaw-dropping images while swimming just inches away from sharks. — A lemon shark bares its teeth as it eats a fish in Jupiter, Florida. Wildlife photographer John Chapa, 41, took these images while swimming just inches away from sharks. Photograph: John Chapa/Barcroft USA

A herd of wild Brumbies (wild horses) runs on the plains above Kiandra in the Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales, Australia. — A herd of wild brumbies runs on the plains above Kiandra in the Kosciuszko national park in New South Wales, Australia. Swelling numbers are damaging the continent’s precious alpine ranges, and tensions are mounting over what needs to happen next. Photograph: Mike Bowers for The Guardian

A shark breaches at sunrise in Seal Island, South Africa. This is the moment a 4m shark breached from the water at sunrise of the coast of Seal Island, South Africa. The sharp-toothed fish emerged from the water while preying on seals. — A four-metre shark breaches at sunrise off Seal Island, South Africa. Photograph: Santiago Cabral/Barcroft Media

Indian star tortoise huddle together at the Bannerghatta National Park on the outskirts of Bangalore. Wildlife activists in India have raised an alarm that scores of lesser known animal species are being pushed to the brink of extinction because of rampant poaching and trafficking. — Indian star tortoise at the Bannerghatta national park on the outskirts of Bangalore. Wildlife activists in India have raised an alarm that scores of lesser known animal species are being pushed to the brink of extinction because of rampant poaching and trafficking. Photograph: Aijaz Rahi/AP

Bees gather pollen from the flower head of a sunflower in Levico Terme near Trento in northern Italy. — Bees gather pollen from the head of a sunflower in Levico Terme, near Trento in northern Italy. Photograph: Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images

Twitchers (unseen) flock to get glimpse of rare European Bee Eaters at National Trust Wydcombe, Isle Wight — Birders headed to the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England this week to catch a glimpse of rare European bee eaters. Four chicks have fledged on the National Trust Wydcombe estate – the first time in 12 years that the birds, which usually nest in southern Europe, have bred successfully in the UK. Photograph: Richard Kaminski/REX

An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is seen on a flower in the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. — An eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly is seen on a flower in the Shenandoah national park in Virginia. Photograph: Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images

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