Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2008 - highly commended images

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition, now in its 44th year, is opening on Oct 31st at the Natural History Museum in London. To get all us nature lovers excited, they have released a sneak peak of some highly commended images:

Angry Queen, by Piotr Naskrecki, shows a Cambodian armoured ant ready to strike. Stand back, unless you enjoy being sprayed by acid.

Treetop Jigsaw, by Brittany Fried. Not only is this photo of the Malasian rainforest really cool, it is in the 10 years and under category.

Spider Crabs in the canary islands, by Jordi Chias Pujol.

A lonely Baobab blowing in the wind. Photographer unknown.

Sterling genie. A swirl of starlings, captured by Baris Koca over Lake Morgan in Turkey.

A hoopoe, sporting a Mohican crest, caught on film by Ramon Navarro Blazquez near Seville.

A hunting vixen, by Patrick Centurioni.

Safieí Al Khaffaf spotted this Griffon vulture on the Russian side of the Caucus mountains. Entered into the 15-17 category.

Namibian bee-eater, by Chris van Rooyen

Some 6,000 sandpipers on a sand bar in Cordova, Alaska. Taken by Arthur Morris.

To be honest, I was a bit disappointed by 2007s offerings, but so far I like what I see! Looking forward to the winners being announced on the 29th of Oct, two days before the exhibit opens.