In Pictures: Adorable and awe-inspiring images of the animal kingdom in 2023

The past year has seemed full of bad news, with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East along with extreme weather and a cost-of-living crisis, with the King’s coronation providing one of the few bright spots. And, of course, the animal kingdom continued to delight us.

Here are some of the highlights from the last 12 months.

JANUARY

Competitors take part in The Siberian Husky Club of Great Britain’s 39th Aviemore Sled Dog Rally on forest trails around Loch Morlich, in the shadow of the Cairngorm mountains (Paul Campbell/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Paul Campbell

FEBRUARY

A newborn Southern white rhinoceros takes its first steps alongside mother Nyala at Dublin Zoo (Niall Carson/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Niall Carson

A red ruffed lemur enjoys some traditional red roses to mark Valentine’s Day at Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park, near Stirling (Andrew Milligan/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Andrew Milligan

MARCH

A baby Grevy’s zebra makes its public debut with its mother Akuna at the West Midlands Safari Park in Bewdley (Aaron Chown/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Aaron Chown

APRIL

Newborn spring lambs on Nethermorton Farm at Moreton Morrell College in Warwickshire (Jacob King/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Jacob King

MAY

One-year-old North American black bear cubs explore their surroundings in the drive-through enclosure at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire (Joe Giddens/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Joe Giddens

Tawny owl chicks that hatched in the Kielder Forest in Northumberland were part of a mini baby boom (Owen Humphreys/PA)PA Archive/PA Images - Owen Humphreys

JUNE

Newborn alpaca Sir Steveo, named after one of his keepers, ventures outside in the Pets Farm area of Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling (Andrew Milligan/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Andrew Milligan

Grey squirrels in the trees in Liverpool’s Sefton Park (Peter Byrne/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Peter Byrne

JULY

Polar bear Hope and her cubs, Nanook and Noori, in their new habitat at Peak Wildlife Park near Leek, Staffordshire (Jacob King/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jacob King

A litter of German Shepherd puppies take part in an appeal by Guide Dogs to dispel stereotypes and misconceptions regarding the breed (Ben Birchall/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Ben Birchall

AUGUST

Meerkat pup Busta munches on a mealworm at Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park, near Stirling (Andrew Milligan/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Andrew Milligan

SEPTEMBER

The only surviving critically endangered Amur leopard cub born in Europe this year takes its first steps into its reserve at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster (Danny Lawson/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Danny Lawson

OCTOBER

Fourteen-year-old pet cat Bella, from Cambridgeshire, broke the Guinness World Record for the loudest purr – 54.6 decibels (Guinness World Records/Whiskas/PA)PA Media - Guinness World Record/Whiskas

A Galapagos tortoise searches for Halloween treats hidden inside a pumpkin at ZSL London Zoo (Jonathan Brady/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jonathan Brady

NOVEMBER

Fire investigation dog Reqs receives his PDSA Order of Merit medal at Hertfordshire’s Joint Emergency Services Academy, for his devotion to duty and service to society during his 11-year career (Joe Giddens/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Joe Giddens

DECEMBER

Giant panda Yang Guang says goodbye to visitors at Edinburgh Zoo before keepers got him and his companion Tian Tian ready to make their way back to China (Jane Barlow/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Jane Barlow