Cute Animal Pictures

Tis the season to be FURRY: We present the cutest animal pictures you will see all Christmas

• Collection of pictures shows a variety of animals braving the wintery weather to venture out into the cold
• One indulgent squirrel greedily tucks into a mince pie while another eyes up a Christmas jumper
• Hazel the search dog receives gifts in Afghanistan while Kali the polar bear orphan slides around in make-shift sled

By LIZZIE EDMONDS

This festive collection ofimages proves it's not just humans who enjoy tucking in to one too many mince pies, wearing garish festive attire and playing around in the snow.

Because as the storms continue to rage outside, these hardy creatures have well and truly embraced the winter weather and are lapping-up all the best elements of Christmas.

One squirrel who's clearly not watching his weight greedily gobbles down a mince pie, while another, more health conscious creature, daintily reaches out for some berries.

Meanwhile, one very over-excited dog is clearly loving his Father Christmas hat - bounding down the hallways of the Battersea Dogs Home with an excited look on its face, while another squirrel looks longingly at a royal blue festive jumper.

Elsewhere, a selection of birds do some last minute food shopping - picking up some festive essentials and taking them back to their nests.

And then there's the Kali polar bear, who looks blissfully happy playing around in the snow and Hazel, the search dog in Afghanistan who's thrilled at her gifts.

Treating yourself, are we? One peckish squirrel in Glasgow looks lovingly at a mince pie that he holds greedily between his paws

Go on, it's Christmas! The hungry animal manages to fit almost all of the pie into his mouth as it takes in the view across Kelvingrove Park, Scotland

Gwyneth would be proud: This Canadian squirrel seems to be practising its yoga skills - ala Gyneth Paltrow - as it reaches out for some healthy berries

I just couldn't resist: This tiny animal takes a bite of a fungus, while keeping its eyes on all the berries surrounding it in Lake Boivin, Canada

Put it on your Christmas list? This cheeky creature in Canada looks longingly at a rather fetching blue Christmas jumper that's almost certainly his size

And the best hat award goes to... This happy hound looks thrilled with his hat and he runs through the corridors of Battersea Dogs Home

Not quite invisible: A mountain hare is almost entirely camouflages as it sits in deep snow in Scotland

Snacks all round: These two Scottish squirrels enjoy a bite to eat. 

Picking up some last-minute bits and bobs? A goldfinch lands on a snowy perch to pick up some red berries in Inverness, Scotland

Taking in the winter wonderland: A Chaffinch takes a well-deserved breather having flown between the branches of Inverness, Scotland

Looking for the last dregs? Two playful squirrels try their luck and root around in the bottom of a mug for some last bits of liquid in Canada

Intrepid explorer: An adorable orphan polar bear called Kali struggles to walk through the thick snow on the northwest Alaska coast

Crashing out: All that hard-going walking in the snow was obviously too much for the fluffy youngster, who takes a little nap

Catching a ride: Having tired himself out with all that walking, it looks like Kali is hoping to complete the rest of his journey in a box

Now that's what they call a bear hug! Kali seems to have found a travelling partner in this fluffy brown teddybear for his boxy ride

Hands off my berries! Two squirrels get themselves in to a bit of a brawl in Canada over some delicious looking red berries

Is that big one for me? Hazel the search dog looks excited as she is given her gift from Private Zina Saunders in Afghanistan

I love it! Hazel bounds up and down with a ball - obviously one of her favourite gifts by her excited stance - in her mouth at Pte Saunders laughs on