In Pictures: Animal antics lift spirits during difficult year
The UK in 2020 has been a very different place for all of us but life in the animal kingdom went on as usual.
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The UK in 2020 has been a very different place for us all but life in the animal kingdom went on as usual, whether in the wild or in captivity.
And pictures of what our furry and feathered friends have been up to helped to lift many spirits during the difficult times. Here are some highlights from the year:
January
![Sea Otters to come to Birmingham](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/df942cddf0a201af929a55963454b6a6Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NTIzMzI4/2.50902563.jpg?w=640)
![British bulldog rides skateboard](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/2f4868981729ac91d7a61a15c76f8110Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NTIzMjU1/2.49965236.jpg?w=640)
February
![Blair Drummond lion cubs](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/218bc3a36b083fc8ab4b4ee0de249242Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NTg1NDYz/2.51993336.jpg?w=640)
![New polar bear at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/0ff63aab2c3f69144f74620734c6e166Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NTg1NTA0/2.50078186.jpg?w=640)
March
![Baby elephant at Chester zoo](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/0f098c16da400fa6cbd7900acba41d61Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NTg1NTk2/2.52131865.jpg?w=640)
April
![Britain’s oldest penguin](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/2bdb297d9b2ac50107871ef9acc7316fY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NTg4MzA5/2.53462739.jpg?w=640)
![Coronavirus – Thu Apr 30, 2020](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/d9344e51f9af7b9af49a0efc730066bdY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NjgyNjE3/2.53587813.jpg?w=640)
May
![Nesting woodpecker](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/b8f2ba64abaa9f0b2090083cbcd0d4cbY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NTg4Mzcx/2.53805264.jpg?w=640)
![Blair Drummond Safari Park 50th anniversary](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/96c1b6463b33fded54b7c1b409a59876Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NTg4NDE2/2.53757663.jpg?w=640)
June
![Coronavirus – Mon Jun 29, 2020](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/f69b8b416989ad8ef78298f355fdb1f2Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NTg4NDUw/2.54356322.jpg?w=640)
July
![Cheetah cubs at Colchester Zoo](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/df4ef2a8ea0f034a1293411d797bd885Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA4MDE4MjEz/2.54402961.jpg?w=640)
August
![ZSL London Zoo annual weigh-in](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/9c8ac9cf2579a75f33d690d00dc3f6e1Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NjcwMjUz/2.55193091.jpg?w=640)
![Ultra rare Albino Hedgehog rescued](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/15cf73ebbf741ea546f6d0075f28288cY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NjcwMzQ4/2.55141497.jpg?w=640)
September
![Baby gorilla born at Bristol Zoo](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/739f27fa32ea30904aff9d8c92b73354Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NjcwMzg0/2.55536599.jpg?w=640)
October
![Grey seal pupping season](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/d4f8235dfe82c26cbc8cf7c8ba63cca4Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NjcwNDMy/2.56382959.jpg?w=640)
![Halloween 2020](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/a7b7e0818392fcf43f8f65296f22cb85Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NjcwNDcx/2.56348864.jpg?w=640)
November
![Starling Murmuration](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/35b119e57b76fbe6d0cfe3a849010eadY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA4MjI0NzM5/2.56801835.jpg?w=640)
![PDSA Dickin Medal for valour](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/729a091360db083ae993f483761c87daY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NjcwNjYy/2.56771918.jpg?w=640)
December
![Christmas at the Wildwood Trust](http://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/5ee39b9e230bc31b0a25b211e88036d9Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA3NjcwNzM5/2.56887313.jpg?w=640)