A three-toed sloth, an inquisitive pack of wolves and a stand-off between two dangerous animals are among the highly commended images in this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

The competition, developed and produced by the Natural History Museum, London, received more than 60,000 entries across 113 countries.

Director of the museum Doug Gurr said this year’s images show the “diversity, beauty and complexity of the natural world and humanity’s relationship to it”.

The category winners and the prestigious Grand Title award will be announced on October 14.

But for now, here’s a look at the highly commended images.

Animals in their EnvironmentIce Edge JourneyEmperor Penguin chicks walking along the edge of an ice shelf

The moment fledgling emperor penguin chicks walk along the edge of an ice shelf in Antarctica. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Bertie Gregory)

Animal PortraitsInside the PackPack of Arctic wolves

In temperatures of -35 degrees Celsius, Amit captured the elusive Arctic wolves of Ellesmere Island, Canada. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Amit Eshel)

Behaviour: MammalsDeadly LessonsThree young cheetahs biting a small antelope in their mouths

A group of young cheetahs after they’ve caught a Günther’s dik-dik in Samburu National Reserve, Kenya. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Marina Cano)

Wake-up CallA stand off between a lion and a cobra

A dramatic stand-off between a lion and a venomous cobra in Tanzania. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Gabriella Comi)

Natural ArtistrySlime Family PortraitBlue alien-like slime moulds on a fallen tree branch

A line of alien-like slime moulds, each just 1-2 millimetres in diameter, on a fallen tree. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Kutub Uddin)

UnderwaterJelly Smack SummerA big jellyfish surrounded by little ones

Ralph found himself in the middle of a mass or “smack” of Pacific sea nettles. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Ralph Pace)

Urban WildlifeNo Place Like HomeA sloth clinging on a pole of a barbed wire fence

A brown-throated three-toed sloth clinging tightly to a barbed wire fence post in Costa Rica. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Emmanuel Tardy)

Nature Reclaims Its SpaceA black and white image of fruit bats

Working in total darkness, Sitaram captured fruit bats leaving their roost in the ruins of a historical monument. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Sitaram Raul)

Wetlands: The Bigger PictureFragile River of LifeLongnose fish in a river

Longnose gars spawn in a crystal-clear Florida river. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Isaac Szabo)

Clouds of GoldClouds reflected in salt ponds that span San Francisco Bay.

Clouds reflecting in salt ponds that span San Francisco Bay. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Jassen Todorov)

PhotojournalismToxic Tipa solitary Asian elephant navigating a waste disposal site in Sri Lanka

A solitary Asian elephant navigating a waste disposal site in Sri Lanka. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Lakshitha Karunarathna)

10 years and underRutting CallA red deer stag giving a mighty bellow

A red deer stag as it gives a mighty bellow during the autumn rut in Bradgate Park, UK. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Jamie Smart)

11-14 yearsEssence of KamchatkaA brown bear strolling past a lake with a mountain in the background

Kesshav Vikram expresses the character of the remote wilderness of the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Kesshav Vikram)

A Tale of Two CoyotesA coyote's eyes and tails at golden hour

Parham used the morning light to frame the amber eyes of a male coyote within the black-tipped tail of a female. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Parham Pourahmad)

15-17 yearsPink PoseA close up of a flamingo

A greater flamingo in the act of scratching its head with one of its unmistakably long legs. (Supplied: Wildlife Photographer of the Year/Leana Kuster)