A Baird’s tapir moves through the rainforest of Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica. Tapirs are the largest land mammals in Central and South America. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 78mm) ISO 3200, f/2.8 at 1/160th of a second.
I spotted this guy along the side of the road while driving to Corcovado National Park in southwestern Costa Rica. These toucans primarily eat tree fruits, but will also add lizards, insects and frogs to their diet. They can be opportunistic diners too, following keel-billed toucans around to discover their food sources. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 140mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/80th of a second.
A lone gentoo penguin casts a long shadow across the beach at Sea Lion Island in the Falklands. I thought this one looked a bit moon-like (not that I’ve been there — the moon that is — at least not yet). Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/9 at 1/250th of a second.
Here’s another one from Pavones, Costa Rica. I’ve posted images of this species of frog before. Usually called the hour glass tree frog. But also known as the pantless tree frog, which I kind of like better. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/60th of a second.
A troop of Central American squirrel monkeys visited this fig tree near my bungalow every afternoon I was at Tiskita Lodge in Costa Rica. Always nice when the wildlife comes to you (without having to bait them to do so). Also known as the red-backed squirrel monkey, these guys are unfortunately listed as a Vulnerable species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. This is due to their small, fragmented range that continues to experience habitat loss. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 155mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/200th of a second.
At one of the southernmost points of one of the southernmost islands in the Southern Hemisphere lies this barren spot, taken over as an imperial shag nesting site. The shags, or cormorants, are constantly at work, flying out to sea to collect kelp for their nests. There is also a fair amount of thievery going on. When one shag leaves the nest, neighbors attempt to pilfer the unattended kelp. I had a great afternoon, alone with the shags, watching all the goings on. Photographed on Sea Lion Island in the Falkland Islands. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/10 at 1/1600th of a second.
Black swans are a fairly common sight in southern Australia. A few isolated populations have also been successfully exported to parts of Europe. This one was photographed early in the morning in Kingscote on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens, ISO 200, f/5.6 at 1/250th of a second.
Coyotes can look quite different from each other depending upon which part of the country they are from. Those in the southern California deserts are more wily and scrappy looking, whereas the ones in Yellowstone appear more full bodied (mostly because of their thick fur). Out here in the east, we get coywolfs, which have their own subtle differences in appearance. This guy was photographed in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/800th of a second.
Warthogs are one of those species that most East African tour guides quickly pass by. After all, they’re very common. And they look like… well warthogs. I happen to be a big fan of these underdogs of the savanna. And I love when the babies are around. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/6.3 at 1/1250th of a second.
I’ve identified this guy as a Canal Zone tree frog, but also seems to go by the red-webbed tree frog. Either way, it was photographed at night in the town of El Valle in Panama. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 200, f/14 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.