I’ll admit, I was a bit nervous when this Patagonian hog-nosed skunk got up on its hind legs to sniff the air. It was bothered no doubt, by a particular camera-carrying American. I remained as still as possible (snapping away of course) until the skunk regained its confidence and resumed the serious task of eating grass.
Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/3200th of a second
Lemur classification can get confusing and there’s no clear cut answer as to just how many species there actually are. Most experts, however, agree that there are roughly 100 recognized species. About half are nocturnal and half diurnal. This is the red-fronted brown lemur. It is both. Mostly diurnal, but increases its nocturnal activity in the dry season.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 200, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units
I watched this coyote howl for a few minutes before a second coyote came out of the woods and joined in. And I didn’t have to go far to find either one. This was photographed within the city limits of Los Angeles at Griffith Park.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/200th of a second
I got up before the seals to get this shot of a juvenile northern elephant seal just waking up, while a lighthouse shines in the background. This is a little spot just north of San Simeon where mothers return each year to have their babies. A few juveniles like this guy still hang around and spend most of their time back in the dunes away from all the overly protective new moms.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 24mm) ISO 400, f/10 at 1/60th of a second, Nikon SB-900 flash unit
It’s difficult in a photograph to communicate the size of an albatross. So you’ll just have to take my word for it. These guys are big, but even so, the black-browed albatross is only considered a medium sized albatross. Their wing span only goes to eight feet unlike some of their cousins who can spread those wings up to eleven feet. These two, however, are giving a nice look at a typical mating display. Apparently threatening to eat one’s face is considered a turn on to the albatross.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 22mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/500th of a second
A pregnant meerkat taking a break at the end of the day before heading into the burrow for the night, Makgadikgadi Pans, Botswana.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 95mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/200th of a second
The Thomas’s leaf monkey, also known as Thomas’s langur, is endemic to northern Sumatra (meaning, of course, that it isn’t found anywhere else on earth). I saw quite a few of these guys while there, but not many at close range. I was told that they were hunted for meat throughout much of their range, so obviously weary of humans (as they should be). In Gunung Leuser National Park, however, they are protected, so therefore a bit more agreeable. I liked their spiky hair and the fact that they seem to have an upside down mustache on their chin. Quite fetching I thought.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/80th of a second
Lamington National Park in Queensland, Australia is a fantastic bird location. But then again, all of Australia is great for birds (not to mention all the amazing furry locals). King parrots are one of the specialties at Lamington. This male was staring down the barrel of my old 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm lens, ISO 100, f/5.6 at 1/50th of a second
There are fifteen different species of marmot that range throughout the world. This is the yellow-bellied marmot that inhabits high alpine regions of the Sierra and Rocky Mountains. September is the time of year that they start to hibernate. They’ll remain in hibernation for eight months, emerging from their burrows ready to fatten up again come April. I photographed this one years ago while searching for mountain goats on Mount Evans in Colorado.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/250th of a second
By eating as much grass as possible, this little white rhinoceros is doing his best to become a big white rhinoceros. We saw this playful little guy in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, which is a great place to see both black and white rhinos.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/250th of a second