Lion Cub
It felt like a lion cub kind of day today. This little guy was doing his best to look ferocious. In due time little man, in due time.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 380mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/800th of a second
Tortoise Argument
I’m not sure exactly what these two giant tortoises were discussing, but it did appear that the one on the left wasn’t having a very good day. Photographed in the Santa Cruz highlands on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 28mm) ISO 800, f/14 at 1/320th of a second
Silver Fox
The silver fox is actually just a black variant of the red fox. Back in the day, their pelts were the most highly sought after by nobles in Russia, Western Europe and China. They get the nickname of silver fox because of all the white at the tips of their hair follicles. This particular silver fox was foraging amongst the alpine wildflowers late one rainy afternoon on Mount Rainer in Washington.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/320th of a second
Giant Katydid
These guys seem to come in many varieties so not quite sure of the exact species, but clearly a very large katydid. I love the different colored eyes that they have. I’ve seen them with yellow, white and pink eyes, like this chap. This one was near the campground in Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 1600, f/5 at 1/500th of a second
Female and Male Red Lechwe
Red lechwe are an African antelope that prefer to spend the majority of their waking hours in or around water. The top photo is the female of the species and the bottom the male. They were both part of a herd that was dashing across the flooded plain of the Okavango Delta in Botswana.
Top Photo — Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 220mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/400th of a second
Bottom Photo — Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 260mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/400th of a second
Koala
A koala spotted through the eucalyptus leaves on Kangaroo Island in South Australia.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 200, f/2.8 at 1/45th of a second
Canada Geese Under Maroon Bells
Being as common as they are, I tend to overlook Canada Geese when I see them about. But when they pose under the Maroon Bells mountain range in Aspen, Colorado in early morning light they can be hard to ignore.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 28mm) ISO 400, f/18 at 1/30th of a second
African Wild Dog Having a Good Yawn
This African wild dog was just letting out a bit of a yawn before settling down for the night. After tracking them for quite some time, we finally came upon this pack of wild dogs late afternoon in northern Botswana.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/400th of a second
Paca
I photographed this paca on my second visit to Costa Rica back in 2007. I’ve now been three times to Costa Rica and twice to Panama but this is the only paca that I’ve been able to photograph. Apparently they are good eating to the Central American locals so I can see why they’d be a bit weary of my presence. They are also sometimes called gibnuts (great name) or royal rats (not so good). They are large members of the rodent family and have characteristic stripes and dots on the sides of their bodies. Pacas also happen to be pretty stealth — they are great swimmers and can dive underwater for fifteen minutes at a time when threatened. They can also jump more than three feet off the ground and, if need be, they can remain perfectly still for 45 minutes. This one wasn’t far from the lodge I was staying at in Pavones, Costa Rica. I was on a solo night hike so not exactly easy to get the shot, but perhaps the paca was a bit more relaxed because I was alone.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second
Greater Bamboo Lemur
This certainly isn’t the most artistic or technically sound photo I’ve ever taken and I wouldn’t have posted it unless… it also happened to be one of the most rare primates in the world. In fact, scientists had presumed the greater bamboo lemur to be extinct until a small population of them were found in central Madagascar back in 1986. I was lucky enough to spot a pair in Ranomafana National Park when I visited back in 2007. They didn’t stick around for long and I was only able to snap off a few frames in the rainy forest. The future, unfortunately, doesn’t look bright for greater bamboo lemurs as slash and burn farming, mining, bamboo logging and hunting continue to pose a critical threat.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, Nikon SB-600 flash