As you guys know, I generally don’t like to photograph or post captive animals, but this species is almost impossible to see in the wild. It’s the only other blue-eyed primate besides us. And it’s critically endangered without much hope of recovery — habitat loss being the main issue. I was at a free-range lemur park in Madagascar back in 2007. Among the many lemur species that were roaming free, there were a few in enclosures, including a pair of blue-eyed black lemurs. This is the female. The males are pure black, but have the same blue eyes. Nikon D40x with 18-55mm lens (at 55mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, Nikon SB-600 flash.
A pack of spotted hyenas stand on a ridge above a kill attempting to scare off a lion. The lion was holding strong while the hyenas were doing all they could to intimidate her. Photographed in the Masai Mara of Kenya. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 220mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1000th of a second.
Also known as the South American gray fox, the chilla and the gray zorro, the Patagonian fox lives throughout southern South America. I came across this one in extreme southern Chile in Torres Del Paine National Park. He seemed particularly pleased with his scratching technique. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/500th of a second.
Here’s another photo from my ocelot encounter when I was in the Peruvian Amazon back in late October. This exposure seemed to be a bit brighter than the first one I shared. As mentioned previously, this was one of the more exciting sightings of my years in the wild — spotted along a river bank while heading back to the lodge late at night. I didn’t actually see the ocelot from the boat, but my guide did, so we set out on foot and after searching around for about five minutes, we saw it again in the rainforest where it posed for a few portraits. Note the three porcupine quills stuck in the ocelot’s right shoulder, no doubt a lesson learned. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 800, f/8 at 1/125th of a second, Godox V860iii flash on a remote bracket. *Some wild cat experts saw this post and believe it to actually be a margay, an even more rare cat to see in the wild. It looks very similar to an ocelot, but smaller and with bigger eyes. The definitive way to tell the difference is the tail, but I didn’t get any shots of the tail.
Always good to see trogons when hiking in the tropics. This collared trogon was photographed on my recent trip to the Peruvian Amazon. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/40th of a second, Godox V860iii fill flash.
The boat-billed heron, or boatbill, is a nocturnal heron living in Central and South America. We saw one or two of these large birds each time we took the boat out at night in the Peruvian Amazon. They obviously get their name from that oddly shaped scoop-like bill. They feed on everything from smaller mammals to frogs, insects, crabs and fish. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1600, f/6.3 at 1/125th of a second, Godox V860iii flash.
This guy was the epitome of a wily coyote. Tall, lean, scrappy, unafraid, and making the rounds at the end of the day in the southern California desert. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 220mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1250th of a second.
This howler monkey didn’t like the look of me as we drifted past on a boat in Brazil’s Pantanal. Hopefully this post sends out an email. I’ve been having all sorts of trouble with my notifications not working. If you missed a few posts, use the “previous” button under each photo to see the previous posts. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (with 1.4 extender for 550mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/1000th of a second.
Potoos are known for their comically cartoonish mouths and big yellow eyes. Neither of which you can see when they’re asleep. Which is when this photo was taken. The large owl-like bird was in a tree just outside my room in the Peruvian Amazon, and doing exactly what potoos do — sleeping during the day. I was hoping to get another glimpse when the potoo woke up at night but my timing was off and I missed the opportunity. Until next time. And by the way, you can see the closed eye and beak if you look close (head is in profile and facing toward the right edge of the frame). Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/800th of a second, Godox V860iii fill flash.
A group of bighorn lambs showing why it can be hard to spot a group of bighorn lambs. These guys were playing amidst the eroded buttes in Badlands National Park. In addition to their great camouflage, they also are well adapted to the steep, almost vertical landscapes they live in. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 3200, f/4 at 1/400th of a second.
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As you guys know, I generally don’t like to photograph or post captive animals, but this species is almost impossible to see in the wild. It’s the only other blue-eyed primate besides us. And it’s critically endangered without much hope of recovery — habitat loss being the main issue. I was at a free-range lemur park in Madagascar back in 2007. Among the many lemur species that were roaming free, there were a few in enclosures, including a pair of blue-eyed black lemurs. This is the female. The males are pure black, but have the same blue eyes. Nikon D40x with 18-55mm lens (at 55mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, Nikon SB-600 flash.
