The giant neotropical toad also goes by marine toad and cane toad. These are the guys that were introduced to northern Australia to disastrous results (a story for another day). In Costa Rica they are natives and quite common to spot on night walks. I photographed this one at La Selva, not far from the capital of San José. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 310mm) ISO 800, f/8 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.
I was down below looking up when this bighorn ram came to the edge of a cliff to munch on some of the exposed grass. Photographed in Yellowstone National Park. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 270mm) ISsO 400, f/5.6 at 1/1000th of a second.
These Bornean bearded piglets had yet to grow their namesake beards. I was on the ground snapping away with my long lens when they came closer and closer. I quickly swapped out lenses to my wide angle and got a few shots before they continued on their way. Bearded pigs like to follow orangutans through the forest, hoping to clean up the scraps left on the forest floor after meals. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/500th of a second.
Here’s another exposure of one of the two bobcats that visited my camera trap a few weeks back. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 20mm lens, ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and remote flash units.
A Coquerel’s sifaka lemur eyes the next branch to leap to. Like most lemurs, they are quite acrobatic as they move through the forest. Coquerel’s sifakas live in the dry forests of Western Madagascar where I photographed this one in Ankarafantsika National Park. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 100, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, Nikon SB-600 flash.
Agoutis look a bit like guinea pigs only larger and with longer legs. This guy was enjoying some sort of seed pod snack deep in the rainforest of Corcovado National Park in southwestern Costa Rica. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 3200, f/4 at 1/80th of a second.
The long-billed curlew is a large wading bird, so it was odd to see one so far from a coastline (this photo was taken in the Badlands of South Dakota). But as it turns out, these birds range far into the interior of the country during breeding season. That impressively long bill comes in handy when foraging for earthworms, mollusks, and crabs. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 400, f/9 at 1/400th of a second.
This puma was stalking a small herd of guanacos in Chilean Patagonia. I used a slow shutter speed to pan with the puma as she made her move (which would prove to be unsuccessful on this particular attempt). Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 800, f/22 at 1/13th of a second.
These birds are fairly common throughout much of South America. I photographed this one way down toward the southern tip of the continent in Puerto Natales, Chile. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5 at 1/1000th of a second.
The platypus is a prized sighting in Australia. I was lucky to see this one on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. There were a series of small water holes in a heavily wooded area, thus the dark reflections on the surface of the water. Certainly one of the more interesting animals I’ve had the pleasure of photographing. The platypus is the only species in its own unique genus. They are one of two types of monotremes — along with the echidnas — distinguished by being mammals that lay eggs. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens, ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/100th of a second.