A reticulated giraffe marches across the grassy plains in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya. This subspecies of giraffe — also known as the Somali giraffe — is endangered and there are currently only about 8,500 individuals left in the wild. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/1000th of a second.
This could very well be misidentified, but I think it’s a carpet chameleon, also known as a white-lined chameleon. Carpet chameleons are a type of panther chameleon found in Madagascar. I photographed this captive individual en route to Andasibe-Mantadia National Park. I thought it looked a bit like a beaded belt. If I’m wrong on the ID, please let me know. Thanks. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 105mm with Canon 500D close up filter) ISO 100, f/22 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units.
There are four species of echidna. This is the short-beaked, which can be found throughout Australia and portions of New Guinea. It’s the most widespread native mammal in Australia. Unlike many other Australian mammals which are marsupials, the short-beaked echidna is a monotreme. Monotremes are one of the three main groups of mammals on earth, along with placentals and marsupials. But there are only five living species of monotreme — the four echidnas and the platypus. Their distinguishing characteristic is that they lay eggs. I photographed this echidna somewhere in central Tasmania. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/160th of a second.
Leopards will often drag a kill up into a tree to hide it from scavengers, primarily hyenas. You can see a bit of the impala that this leopard was keeping watch over. We saw her go up and down the tree a few times over the course of a day in the Masai Mara of Kenya. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/160th of a second.
This is one of those shots that I haven’t shared yet because it’s pretty mediocre photographically. But it is a species of note. Known locally as the culpeo. Or zorro culpeo. Or Andean zorro, Andean fox, Paramo wolf, or Andean wolf. Mostly, however, they call it the culpeo fox. But it isn’t a true fox. It’s more closely related to wolves and jackals. And it isn’t particularly rare. Or endangered. That said, the culpeo, for the most part, stays out of sight. We caught this one walking through the tall grass while we were driving from the southern tip of South America, up into Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile. It’s the second largest canid species in South America, behind the maned wolf.Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/500th of a second.
It’s been awhile since I posted a puffin. In fact, it’s been a while since I’ve seen one. This photo was taken on my first trip to Machias Seal Island — off the coast of Maine — back in 2008. Not sure what that little eel-like thing in its beak is, but it was nesting season and all the Atlantic puffins were busy flying back and forth from sea to nest, bringing meals to their young. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 200, f/4 at 1/1000th of a second.
This was one of three puma cubs we observed from a small cliff. The mother led the siblings out of the thick brush before strolling along a lake and disappearing into the distance. Photographed in Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/500th of a second.
The chestnut-colored woodpecker ranges from Mexico down into Panama. I’ve seen and photographed them a few times in Costa Rica. This one was right outside my lodge in La Selva, not far from the capital of San Jose. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/125th of a second.
An encounter with a red fox is always a good thing. This guy looks like he knows something that I don’t. Photographed while on a coastal brown bear trip in Lake Clark National Park in Alaska. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1000th of a second.
This barred owl had just devoured an eastern lubber grasshopper and was looking back toward the branch he/she had just descended from and would eventually fly back to. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 280mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/800th of a second.