I’ve been in a Madagascar mood lately so might as well finish up the week with a Coquerel’s sifaka. These guys are diurnal and live in the dry western forests of Madagascar. I photographed this one in Ankarafantsika National Park. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 200, f/2.8 at 1/200th of a second.
A little something different for today. I believe this to be some form of banana slug, perhaps Elisolimax madagascariensis. Just one of the many weird and wonderful creatures to be found in Madagascar. I was staying in the east-coast town of Maroantsetra when I spotted this handsome guy. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm with Canon 500D close up filter) ISO 100, f/22 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units.
It was a fairly long hike up rocky terrain to reach the bamboo forest where these golden monkeys live, but well worth the effort — one of the highlights of my trip to Uganda last year. Due to the limited habitat where they live, golden monkeys are listed as an endangered species. The red of their fur created a nice contrast to the fresh green bamboo shoots within Mgahinga National Park. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/50th of a second.
The red-bellied woodpecker is another of our resident birds that we see year-round in the yard. A lot of people think it should be called the red-headed woodpecker as that is its most prominent red part, with only a slight bit of red on the belly. But that name was already taken. And I must say the red-headed woodpecker is more deserving of the name, having red that extends over the full head and on down to the chest. Regardless, always nice to see these guys. And every now and again they land near one of my triggers and take a photo of themselves. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 24mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and remote flashes.
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is a rehabilitation center in Tasmania for orphaned and injured animals. During my visit, I was able to get some nice daytime pics of the usually nocturnal eastern quoll. Their cute appearance belies the fact they are a carnivorous marsupial in the same family as the Tasmanian devil. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 1600, f/4.5 at 1/400th of a second.
The black and white ruffed lemur is quite large for a lemur and can grow up to 4 feet tall. They are strictly diurnal and active during daylight hours only. Like most members of the family Lemuridae, they are endangered due to habitat loss and other factors. This one was living free on an island for rescued lemurs in central Madagascar. Nikon D40X with Nikkor 18-55mm lens (at 18mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/60th of a second.
Seeing a giraffe rising above the African landscape is always an impressive sight, but especially on mornings like this when such a huge creature suddenly appears out of all that green-season foliage. This species is a reticulated giraffe — less common than the Masai giraffe and known for its distinct geometric patterns. Photographed in Samburu National Reserve in Kenya. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 130mm) ISO 400, f/2.8 at 1/8000th of a second.
The rhinoceros chameleon is so named for that impressive snout. The males have a more pronounced protrusion. As with most chameleons, their color varies and changes due to many factors. These guys grow to about a foot in length and live primarily in the dry western forests of Madagascar. They are considered a vulnerable species to extinction due to the continued logging of the forests that they call home. I photographed this one on a night walk in Ankarafantsika National Park. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units.
A couple of young Galápagos sea lions pose for the camera. This one was taken on Santiago Island. You can see a bunch of marine iguanas hanging out in the background. In fact, it seems wherever you go in the Galápagos there are marine iguanas hanging out in the background. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 800, f/18 at 1/200th of a second.
The gemsbok is a large antelope in the genus Oryx. The name gemsbok is an Afrikaans word which is derived from a Dutch word — that word being chamois. For those paying attention, you might remember the chamois (which is a European antelope) I posted last week. The gemsbok doesn’t really look anything like the chamois, but I suppose to early Dutch explorers it was close enough. When I was on safari in the Kalahari desert of Botswana, I was the only person staying at the camp. This made it easy to get out of the vehicle for ground level shooting when appropriate. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/15th of a second.
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