These two meerkats were part of a bundle of about eight that curled up into a furry ball to keep warm as the sun began to set on the Makgadikgadi Pans of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm), ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/80th of a second

The pangolin is easily one of my best wildlife sightings. They can be very rare to see in Africa. Not only did we see one when in Botswana, we saw one being stalked by a leopard. For protection from predators, pangolins will curl up in a ball. But as soon as the pangolin thought the leopard was asleep, it would uncurl itself and slowly try to sneak away. This is one of those slow uncurl moments.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/320th of a second

It was fun to see this meerkat sitting in a bush, surveying the landscape for any would-be predators. They like to get as high as possible for the best view.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/1250th of a second

Just a simple shot of a zebra making its way across the Makgadikgadi Pan of Botswana. I used a slow shutter speed and panned with the zebra to give the photo a bit of life.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/32 at 1/20th of a second

Here’s another one from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana. The ratel, also known as the honey badger. These guys can be fierce when confronted. They have extremely tough skin, while at the same time that skin is very loosely attached to the bones. If a predator like a lion gets a hold of one, it has a hard time biting through the skin. While the lion tries to bite, the honey badger can turn itself around in its own skin and start fighting back. This is in large part how they’ve earned their reputation, and why not too many animals will mess with a honey badger.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mmm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/125th of a second

This lion’s mane almost looks like a wig. The males from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana are commonly called black-maned lions. Technically, all lions have a bit of black in their mane, but the ones in the Botswanan desert tend to be darker than the norm. This guy was settling in for good drink after feasting on an oryx (check out that massive belly).
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second

Here’s another one from the Linyanti Concession of Botswana. This time a spotted hyena, spotlit with a flashlight early one morning. There were about five hyenas, playing in a flooded area of the savanna. I didn’t have enough light to capture the action without a flash, but I also wanted to try a few shots with just the flashlight to bring out the ambient light of early morning. I used a very high ISO and a very low shutter speed to get the proper exposure. But at 1/25th of a second, there’s a bit of motion blur, but I think that just adds to the mood.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 3200, f/4 at 1/25th of a second

It was just past sunset in Botswana when we came upon two cheetahs atop a termite mound, surveying the savanna for prey. After a few minutes, they darted off after a herd (or dazzle) of zebra but were ultimately unsuccessful. Cheetahs have a kill rate of more than 50%, which is highest among the African cats.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/160th of a second

The slender mongoose is a crafty little carnivore widespread throughout sub-Sahara Africa. The species also happens to be a dead ringer for my good friend Tony who got engaged last night. So this one goes out to you Tony and Shardae — for the engagement — and for looking like a slender mongoose.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/1250th of a second