The capuchin monkeys in this section of northeastern Brazil are nicknamed Einstein monkeys for their ability to use tools to crack open pine nuts. This particular Einstein monkey was taking a break from that particular task and relaxing in the shade of a tree. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 210mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1600th of a second.

It’s called a wolf. Its nickname is fox-on-stilts. But it’s neither a wolf nor a fox. It’s the only species in the genus Chrysocyon, meaning golden dog. I only saw two of them while in Brazil — this being the one of the two that allowed me photo opps. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 95mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/400th of a second.

I’ve had the pleasure of photographing burrowing owls in Florida, Texas, South Dakota, California and Brazil. This guy was captured in the latter and seemed to have a bit more of an attitude than his cousins up north in the United States. Unlike most owls, the burrowing owl is diurnal rather than nocturnal and lives in burrows rather than in trees. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 400, f/6.3 at 1/1000th of a second.

Back again, everyone’s favorite rodent, the capybara. These are the largest rodents in the world and can grow to about four and half feet long and weight 150 pounds. Females are typically larger than males, and they can have between one and seven pups. This mother was hanging out on the riverbank with her two quickly growing pups. Photographed in the Pantanal of Brazil. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens with 1.4 teleconverter (at 500mm) ISO 800, f/8 at 1/1600th of a second.

The tufted capuchin’s of the Hyacinth Valley in Brazil are very smart monkeys. Thus the nickname. They’ve learned how to harvest pine nuts and then use tools to open them. They start by tearing the outer husks off the nuts and then leave them in the sun to dry for about a week. When they return to the dried nuts, they place them on a large flat rock surface, which acts as an anvil. They then use much harder igneous rock boulders as their tools to smash open the nuts. Only chimpanzees are known to make more intelligent use of tools. I’ve posted a few shots in the past of the action with the rocks. This guy was simply posing for the camera against that nice blue sky. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 490mm with 1.4 teleconverter) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/1250th of a second.

Marmosets are very small monkeys. Most of the 22 different species are only about eight inches long (not including the tail). They are also fairly primitive with a less developed brain than other monkeys and several interesting physical characteristics like claws rather than nails. This black-tailed marmoset was photographed in the Pantanal of Brazil. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/1000th of a second.

It’s been more than three years since I posted a photo of my encounter with maned wolves in Piaui State, Brazil. Often referred to as a fox on stilts, the mostly-nocturnal maned wolf has exceedingly long legs — an adaptation to the tall grasslands where it spends most of its time. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 78mm) ISO 200, f/7.1 at 1//60th of a second, two Nikon SB-800 flash units.

Deer come in many varieties across the globe. They can be found on every continent except for Antarctica and Australia. The marsh deer is native to South America. It is the largest of South America’s 17 different deer species. I spotted this one while hiking a trail in southwestern Brazil. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/7.1 at 1/500th of a second.

Blue and yellow macaws are big birds. They are almost three feet in length and can weight up to three pounds. Due to their striking colors (mostly blue on top parts and a yellowish/orange on the bottom, with a bit of green on the crown) and their ability to talk, they are popular as pets. I’m glad I got to see them soaring high above the Pantanal in Brail in their natural habitat — usually spotted as a mating pair. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (with 1.4 teleconverter for 550mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/1000th of a second.

There are many species of crocodilian in the world. I find the yacaré caiman to be among the coolest looking. This was a young guy, hanging out by the banks of the Pantanal in Brazil — the world’s largest tropical wetland. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/400th of a second.