I had the pleasure of hanging out with quite a few Celebes crested macaques on my visit to Sulawesi, Indonesia back in 2009. They have very little fear of humans, which in part contributes to their conservation status as critically endangered. I saw them in Tangkoko National Park, the only place they are protected. And even within the park, that protection isn’t always guaranteed. In addition to the continued loss of their habitat, they are easily caught due to their trusting nature and unfortunately locals consider their meat a delicacy. Here’s hoping they’ll still be around if I’m ever to make a return trip. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/160th of a second.

Just a simple portrait of a spectral tarsier going out to a friend who can use a simple portrait of a spectral tarsier right about now. This image gives a good look at the spurs, or toilet claws, on the feet. They are used for grooming and digging for insects. Tarsiers are one of the smallest primates in the world and they have the largest eyes to body ratio of any mammal. Their eyes are even larger than their brains. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 220mm) ISO 200, f/10 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-800 flash units.

This is one of the more rare animals that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in the wild. Also known as the small Sulawesi cuscus. Not much info on these guys but they are tree dwelling marsupials that live in — as the name suggests — Sulawesi, Indonesia. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/400th of a second.

Quite late on my post today, so just scrolled quickly through my files to find an appropriate subject and came across this spectral tarsier. I photographed her in Sulawesi, Indonesia using existing light from just after twilight, supplemented by the full moon. A slow shutter speed, tripod, and a very still subject allowed me to get the shot. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at .4 seconds.

I think this female proboscis monkey just realized what her male counterparts looked like (see this previous post for the male). It was fun to photograph these iconic monkeys from the platform of a small boat while I was floating down a river through Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesian Borneo. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/200th of a second.

Obviously, the first thing you notice about a male proboscis monkey is that rather impressive snout. I love that the Indonesians call them monyet belanda (“Dutch monkey) or orang belanda (“Dutchman”), because they thought the Dutch colonizers had similarly large bellies and noses. I spotted this big boy in a tree at river’s edge on our way into Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesian Borneo. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/160th of a second.

Just a young orangutan kicking back with his favorite stick. I photographed this on in Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesian Borneo. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 290mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/320th of a second.

Behold the beauty of the bearded pig. I’ve posted a few bearded piglets in the past. Here’s what those cute little youngsters grow up to be. These guys were fairly common around troops of orangutans. They follow them around and forage for the scraps that they leave behind. Photographed at Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesian Borneo. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 170mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/160th of a second.

Trogons and kingfishers are among my favorite bird species. Both are present worldwide and both come in many varieties depending on location. I wasn’t expecting this guy when I was hiking through the forest of Tangkoko National Park in Indonesia in search of tarsiers and black-crested macaques. But there it was — a green-backed kingfisher — which exists only in the forests of central and northern Sulawesi and a few surrounding islands. Well worth the effort to stop for a few quick shots before resuming the search for primates.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/40th of a second

This image was a bit of a mistake. I was photographing critically endangered black-crested macaques on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. When I saw this macaque sitting in the middle of a charred field — the result of an illegal slash and burn fire — he seemed as if he was crying out at the short-sighted practice of his fellow primates. I quickly grabbed my second camera with wide angle lens attached and took the shot without realizing that I had left a filter holder screwed in, causing extreme vignetting at 17mm. But the result seemed to work, as if the macaque was at the wrong end of a gun, with little hope for survival if local villagers continue to encroach upon his rapidly dwindling habitat.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 800, f/3.5 at 1/400th of a second