Just back from our Caribbean weekend in Barbados. Didn’t take too many pictures — only a few turtles and crabs, but still, didn’t have time to go through them tonight after a late arrival. Instead, I present everyone’s favorite ugly monkey, the proboscis monkey. Locals in Borneo call these guys “Dutchmen” because their bellies and noses are said to resemble those of the Dutch colonizers. Apparently, the Dutch didn’t do too well with the ladies when they first landed in Indonesia.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/60th of a second

I was asked last week how I know the names of so many different species of animals. Here’s an example of one that I haven’t been able to identify just yet. I know, of course, that it’s a bat, and that I photographed it roosting inside a hollow tree in Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesia, but there are so many different bats that knowing the exact species can be difficult. To any experts that might be out there, what do you think?
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 290mm) ISO 400, f/10 at 3 seconds

This is a pitcher plant. It eats meat. Mostly in the form of small insects, but it hunts them down with the merciless guile of the world’s top predators. Inside the cup of the pitcher plant is a deadly liquid. When ants and other insects climb up, lured by the attractive, yet slippery lip of the plant, they quickly fall to their death. The liquid drowns the insect which gradually dissolves before being absorbed by the plant. There are many different species of pitcher plant and I saw quite a few of them in Indonesia. This one was right outside my lodge door in Tanjung Puting National Park — nature’s bug zapper.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 200, f/6.3 at 1/4 second

This little guy was one of the first orangutans that I met when I was in Borneo. He was shy and clinging to mom one minute, while the next he was acting as if he wanted me to join him at play. I guess, pretty much like his human relatives.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/500th of a second

This little guy was one of the first orangutans that greeted me on my trip to Borneo back in 2009. He also serves as a great example of what my hair looks like when I grow it out.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 240mm) ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/160th of a second

On Tuesday, I posted a photo of a baby black crested macaque and commented on the green eyes. This is the adult and as you can see, those eyes eventually turn a bright orange. These monkeys have such amazing faces — very human yet very cartoony at the same time. Here is the link to Tuesday’s post where you can see how much their look changes over the years.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/200th of a second

I’ve always been a big fan of the primates, but perhaps my favorite monkey is the black crested macaque. I had the pleasure of spending time with a troop of them for two mornings a few years back on my trip to Indonesia. They are considered critically endangered and exist only on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. This young male was resting in the forest. His green eyes will turn a vivid orange when he becomes an adult.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 1600, f/2.8 at 1/80th of a second

Back by popular demand, a baby tarsier. This little hair ball is about the size of a baseball and hails from the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. I’ve posted quite a few pictures of these guys in the past, but always a good way to start the week.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 290) ISO 200, f/8 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-800 flash units

One of my favorite co-workers is leaving our office in New York this week and moving to Chicago. What does that have to do with a baby spectral tarsier? Well, she’s a big fan of the tarsiers and she’s been a big fan of the blog since I started it five years ago, so this one goes out to her. Spectral tarsiers, which live on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, are one of the smallest primates in the world. This baby couldn’t have been much bigger than a baseball — most of that size being the head.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 220mm) ISO 200, f/8 at 1/60th of a second, Nikon SB-800 flash