After a morning of carrying tourists through the jungle, this Asia elephant was enjoying a refreshing bath in the river water at Tangkahan in Sumatra, Indonesia. These elephants are apparently very well cared for and form deep bonds with their handlers. At least that’s what I was told, and I didn’t see any evidence to suggest otherwise.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 125mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second

It seems that with squirrels and cows, no matter where I go in the world there’s a unique local variety. They’re just squirrels and they’re just cows but because they don’t look like our squirrels and cows, they can seem pretty exotic. This is the red fronted squirrel, native to Sumatra, Indonesia. Unlike most squirrels, they’re not very common. This was the only one I saw, deep in the forest of Tangkahan. Not the greatest shot, but the squirrel was there one second and gone the next.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/125th of a second

This is one of the more rare creatures that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in the wild. It’s official name is the small Sulawesi cuscus (also known as the Sulawesi dwarf cuscus, or simply small cuscus). It’s a marsupial that lives on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. Its survival is threatened by hunting and loss of habitat due to agriculture and logging. This is the only one that I saw in my four day trip to the island.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/400th of a second

This is the reticulated python, the longest snake in the world. They can grow up to 23 feet in length. As with all pythons, they are non-venemous constrictors. This one was stalking a group of black crested macaque monkeys in Tangkoko National Park in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/8 at 1/80th of a second

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