BEASTS
Read MoreBrown-throated Sloth (Bradypus variegatus).
The Brown-throated Sloth is the most widely-distributed of the four species of three-toed sloth.
I observed this one swimming across an Amazonian tributary; he had just reached this log on the far shore and was resting.
Location: Amazonas, Peru
Lens used: Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 ISMountain Gorilla (Gorilla beringei beringei).
If there is one wildlife experience in the world that I'd have to recommend to other, similarly-minded individuals, it would be to go see the very highly-endangered Mountain Gorillas in East Africa. There are groups in each of Rwanda, Uganda and the DRC that can be visited. Doing so isn't a cheap excursion (in addition to the expense of just getting to East Africa) and, as the number of visitors to the gorillas is heavily regulated plus how the gorillas make their home in a politically iffy part of the world, it takes some advance planning to do. But when you finally do come upon the gorillas in the bamboo forest, surrounded by adults and youngsters doing their thing sometimes only mere feet from you, it's magic unlike anything else.
There is but one dominate male in each group, the Silverback. This shot is of our group's Silverback (we visited 'Group 13').
Location: Parc National des Volcans (Volcano National Park), Rwanda
Lens used: n/a (Canon S1 IS point-and-shoot)A hermit crab coming out of the protection of its shell.
This is my first ever attempt at a triptych. Though I didn't have such a thing in mind while I knelt in the sand and salt water waiting for the little guy to be comfortable enough to come out of hiding, I think it came together okay.
Location: Berbera, Somalia (Somaliland)
Lens used: Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 ISThough still incredibly endangered, the african Mountain Gorillas have much more in the way of advocacy than most species teetering on the brink. The money they bring in to the government's coffers, for example tends to keep them in the spotlight, somewhat.
Not all such endangered species are so lucky - most vanish away without anyone even knowing.
Humans are pretty much always to blame for such extinctions.
Please try to be a good human - at least acknowledge that we share this planet with other beings and creatures that deserve to live just as much as we do.
Location: Parc National des Volcans (Volcano National Park), Rwanda
Lens used: n/a (Canon S1 IS point-and-shoot)Any idea what this is? A mole, maybe?
It was crawling across the snow at work one spring. Though he looks pretty healthy in this shot, he was twitching and moving awkwardly otherwise. I figured he might have been slipping off his mortal coil.
Location: Buttercup, Mt. Hood Meadows ski area, Oregon
Lens used: Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 IS