A male and female pronghorn trot across a grassy field in Wind Cave National Park in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The male has the nice set of horns. Pronghorn are unique in that they shed their horns each year (usually horns are not shed, whereas antlers are). Moose, elk, deer all have antlers whereas pronghorn, bighorn, mountain goats have horns.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/1250th of a second
Here’s another one from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana. The ratel, also known as the honey badger. These guys can be fierce when confronted. They have extremely tough skin, while at the same time that skin is very loosely attached to the bones. If a predator like a lion gets a hold of one, it has a hard time biting through the skin. While the lion tries to bite, the honey badger can turn itself around in its own skin and start fighting back. This is in large part how they’ve earned their reputation, and why not too many animals will mess with a honey badger.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mmm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/125th of a second
These guys also go by the name of milky eagle owl or giant eagle owl. They are widespread throughout sub-Sahara Africa. I came across these two large chicks just north of the Masai Mara in Kenya. Their mother was off hunting while they slept, groomed each other and engaged in a bit of casual small talk I suppose.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/200th of a second
I’ve posted quite a few shots of the keel-billed toucan and the chestnut-mandibled toucan, but none yet of this guy — the white-throated toucan. I met this fine looking bird down in the Bolivian rainforest back in 2008. They are found throughout the Amazon Basin of South America. Always a pleasure to meet another member of the toucan family.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/200th of a second
Nothing quite says Happy Valentine’s Day like a pair of smitten marine iguanas. These handsome lovers were photographed on La Fe Island, a tiny speck of volcanic rock in the Galapagos archipelago of Ecuador.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 800, f/5 at 1/800th of a second
This lion’s mane almost looks like a wig. The males from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana are commonly called black-maned lions. Technically, all lions have a bit of black in their mane, but the ones in the Botswanan desert tend to be darker than the norm. This guy was settling in for good drink after feasting on an oryx (check out that massive belly).
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second
Here’s another of the brown bears I was able to photograph at close range as they chased after salmon at low tide. Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.
Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/1600th of a second
The hoatzin, although not necessarily the most attractive bird in the world, does have its unique charm. I photographed this one in the Bolivian Amazon at Madidi National Park. These pheasant-sized birds are rare in that they eat only leaves. Due to their diet, they have a bit of a manure-like smell to them and are often called stink birds. To be fair, I kind of liked the smell.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/500th of a second
My sister Mo requested a frog today. My mother wanted anything red and blue — in honor of her beloved Patriots (and as a counter point to the Eagle I posted on Monday). I think this should satisfy both asks. A strawberry poison dart frog. Also known as a blue jeans frog, for obvious reasons. I’ve photographed these tiny frogs in several places in Costa Rica. This one was clinging to a dried leaf in La Selva Biological Reserve, not far from the capital city of San Jose.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) with Canon 500D close up filter attached, ISO 100, f/3.5 at 1/10th of a second
Orangutans are more swingers than they are jumpers. But it sure is impressive to see them swing from one tree to another, using the relative strength of each branch to their advantage. Of course, it helps when even their feet are really like two more hands. Here a young orangutan swings upside down through Tanjung Puting National Park in Indonesian Borneo.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 150mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/640th of a second