Juvenile southern elephant seals transform from a small pup into a hefty, blubber-rich youngster in a matter of months. After weaning, juveniles spend time onshore learning the rhythms of haul-out life before venturing into the open ocean. Despite their awkward, wrinkled appearance on land, they are already exceptional divers, built for a life spent far beneath the waves. I met this one on Sea Lion Island in the Falklands. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 24mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/320th of a second.
Canada goose chicks are covered in soft down from the moment they hatch, but they’re already on the move within a day—following their parents and learning to forage almost immediately. I photographed this one a few years back while in Toronto for work. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 550 with a 1.4x TC) ISO 800, f/8 at 1/1600th of a second.
Heterixalus betsileo is one of Madagascar’s many endemic frogs, part of a remarkable island where over 99% of amphibian species are found nowhere else on Earth. Lemurs might get the spotlight (and rightly so) but Madagascar is also one of the richest and most unique frog hotspots in the world. Join us in September of 2027 on a trip to this amazing island nation. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm with Canon 500D close up filter) ISO 100, f/22 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units.
Lar gibbons, also known as white-handed gibbons, in Thailand’s Kaeng Krachan National Park are famous for their haunting, echoing duets. Mated pairs sing complex, synchronized calls at dawn to defend territory and strengthen their bond. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 280mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/160th of a second.
Young male lions often live solitary lives after leaving their birth pride, wandering for years before they’re strong enough to challenge for territory of their own. This guy was about at that stage. We saw him up on a small mound, surveying his surroundings. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1250, f/5.6 at 1/125th of a second.
Imperial cormorants form strong pair bonds, often greeting each other at the nest with gentle beak-to-beak contact. Both parents share duties—building the nest, incubating eggs, and raising chicks in tightly packed coastal colonies in the Falkland Islands and other sub-Antarctic and Antarctic locations. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 26mm) ISO 400, f/7.1 at 1/6400th of a second, Nikon SB-900 flash.
Wild burros in Box Springs Mountain Park in Moreno Valley, California are descendants of domestic donkeys brought to the region during the mining era and later released or escaped. Highly adaptable, they thrive in the dry, rugged terrain, often traveling in small family groups and covering large distances in search of water and food. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/1600th of a second.
In honor of a hard-fought, albeit not-quite-enough, effort last night by our local UConn Huskies in the national championship game, I figured I’d post the closest thing I have to a Siberian Husky. Note, this is a captive wolf photographed years ago in South Dakota. Back to all things wild tomorrow. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 300mm) ISO 800, f/5 at 1/800th of a second.
Not the greatest camera trap capture, but a rare one — a short-tailed weasel. This setup is aimed at bears and other larger animals, so it’s a heavy crop, but sure enough, this little hunter wandered through and tripped the shutter. In Connecticut, short-tailed weasels undergo a seasonal transformation — brown in summer, white in winter (then called ermine) for camouflage in the snow. By mid-March, though, they’ve returned to their summer coat. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17–35mm lens (at 24mm), ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor, and remote flash units.
Chamois are great climbers, effortlessly navigating steep alpine cliffs where few predators can follow. Their rubbery hooves have a soft, grippy center and hard outer edge, giving them remarkable traction on rock. In summer, they graze high mountain meadows, but as winter sets in, they descend to lower elevations to escape deep snow. It was May of 2010 when I photographed this one in Gran Paradiso National Park in the Italian Alps. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/200th of a second.
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