{"id":8461,"date":"2020-08-20T08:23:44","date_gmt":"2020-08-20T08:23:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/?p=8461"},"modified":"2020-08-21T08:39:30","modified_gmt":"2020-08-21T08:39:30","slug":"august-2020-highlights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/20\/august-2020-highlights\/","title":{"rendered":"August 2020 Highlights"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/-latest-highlights\/2020\/august-2020-highlights.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">August 2020 Highlights<\/a> include a wealth of wonderful marine life from David Hall, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/03\/a-seahorse-dad-gives-birth-in-the-ocean\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tony Wu<\/a> and Magnus Lundgren, lots of unique Australian animals and plants, and some strong additions to our coverage on African and European wildlife.<\/h3>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01647850-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Split level of a Lion&#039;s mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) and Feather-boa kelp (Egregia menziesii), Seven-tree Island, Browning Pass, Queen Charlotte Strait, British Columbia, Canada. September.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01647850-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01647850-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01647850-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01647850-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Split level of a Lion&#039;s mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) and Feather-boa kelp (Egregia menziesii), Seven-tree Island, Browning Pass, Queen Charlotte Strait, British Columbia, Canada. September.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"A 8-month-old male orphaned and rescued baby bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) Bronson in a cot. With local soil and grass placed in the cot.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"A 8-month-old male orphaned and rescued baby bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) Bronson in a cot. With local soil and grass placed in the cot.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"A pair of Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema) engaged in unusual post-mating courtship, tails intertwined. Male on left, female on right. Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"A pair of Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema) engaged in unusual post-mating courtship, tails intertwined. Male on left, female on right. Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01652176-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Meadow brown butterfly (Maniola jurtina) nectaring on Eryngium (Eryngium sp.) flowers in a suburban garden close to a house, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, UK, June.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01652176-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01652176-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01652176-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01652176-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Meadow brown butterfly (Maniola jurtina) nectaring on Eryngium (Eryngium sp.) flowers in a suburban garden close to a house, Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, UK, June.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Tall Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos flavidus ) southwest region near Denmark, Western Australia. Western Australian endemic\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372-600x398.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372-375x249.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372-900x598.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651372-160x106.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Tall Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos flavidus ) southwest region near Denmark, Western Australia. Western Australian endemic\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Common poppies (Papaver rhoeas) in field, Chicklade, Wiltshire, England, July.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-600x398.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-375x249.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-900x598.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-160x106.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Common poppies (Papaver rhoeas) in field, \nChicklade, Wiltshire, England, July.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Common shelduck pair (Tadorna tadorna) standing and drinking in the margins of a shallow lake, Gloucestershire, UK, November.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Common shelduck pair (Tadorna tadorna) standing and drinking in the margins of a shallow lake, Gloucestershire, UK, November.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) two males facing off on a lekking site, Varumaa county, Southern Estonia. April.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) two males facing off on a lekking site, Varumaa county, Southern Estonia. April.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649254-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Spotted lanternfly (Lycoma delicatula) fourth instar nymph, Wissahickon Valley Park, Pennsylvania, USA, July.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649254-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649254-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649254-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649254-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Spotted lanternfly (Lycoma delicatula) fourth instar nymph, Wissahickon Valley Park, Pennsylvania, USA, July.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01647731-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Lion&#039;s Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) with Blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) stealing food from the jellyfish&#039;s tentacles. Hunt Rock, Queen Charlotte Strait, British Columbia, Canada. September.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01647731-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01647731-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01647731-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01647731-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Lion&#039;s Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) with Blue rockfish (Sebastes mystinus) stealing food from the jellyfish&#039;s tentacles. Hunt Rock, Queen Charlotte Strait, British Columbia, Canada. September.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), white or leucistic form, neotenic salamander. Captive, critically endangered in the wild, occurs in Mexico.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), white or leucistic form, neotenic salamander. Captive, critically endangered in the wild, occurs in Mexico.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Five-lobed sterculia (Sterculia quinqueloba) tree growing on rocky hillside, Namibia\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Five-lobed sterculia (Sterculia quinqueloba) tree growing on rocky hillside, Namibia\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Eric Baccega &#8211; On Unexpected Encounters and Patience Paying Off<\/h3>\n<p><em>It is relatively easy to observe mountain gorillas. The animals are placid and many are used to human presence. Thanks to the work done by conservation associations and income from tourism, the population of this subspecies of gorilla (<\/em>Gorilla gorilla beringei<em>) is now growing and the IUCN Red List has downgraded the species from Critically Endangered to Endangered. This was my thirtieth gorilla observation and it was different from all the others. The Katwa group in Uganda&#8217;s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest refused to approach our group and took refuge in the dense vegetation to escape the tourists who had come to admire them. Some juveniles would charge the trackers who approached them. I thought that this time I would not get any images of gorillas. As we turned back to leave them alone, we saw this female in a tree eating leaves with her baby clinging to her fur. The scene lasted less than 2 minutes before she left; that&#8217;s all I needed to make a picture with \u00be backlight. A scene full of tenderness that delighted me to the utmost and reminds me that nothing should be taken for granted in wildlife photography and that everything can happen when you least expect it.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei) mother with one month baby feeding in tree. Member of Katwe group. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda, Africa\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649821-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringei) mother with one month baby feeding in tree. Member of Katwe group. Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda, Africa\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<p>Baboons <em>&#8211; Early morning, as I headed to Kibale National Park in Uganda to photograph the chimpanzees, a troop of olive baboons had come to the side of the road to find food. In Kibale, it is common to find them on the side of paths more than in the heart of the forest, where the chimpanzees live, where it&#8217;s too dangerous for them. About fifty primates were scattered around the vehicle eating, playing or bickering when I saw this female with two babies in a tree, intrigued by the sounds of camera&#8217;s shutter release. A quick photo taken before continuing on my way to other monkeys.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Shoebill<em> &#8211; Wildlife photography always has its charm with its share of unexpected, unusual or joyful scenes, and at other times, frustration. Photographing the shoebill stork offered to me something special that I had never encountered with any other animal before. Even if you stand only a few meters away from it, it can stay for hours without moving, fully static, waiting for a prey that it will then seize at an incredible speed. You can watch endlessly behind your camera&#8217;s viewfinder without anything happening and suddenly the shoebill raises its neck and plunges its head into the marsh water to capture its prey in a split second; a moment that you mustn&#8217;t miss, because after swallowing its prey, it will fly away to digest it elsewhere. That day, in the Mabamba Swamps of Lake Victoria in Uganda, as the cramps began to stiffen my limbs, this shoebill female rushed to catch and swallow a small Spotted African lungfish before flying away.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Olive baboon (Papio hamadryas anubis) mother with babies in a tree. Kibale National Park, Uganda, Africa\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649840-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Olive baboon (Papio hamadryas anubis) mother with babies in a tree. Kibale National Park, Uganda, Africa\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Shoebill stork (Balaeniceps rex) eating a fish in the swamps of Mabamba, Lake Victoria, Uganda.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649847-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Shoebill stork (Balaeniceps rex) eating a fish in the swamps of Mabamba, Lake Victoria, Uganda.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Upside-down in the land Down Under &#8211; Marie Lochman<\/h3>\n<p><em>Fuchsia grevillea (<\/em>Grevillea bipinnatifida<em>) is a spreading or prostrate shrub that grows to a metre high. It is endemic to South West of Western Australia, one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world.\u00a0 It has a relatively small distribution range in and around the Darling Range, where it is mainly confined to granite outcrops, flowering from early winter till early summer. Its many-flowered terminal inflorescences grow on short lateral branches that frequently bend under the weight of the flowers.\u00a0 They therefore hang upside down with large, open flowers ending above the flower buds, which gave this species its alternative vernacular name &#8216;Grape grevillea&#8217;.<\/em> <em>(below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Faunal Emblem &#8211; Marie Lochman<\/h3>\n<p><em>One of many endangered Australian marsupials, the Numbat (<\/em>Myrmecobius fasciatus<em>) has disappeared from most of its former distribution range. Until the 1950&#8217;s, it still occupied a great swathe of southern Australia west of Murray-Darling Basin, but was almost wiped out by two introduced predators: the feral cat and the European fox.\u00a0 It survived thanks to two small strongholds in south-western Western Australia; this picture was taken in one of them. Although most small to medium sized Australian mammals are nocturnal, the Numbat is an exception as it has to be active when the termites, which are its sole diet, are active. The generic name <\/em>Myrmecobius<em>(living on, or sustained by ants, hence ant-eating) is clearly a misnomer, as Numbats don\u2019t eat ants, only termites.\u00a0 The Numbat is the Western Australian faunal emblem.<\/em> <em>(below right)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-4' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Fuchsia grevillea (Grevillea bipinnatifida ), flower, Darling range, Western Australian endemic, Western Australia.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437-768x514.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437-600x401.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437-320x214.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437-375x251.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437-900x602.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651437-158x106.jpg 158w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Fuchsia grevillea (Grevillea bipinnatifida ), flower, Darling range, Western Australian endemic, Western Australia.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) Wheatbelt Region, Western Australia\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651321-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) Wheatbelt Region, Western Australia\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Blue Cypress &#8211; John Shaw<\/h3>\n<p><em>This was taken at Blue Cypress Lake in Florida, a location well-known for ospreys nesting in the low cypress trees. A photographer friend and I were there for a few days, working from a pontoon boat (some sort of watercraft is necessary for any sort of photography at Blue Cypress). We were just heading out for our afternoon session and were slowly cruising past this tree when the osprey came in. I was holding a soft drink and in my rush to grab my camera, I almost poured the drink into my camera pack. A bit of a fumble but I managed to get a few frames. The afternoon clouds definitely helped to balance the shot (as you well know, cloudless blue sky days are the bane of existence for nature photographers). The lack of wind was another lucky twist, as Blue Cypress is a large lake and can be quite windy.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-5' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) landing at its nest in a Bald cypress tree (Taxodium distichum) draped with epiphytic Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides). Blue Cypress Lake, Florida, USA. April.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649656-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) landing at its nest in a Bald cypress tree (Taxodium distichum) draped with epiphytic Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides). Blue Cypress Lake, Florida, USA. April.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Lockdown Life with Three Baby Wombats &#8211; Doug Gimesy<\/h3>\n<p>One of our latest stories features the work of Emily Small, a wildlife carer and <span>founder of the Goongerah Wombat Orphanage<\/span>. As Melbourne was sent back into Covid lockdown, Emily explains how she&#8217;s coped with the challenges of hand-rearing three baby wombats in her inner city apartment. Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/03\/wombat-rescue\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">full story here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-6' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-window-width'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"A 8-month-old male orphaned and rescued baby bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) Bronson in a cot. With local soil and grass placed in the cot.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653110-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"A 8-month-old male orphaned and rescued baby bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) Bronson in a cot. With local soil and grass placed in the cot.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"A 6-month-old male orphaned and rescued baby bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) named Landon, is bottle fed a food supplement by Emily Small, founder of Goongerah Wombat Orphanage.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653196-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"A 6-month-old male orphaned and rescued baby bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) named Landon, is bottle fed a food supplement by Emily Small, founder of Goongerah Wombat Orphanage.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"One 7 and one 8-month-old male orphaned and rescued baby bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus), Bronson (partially visible) and Landon, in a home-made pouch.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083-600x401.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083-320x214.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083-900x601.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01653083-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"One 7 and one 8-month-old male orphaned and rescued baby bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus), Bronson (partially visible) and Landon, in a home-made pouch.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Life in the Mountains &#8211; Oriol Alamany<\/h3>\n<p><em>Mountains are one of my favourite habitats and I have dedicated much of my career as a nature and conservation photographer to them. Simien National Park in the Ethiopian highlands contains vertigo-inducing landscapes and the presence of several critically endangered species, such as this Ruppell&#8217;s griffon vulture (Gyps rueppellii) that here flies in front of the 500m-high Jinbar waterfall. The place is sensational, but the problem is that for many days the gorge is covered by fog.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-7' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Ruppell&#039;s griffon vulture (Gyps rueppellii) flying over Jinbar waterfall, Simien Mountains National Park, Amhara, Ethiopia, September. Critically endangered species.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643483-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Ruppell&#039;s griffon vulture (Gyps rueppellii) flying over Jinbar waterfall, Simien Mountains National Park, Amhara, Ethiopia, September. Critically endangered species.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<p><em>With around only 500 individuals left, the Walia ibex (Capra walie) is one of the most threatened ungulates in the world. In my trips to the Simien National Park, I have been able to photograph it at altitudes always above 4000 metres. The day I took this photograph, I was not feeling my best due to altitude sickness, but when I discovered such a beautiful animal, I jumped out of the 4&#215;4, took my 500mm telephoto lens and tripod and tracked it for a long time through the rugged rocky landscape, completely forgetting my discomfort. In this photo, I was able to gather within the frame another species characteristic of the high African mountains: the Giant lobelia (<\/em>Lobelia rhynchopetalum<em>).<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Socotra is a remote and very special island lost in the Arabian Sea where Egyptian vultures (<\/em>Neophron percnopterus<em>) are quite common. One morning, I was taking breakfast when this one stopped in a nearby rock to wait for some scraps. At this moment, I did not have my usual camera gear to hand, only a small compact camera in my pocket, so I crawled under him and took this photo with the towering Hajhir Mountains (1,503 m \/ 4,931 ft) in the background.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-8' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Walia ibex (Capra walie) male with Giant lobelia (Lobelia rhynchopetalum) at around 4,400 meters near Bwahit Pass, Simien Mountains National Park, Amhara, Ethiopia, September.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643487-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Walia ibex (Capra walie) male with Giant lobelia (Lobelia rhynchopetalum) at around 4,400 meters near Bwahit Pass, Simien Mountains National Park, Amhara, Ethiopia, September.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) adult with the Haggeher mountains in the background, Socotra Island, Yemen, March.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643496-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus) adult with the Haggeher mountains in the background, Socotra Island, Yemen, March.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Wildfowl Happy Hour &#8211; Nick Upton<\/h3>\n<p><em>I spend a lot of time photographing wetland birds in winter, heading out eagerly on cold clear mornings in multiple layers of clothes, carrying a shed-load of equipment, sandwiches and a battered flask of hot tea and hoping to get some special shots. I like not knowing exactly what I might see and photograph, as every day tends to be different, depending on tides, wind, temperature and migratory movements, and I go with the flow, reacting to opportunities that arise, waiting for brief moments when good light, flurries of activity or nice compositions arise to fire off some shots. Both the preening swans and drinking shelduck shots were taken on very cold winter days when periods of cloud had dominated the middle parts of the day and I&#8217;d taken few shots since dawn and considered heading home, but low, warm winter sunlight had rallied in the afternoon and I was alert for some magic to unfold. For the Mute swan shot, I&#8217;d noticed a pair starting to work through their elegant courtship rituals, swimming side by side and turning their heads at intervals. They then stopped to preen, entirely aware of one another&#8217;s movements as they synchronised their actions as captured in my shot. The shelduck shot was taken during another late afternoon &#8220;wildfowl happy hour&#8221; when many ducks, geese and swans seek out freshwater for a bathe and a drink before darkness falls. I&#8217;d taken some shots of enthusiastic splashing around and wing-flapping before this calmer drinking scene unfolded, with the low sun bouncing off water ripples enhancing the light on the birds as they drank in unison. Such moments, even in very familiar birds, are what I find worth waiting for!<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-9' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650615-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Mute swan (Cygnus olor) pair preening in unison, Gloucestershire, UK, December.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650615-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650615-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650615-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Mute swan (Cygnus olor) pair preening in unison, Gloucestershire, UK, December.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Common shelduck pair (Tadorna tadorna) standing and drinking in the margins of a shallow lake, Gloucestershire, UK, November.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01650640-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Common shelduck pair (Tadorna tadorna) standing and drinking in the margins of a shallow lake, Gloucestershire, UK, November.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Namibian Adventures &#8211; Ernie Janes<\/h3>\n<p><em>We had a great time in Namibia: the joys of open roads and no traffic (unless you&#8217;re trying to get into the parks for sunrise)! We got up very early while it was still dark and drove for about an hour to the park entrance where we were met by a huge queue as park staff checked everybody in. We made it into the park an hour later, sun now rising fast, with another hour&#8217;s drive to Sossusvlei ahead of us. It was wonderful when we got there &#8211; landscapes on all points of the compass! I had a serious case of headless chicken syndrome, photographing everything I could see. I managed to settle down eventually and took a more measured approach to get some images I was really happy with. The first image below (left) was taken just inside the park, the beautiful red dunes with the sun still low. I was really lucky with the added interest in the sky here, as the clouds soon dissolved. The following day, we learnt from our mistakes and made sure we were at the park entrance well before the queue built up. I knew what I wanted to get by reviewing the previous day\u2019s efforts. It is probably one of the world\u2019s most photographed places, but even so it was just great to be there when the sun was rising.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-10' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644449-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Landscape of the Namib desert, Sossusvlei region, Namibia, March\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644449-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644449-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644449-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644449-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Landscape of the Namib desert, Sossusvlei region, Namibia, March\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Dead Camel thorn trees (Vachellia erioloba), Sossusvlei region, Namib desert, Namibia, March\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644470-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Dead Camel thorn trees (Vachellia erioloba), Sossusvlei region, Namib desert, Namibia, March\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<p>The balanced boulder and the Five-lobed sterculia were both just outside the lodge where we were staying, which was brilliant as I was able to walk there and time my visit for the perfect lighting.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-11' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Huge boulder balanced on rocky outcrop at sunset, Namib desert, Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia, March\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644460-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Huge boulder balanced on rocky outcrop at sunset, Namib desert, Namib-Naukluft National Park, Namibia, March\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Five-lobed sterculia (Sterculia quinqueloba) tree growing on rocky hillside, Namibia\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644458-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Five-lobed sterculia (Sterculia quinqueloba) tree growing on rocky hillside, Namibia\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>\u00a0Seahorse Dad Giving Birth &#8211; Tony Wu<\/h3>\n<p>When it comes to seahorses, the miracle of birth has a twist. Out of the entire animal kingdom, seahorses (and their close relatives, the pipefish and seadragons) are part of an elite group where the males take on the role of pregnancy and birth. We have a fantastic new set of images from Tony Wu depicting the cycle of courtship, transfer of eggs from a female to a male, and the birth of tiny Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema). The species, which is native to the waters of Korea and along the southern and western coasts of Japan, is a relatively recent discovery \u2013 officially described for the first time in 2017. There is limited information about this fish, and minimal observation in the wild. For the full story head over to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/03\/a-seahorse-dad-gives-birth-in-the-ocean\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">dedicated blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-12' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-window-width'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"A pair of Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema) engaged in unusual post-mating courtship, tails intertwined. Male on left, female on right. Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654220-1-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"A pair of Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema) engaged in unusual post-mating courtship, tails intertwined. Male on left, female on right. Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema), male on left with two egg-laden females competing to deposit eggs in his brood pouch. Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654219-1-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Korean seahorses (Hippocampus haema), male on left with two egg-laden females competing to deposit eggs in his brood pouch. Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Male Korean seahorse (Hippocampus haema) giving birth. Some of the babies are still curled up inside their egg membranes. Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01654217-1-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Male Korean seahorse (Hippocampus haema) giving birth. Some of the babies are still curled up inside their egg membranes. Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>A Washout with a Win &#8211; Robert Valentic<\/h3>\n<p><em>My partner and I went on a trip into the high country of north-eastern Victoria specifically to locate and photograph a Spotted Tree Frog &#8211; a particularly beautiful, but sadly threatened species. We arrived at a mountain stream one balmy afternoon in late spring. As we were setting up camp nearby, I noticed some ominous black clouds in the distance as I put the billy on, but wasn&#8217;t expecting the sudden, intense storm that battered and then destroyed our tent at all. After an hour or so the storm subsided, but the temperature had plummeted. We decided to throw the jumbled mess back into the car and head home to dry out. As we departed, I stopped the car at a feeder tributary and, already soaked, waded into the icy water for a brief last look.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The stream was running quite fast. I noticed an exposed shingle bed on the opposite bank that was overlain with several fist-sized stones that had evaded the rising water. Upon turning the first stone I was both shocked and elated to see this magnificent adult male Spotted Tree Frog crouched beneath it. I could not believe my luck, as it often requires maximal and prolonged effort to locate the species and I only ever found recent metamorphs in these situations before. I was so relieved when he posed beautifully for several shots and within a few minutes he was promptly returned to his shelter beneath the stone. I recall feeling exhilarated, exhausted, wet and cold as we packed up the substantial gear required to produce this shoot. We had weathered the storm and won the prize. That made the long drive home particularly satisfying.<\/em> <em>(below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-13' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Spotted tree frog (Litoria spenceri) male, from Still Creek, north-eastern Victoria, Australia. December, Controlled conditions. Critically endangered species.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01644117-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Spotted tree frog (Litoria spenceri) male, from Still Creek, north-eastern Victoria, Australia. December, Controlled conditions. Critically endangered species.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), white or leucistic form, neotenic salamander. Captive, critically endangered in the wild, occurs in Mexico.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01648621-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), white or leucistic form, neotenic salamander. Captive, critically endangered in the wild, occurs in Mexico.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Amphibian Serendipity &#8211;\u00a0John Cancalosi<\/h3>\n<p><em>This really wasn&#8217;t one of the more glamorous, or hardship-filled projects that I have undertaken but I will tell the tale.\u00a0While a guest at the home of Helen Gilks, I asked her what subjects sold well at NPL, and she mentioned that axolotls were surprisingly popular. On that same trip, while a guest at another friend&#8217;s house, I visited a small zoo south of London that he collaborated with, only to find that they had axolotls on display. Through this connection, I was allowed to set up my own tank for photography of the axolotls and did so with the kind help and assistance of the staff as well as my friend. If nothing else, it was a pleasant coincidence to have life provide this knowledge and this opportunity so organically and in such short order.<\/em> <em>(above right)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-14' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Long-tailed ground roller (Uratelornis chimaera), Reniala Forest, Madagascar, October 2019. Vulnerable species\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01643579-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Long-tailed ground roller (Uratelornis chimaera), Reniala Forest, Madagascar, October 2019. Vulnerable species\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>A Flash of Blue &#8211; Lorraine Bennery<\/h3>\n<p><em>The range of Long-tailed Ground Roller is extremely restricted. In Reniala Forest, north of Tulear, on the island of Madagascar, a small population is protected. These striking birds particularly appreciate the arid thorny scrub of the bush, and is the only ground roller to definitively display\u00a0sexual dimorphism. In order to observe and photograph them, one is advised to be at the reserve by 5:30am! In this very touristy area, the balance between protection and disturbing the species is precarious. However, if eco-tourism were to disappear, it is a safe bet that the last habitats favourable to this terrestrial bird would also disappear.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Invaders, Robbers and Soldiers &#8211; Doug Wechsler<\/h3>\n<p><em>Spotted Lanternflies (Lycoma delicatula), are an invasive species native to China, Vietnam and India, but were accidentally introduced to the United States, where they were first detected in 2014 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It took them 5 years to reach my house about 50 miles away in Philadelphia. This year, they are incredibly abundant in our area and can be seen anywhere there is vegetation, often in large numbers. This individual is a 4th instar nymph, which means it has moulted three times since hatching from the egg. The first three instars are black with white spots. They attack a wide variety of plants. This one is on common milkweed. They often feed on common milkweed, which is interesting because milkweed is toxic to most insects.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-15' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649254-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Spotted lanternfly (Lycoma delicatula) fourth instar nymph, Wissahickon Valley Park, Pennsylvania, USA, July.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649254-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649254-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649254-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649254-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Spotted lanternfly (Lycoma delicatula) fourth instar nymph, Wissahickon Valley Park, Pennsylvania, USA, July.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<p><em>I was fortunate to find this Hanging Thief Robber Fly in my backyard. Robber flies were named for members of the group that feed on bees, presumably leaving the beekeeper with the feeling they\u2019d been robbed! This species eats smaller flying insects which they catch in the air. The hanging part of the name comes from their habit of hanging from a leaf by one foot while consuming their prey. I was taken by the beautiful green compound eyes and the moustache (technically mystax).<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>This Army ant (<\/em>Eciton burchellii<em>) soldier was guarding a column of army ants returning from their raid. Apparently, the only job of the soldier is to defend the colony, while the worker ants attack prey, lug food back to the bivouac (nest) and engage in other chores. The jaws look formidable and can clamp down firmly on human flesh, although it is the stinger in the rear that really hurts! The tricky part of photographing army ants is that once you get down on your belly to their level, you are likely to get stung by a member or two of the half-million strong colony.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-16' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Hanging thief robber fly (Diogmites sp) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, July.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284-900x599.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649284-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Hanging thief robber fly (Diogmites sp) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, July.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649344-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Army ant (Eciton burchellii), Copalinga Reserve, Ecuador.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649344-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649344-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649344-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649344-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Army ant (Eciton burchellii), Copalinga Reserve, Ecuador.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>More Than A Fleeting Glimpse &#8211; Linda Pitkin<\/h3>\n<p><em>Heading home from a weekend away in South West England, the A303 cut a path through the gentle rolling landscape of fields, soft greens lulling the eye, until our gaze was suddenly arrested by a vast swathe of brilliant red. So often we just drive by in a hurry to get from A to B, and only get a fleeting glimpse of something special, but not this time. \u201cPoppies, we\u2019ve got to take closer look\u201d, I said to Brian, my husband, and so we found a spot to pull off the road, and a track to walk up along the edge of the field. We were close enough to admire the brilliance of the individual flowers as well as the effect en-masse. Common Poppies (<\/em>Papaver rhoeas<em>) are one of the few species of arable wild flowers still fairly abundant in the British countryside, whereas many others have declined. (below left)<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-17' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Common poppies (Papaver rhoeas) in field, Chicklade, Wiltshire, England, July.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-600x398.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-375x249.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-900x598.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01651118-160x106.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Common poppies (Papaver rhoeas) in field, \nChicklade, Wiltshire, England, July.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) male silhouetted at sunset, living in the wild but owned by a camel herdsman, Turpan Basin, Gobi Desert, Xinjiang, China\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649147-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) male silhouetted at sunset, living in the wild but owned by a camel herdsman, Turpan Basin, Gobi Desert, Xinjiang, China\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Distinctive Silhouette &#8211; Staffan Widstrand<\/h3>\n<p><em>This was taken in early winter in the fringe of the cold desert of the Turpan Basin, a corner of the great Gobi desert, right below the foothills of the Tian Shan mountain range in Xinjiang, China. My guide and I were driving when we saw a herd of Bactrian camels with their characteristic double humps.\u00a0We slowly walked closer and they were not very shy, unfortunately a sign of their feralness. They kept a certain distance and we gently led them towards the point where they came out nicely against the setting sun skies.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>The wild ancestors of these domesticated camels are really endangered, very shy and mainly live inside a huge desert reserve, close to foreigners and Chinese alike, because that area is also a nuclear weapon test site. These feral Bactrian camels are all owned by someone, most probably an ethnic Kazakh herdsman. They are used for transporting material in the deserts, for meat and sometimes milk. Those animals who are not needed for the winter are left free to roam on their own, so they live a semi-wild life, a bit like reindeer or wild feral horses in other places. They are all branded with the owners initials.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-18' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Glowworm (Lamprohiza splendidula) female glowing, Bavaria, Germany\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01636771-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Glowworm (Lamprohiza splendidula) female glowing, Bavaria, Germany\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Glowworms and Fireflies &#8211; Konrad Wothe<\/h3>\n<p><em>Every year in late June \/ early July, I am able to observe the greenish glowing lights floating around at dusk in the forests close to my home, in the forests of southern Bavaria. These are the lights on the abdomens of little blackish beetles caused by bioluminescence. But, only the males of these so called &#8216;fireflies&#8217; are actually able to fly. The females, commonly known as &#8216;glow worms&#8217;, can instead be found\u00a0on the ground, giving off light signals to the males flying overhead in order to attract them. To photograph these females on the ground, I chose a high ISO setting and a long shutter speed to show the glow. A flash in drastically reduced intensity made the shape of the glow worm visible. I did not use a tripod because the insects were only moving slowly; instead I steadied my hands, holding my camera and macro lens, by resting them on the ground.<\/em><br \/>\n<em>The main problem I encountered was finding a &#8216;free&#8217; glow worm, because mostly the females were covered by two, three or even more amorous males. Unfortunately, fireflies weren&#8217;t the only insects around on these warm summer nights, I had to stoically endure the nasty bites of the many mosquitoes who were also keeping me company!<\/em><\/p>\n<div id='gallery-19' class='gallery gallery-8461 style-standard'><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Aerial view of a golden and foggy sunrise over a bog area, Alam-Pedja National Park, Tatrumaa county, Southern Estonia. May.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649873-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Aerial view of a golden and foggy sunrise over a bog area, Alam-Pedja National Park, Tatrumaa county, Southern Estonia. May.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) two males facing off on a lekking site, Varumaa county, Southern Estonia. April.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649916-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Black Grouse (Tetrao tetrix) two males facing off on a lekking site, Varumaa county, Southern Estonia. April.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Birch (Betula sp) forest in spring greenery in Tartumaa county, Southern Estonia. May.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649920-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Birch (Betula sp) forest in spring greenery in Tartumaa county, Southern Estonia. May.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure><figure class='gallery-item col-0'><div class='gallery-icon landscape'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"360\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924-360x240.jpg\" class=\"attachment-three-two size-three-two\" alt=\"Ural owl (strix uralensis) female flying through spring foliage with a vole to feed to chick, Tartumaa county, Southern Estonia. May.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924-360x240.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924-320x213.jpg 320w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/01649924-159x106.jpg 159w\" sizes=\"100vw\" title=\"Ural owl (strix uralensis) female flying through spring foliage with a vole to feed to chick, Tartumaa county, Southern Estonia. May.\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t<\/div><!-- .gallery -->\n\n<h3>Beautiful Estonia &#8211; Sven Zacek<\/h3>\n<p><em>This <\/em>(foggy landscape)<em> was taken from a helicopter and on a cold May morning that brought these beautiful fog patterns. I had the door off in order to maximise the space, so the view was memorable.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>To view our full gallery of August Highlights, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/-latest-highlights\/2020\/august-2020-highlights.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">click here<\/a>, or view our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.natureplprints.com\/august-2020-highlights\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">prints gallery<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our August 2020 Highlights include a wealth of wonderful marine life from David Hall, Tony Wu and Magnus Lundgren, lots of unique Australian animals and plants, and some strong additions to our coverage on African and European wildlife. Eric Baccega &#8211; On Unexpected Encounters and Patience Paying Off It is relatively easy to observe mountain&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/20\/august-2020-highlights\/\" rel=\"nofollow\" class=\"button\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[3,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","category-natural-inspiration"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8461"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8461"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8478,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8461\/revisions\/8478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8461"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8461"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.naturepl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}