These American Bison (Bison bison) allowed me to approach pretty closely during our 2013 filming assignment for the World Wildlife Fund in South Dakota. This photograph was captured in the north unit of Badlands National Park, South Dakota.
Eyelash viper (Bothriechis schlegelii) photographed at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica with Neil Losin.
A Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates pumilio) caught in spider web. Photographed at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.
A curious baby spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi ) peers at me from the jungle canopy. Photographed in the Osa Penninsula, Costa Rica.
A lone African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) stands in the shallow waters of a volcanic crater lake in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda.
A slender anole (Anolis limifrons) peaks at me over a palm leaf in a tropical rainforest. Photographed at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.
This shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa) displays its blue tongue as a defense mechanism. This short-tailed, slow moving species of blue- tongued skink also has a tail that looks much like a head. It is hypothesized that their tail draws attention from attack by predators, reducing dangerous attacks to the head. Photographed in SW Australia.
The Ibiza Wall Lizard (Podarcis pityusensis) has learned clever tricks to stay alive. This lizard is waiting to prey on the insect pollinators of this wild garlic. Little does the lizard know that he too is pollinating the plant! Indeed, these lizards are important plant pollinators and seed dispersers. Photographed near Ibiza, Spain on assignment to photograph lizards for our book, The Symbol: Wall Lizards of Ibiza & Formentera.
Two male Ibiza Wall Lizards (Podarcis pityusensis formenterae) fight over food. Most of the time males settle aggressive interactions with a ritualistic display – the larger male usually scares off the small one. But when males are similar in size, fights escalate to violent fights that can result in serious injury. Photographed on Formentera, Spain on assignment to photograph lizards for The Symbol: Wall Lizards of Ibiza & Formentera.
A male Ibiza Wall Lizard (Podarcis pityusensis formenterae) sits atop the cliffs of Cala Saona, one of the most beautiful and crowded beaches on the island of Formentera. Photographed on Formentera, Spain on assignment to photograph lizards for The Symbol: Wall Lizards of Ibiza & Formentera.
A male Ibiza Wall Lizard (Podarcis pityusensis vedrae) looking toward Ibiza from the summit of Es Vedra. He can see Vedranell, an impressive island in its own right, and a long stretch of the southwestern coast of Ibiza. Cala de Hort, the beach from which we swam to Es Vedra, is visible in the upper left of the frame (look for the cluster of tiny boats). Captured near Ibiza, Spain with Neil Losin on assignment to photograph lizards for The Symbol: Wall Lizards of Ibiza & Formentera.
The coconut crab (Birgus latro) is the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world. We photographed this individual near Makira, Solomon Islands.
A Narrow-headed vine Snake (Oxynelis aeneus) in defense posture. Photographed in the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica.
A three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) moves slowly though the understory near Cauita, Costa Rica.
On the island of Espalmador, wall lizards can be very tame on the beach, where they will investigate beachgoers' clothing and other items in search of food. Photographed on assignment with Neil Losin while working on The Symbol: Wall Lizards of Ibiza & Formentera.
Clothing is optional on many beaches in the Pityusic Archipelago, especially on Formentera. Whether nude or not, sunbathers are always surprised when curious Ibiza wall lizards (Podarcis pityusensis) nibble on them to determine whether they are food. Photographed on Espalmador, Spain with Neil Losin.
Puerto Rican tree boas (Epicrates inornatus) hang from a rock wall at the mouth of a cave. The snakes are hunting bats as the bats emerge from the cave at dusk. Photographed while filming Snakes in a Cave with Neil Losin.
A Cloudy Snail-eating Snake (Sibon nebulata). Photographed at La Selva, Costa Rica.
Male Ibiza wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis) from the small island of Torretta, eating a juvenile. Resources are so scarce on these islands that lizards have adapted to eat just about anything... Even juveniles of their own species! In fact, cannibalism is likely one of the most common causes of death for young lizards.
A male Ibiza wall lizard from Bledas Plano perches on some vegetation. No one is certain why the lizards here are black, but some theorize that a mutation in the gene responsible for melanin production may be responsible. A similar mutation causes melanism (black coloration) in mice, dogs, birds and many other animals.
A plain tree snake (Imantodes inornaturs) hangs from the flowering body of a heliconia near La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica.
The top of a Giant lobelias (Lobelia bequaertii) near the Guy Yeoman Hut. The flowers of these plants can reach more than four meters tall. It can take decades for the plant to flower. After the plant flowers, it dies. Photographed while working on Snows of the Nile in Rwenzori National Park, Uganda.
The top of a giant lobilia. Photographed while working on Snows of the Nile in Rwenzori National Park, Uganda.
A baby Ibiza wall lizard (Podarcis pityusensis) emerges from it's egg. This image was captured while I was conducting my PhD research in Formentera. I was rearing eggs for a breeding experiment investigating color inheritance. One day, I saw the eggs wiggle. I waited for eight hours with my camera in hand to capture this photo. The lizard peaked it's head out for only a moment before bursting out of its egg.
After a rare foggy summer morning in Formentera, the sun rose, burned off the myst, and left dew covering everything.