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  • A famous herd of 1500 bison freely roam Custer State Park, as seen along Wildlife Loop Road, in the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. South Dakota's largest and first state park was named after Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer.
    1709US1-3284_Custer-SP-SD.jpg
  • A Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is shown at Bonorong Wildlife Park, Briggs Road, Brighton, Tasmania, Australia. Wombats are burrowing grass eaters, and can be thought of as the marsupial ecological equivalent of a bear. Wombats are found in forested, mountainous, and heathland areas of southeast Australia including Tasmania, plus an isolated group in Epping Forest National Park in central Queensland. The three living species of wombats are marsupial mammals in the Vombatidae family. They dig extensive burrow systems with rodent-like front teeth and powerful claws. Their unusual backwards-facing pouch avoids gathering dirt onto its young. Although mainly crepuscular and nocturnal, wombats also venture out to feed on cool or overcast days. Wombats are herbivores, mostly eating grasses, sedges, herbs, bark and roots.
    04AUS-30203_Wombat_Bonorong-WP.jpg
  • A Blue-tongued skink mother gives birth to live young at Bonorong Wildlife Park, Briggs Road, Brighton, Tasmania, Australia. Its large blue tongue can startle or warn potential enemies. Blue-tongued skinks (or blue-tongued lizards, Tiliqua genus, Scincidae family) are found in Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia. The only species of blue-tongue native to Tasmania is Tiliqua nigrolutea. Most blue-tongue skinks are diurnal ground-foraging omnivores, feeding on a wide variety of insects, gastropods, flowers, fruits, and berries.
    04AUS-30189_mother-newborn-Blue-tong...jpg
  • Blue-tongued skink, Bonorong Wildlife Park, Briggs Road, Brighton, Tasmania, Australia. Its large blue tongue can startle or warn potential enemies. Blue-tongued skinks (or blue-tongued lizards, Tiliqua genus, Scincidae family) are found in Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia. The only species of blue-tongue native to Tasmania is Tiliqua nigrolutea. Most blue-tongue skinks are diurnal ground-foraging omnivores, feeding on a wide variety of insects, gastropods, flowers, fruits, and berries.
    04AUS-30181_Blue-tongued-Skink.jpg
  • A captive Tasmanian devil stands in a pen at Bonorong Wildlife Park, Briggs Road, Brighton, Tasmania, Australia. The Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae, now found in the wild only on the island state of Tasmania. The devil is an iconic symbol of Tasmania and attractor of tourists, many of whom know the Looney Tunes cartoon character, the "Tasmanian Devil." Ancient marsupials probably migrated from what is now South America to Australia tens of millions of years ago during the time of Gondwana. Tasmanian devils probably disappeared from the Australian mainland around 3000 years ago due to predation by dingoes (wild dogs probably introduced by aborigines much earlier), which are absent on Tasmania. Formerly hunted by humans, the devils became officially protected in 1941. Since the late 1990s, devil facial tumor disease has drastically reduced devil numbers, and in 2008 the species was declared endangered. Illegally introduced red foxes kill devils, and motor vehicles dispatch devils that are on the road eating other road kill. Due to export restrictions and the failure of overseas devils to breed, almost no devils live legally outside of Australia. The size of a small dog, the Tasmanian devil became the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world following the extinction of the thylacine in 1936. It has a stocky and muscular build, black fur, pungent odor, extremely loud and disturbing screech, keen sense of smell, and ferocity when feeding. It has an exceptionally strong bite, hunts prey, scavenges carrion, climbs trees, and swims across rivers.
    04AUS-30166_Tasmanian-Devil_Bonorong.jpg
  • A captive koala rests in a tree at Bonorong Wildlife Park, Briggs Road, Brighton, Tasmania, Australia. The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only surviving member of the family Phascolarctidae. The koala is found in coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia, from Adelaide to the southern part of Cape York Peninsula, extending inland where enough moisture supports suitable woodlands. The koalas of South Australia were mostly exterminated during the early 1900s, but have been repopulated with Victorian stock. The koala is not found in Tasmania or Western Australia. The koala is one of the few mammals (other than primates) that has fingerprints. It is generally silent, but males have a very loud advertising call that can be heard from almost a kilometer away during the breeding season. The koala requires large areas of healthy, connected forest and will travel long distances along tree corridors in search of new territory and mates. Human encroachment cuts these corridors with agricultural and residential development, forestry, and road-building, marooning koala colonies in decreasing areas of bush.
    04AUS-30157_Koala-Bonorong-WP.jpg
  • A famous herd of 1500 bison freely roam Custer State Park, as seen along Wildlife Loop Road, in the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. South Dakota's largest and first state park was named after Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer.
    1709US1-3279_Custer-SP-SD.jpg
  • A Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is shown at Bonorong Wildlife Park, Briggs Road, Brighton, Tasmania, Australia. Wombats are burrowing grass eaters, and can be thought of as the marsupial ecological equivalent of a bear. Wombats are found in forested, mountainous, and heathland areas of southeast Australia including Tasmania, plus an isolated group in Epping Forest National Park in central Queensland. The three living species of wombats are marsupial mammals in the Vombatidae family. They dig extensive burrow systems with rodent-like front teeth and powerful claws. Their unusual backwards-facing pouch avoids gathering dirt onto its young. Although mainly crepuscular and nocturnal, wombats also venture out to feed on cool or overcast days. Wombats are herbivores, mostly eating grasses, sedges, herbs, bark and roots. Published on Australian geocaching coin 2010, displayed in support of Wilder Foundation 2009, 2010, and exhibited at Oceanario de Lisboa, Portugal 2007. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    04AUS-30201_Wombat_Bonorong-WP.jpg
  • A curious kea bites a car tire. The kea (Nestor notabilis) is the world's only alpine parrot. In 1986, it received full protection under the Wildlife Act. The kea is one of ten endemic parrot species in New Zealand. Kea are known for their intelligence and curiosity, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment. Kea can solve logical puzzles, such as pushing and pulling things in a certain order to get to food, and will work together to achieve a certain objective. They have been filmed preparing and using tools. Photographed at Homer Tunnel, Fiordland National Park, Southland region, South Island of New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
    1901NZ1-1379.jpg
  • Blowhole and dorsal fin of humpback whale  (Megaptera novaeangliae). Cruise to Tracy Arm Fjord and South Sawyer Glacier from Juneau, Alaska, USA. We highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4747.jpg
  • Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) live amid ice flows calved from South Sawyer Glacier. Cruise to Tracy Arm Fjord and South Sawyer Glacier from Juneau, Alaska, USA. As the most widely distributed species of pinniped, harbor seals are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Baltic and North Seas. Harbor seals are brown, silvery white, tan, or gray, with distinctive V-shaped nostrils. We highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4414.jpg
  • The kea (Nestor notabilis) is the world's only alpine parrot. In 1986, it received full protection under the Wildlife Act. The kea is one of ten endemic parrot species in New Zealand. Kea are known for their intelligence and curiosity, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment. Kea can solve logical puzzles, such as pushing and pulling things in a certain order to get to food, and will work together to achieve a certain objective. They have been filmed preparing and using tools. Photographed at Homer Tunnel, Fiordland National Park, Southland region, South Island of New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
    1901NZ1-1380.jpg
  • The kea (Nestor notabilis) is the world's only alpine parrot. In 1986, it received full protection under the Wildlife Act. The kea is one of ten endemic parrot species in New Zealand. Kea are known for their intelligence and curiosity, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment. Kea can solve logical puzzles, such as pushing and pulling things in a certain order to get to food, and will work together to achieve a certain objective. They have been filmed preparing and using tools. Photographed at Homer Tunnel, Fiordland National Park, Southland region, South Island of New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
    1901NZ1-1362.jpg
  • A rarely seen and rarely photographed grey morph of the Chilean hawk, or Peuquito (Accipiter chilensis) perches on a limb of Nothofagus in forest near Hostaria Balmaceda, on Seno de Ultima Esperanza (Last Hope Sound), Patagonia, Chile, South America. Sharon Chester, author of "A Wildlife Guide to Chile" (2008, Princeton University Press), identified this hawk based upon this web site image.
    05CHI-10042.jpg
  • Sea lions. Cruise to Tracy Arm Fjord and South Sawyer Glacier from Juneau, Alaska, USA. We highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4757.jpg
  • Sea lions. Cruise to Tracy Arm Fjord and South Sawyer Glacier from Juneau, Alaska, USA. We highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4752.jpg
  • Fin of Humpback whale. Cruise to Tracy Arm Fjord and South Sawyer Glacier from Juneau, Alaska, USA. We highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4737.jpg
  • See a spout of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) from a day cruise to Tracy Arm Fjord from Juneau, Alaska, USA. We highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4739.jpg
  • Bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perch on an iceberg calved from South Sawyer Glacier, seen via day cruise to Tracy Arm Fjord from Juneau, in the Alaska Panhandle, USA. We highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4729.jpg
  • An American black bear (Ursus americanus) forages seafood on Tracy Arm Fjord. Juneau, Alaska, USA. To visit Tracy Arm Fjord and South Sawyer Glacier from Juneau, we highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4689.jpg
  • Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) live amid ice flows calved from South Sawyer Glacier. Cruise to Tracy Arm Fjord and South Sawyer Glacier from Juneau, Alaska, USA. As the most widely distributed species of pinniped, harbor seals are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Baltic and North Seas. Harbor seals are brown, silvery white, tan, or gray, with distinctive V-shaped nostrils. We highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4531.jpg
  • Harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) live amid ice flows calved from South Sawyer Glacier. Cruise to Tracy Arm Fjord and South Sawyer Glacier from Juneau, Alaska, USA. As the most widely distributed species of pinniped, harbor seals are found in coastal waters of the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Baltic and North Seas. Harbor seals are brown, silvery white, tan, or gray, with distinctive V-shaped nostrils. We highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4438.jpg
  • An American black bear (Ursus americanus) forages for seafood in tidal seaweed on Tracy Arm Fjord. Juneau, Alaska, USA. To visit Tracy Arm Fjord and South Sawyer Glacier from Juneau, we highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4185.jpg
  • The kea (Nestor notabilis) is the world's only alpine parrot. In 1986, it received full protection under the Wildlife Act. The kea is one of ten endemic parrot species in New Zealand. Kea are known for their intelligence and curiosity, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment. Kea can solve logical puzzles, such as pushing and pulling things in a certain order to get to food, and will work together to achieve a certain objective. They have been filmed preparing and using tools. Photographed at Homer Tunnel, Fiordland National Park, Southland region, South Island of New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
    1901NZ1-1375.jpg
  • The kea (Nestor notabilis) is the world's only alpine parrot. In 1986, it received full protection under the Wildlife Act. The kea is one of ten endemic parrot species in New Zealand. Kea are known for their intelligence and curiosity, both vital to their survival in a harsh mountain environment. Kea can solve logical puzzles, such as pushing and pulling things in a certain order to get to food, and will work together to achieve a certain objective. They have been filmed preparing and using tools. Photographed at Homer Tunnel, Fiordland National Park, Southland region, South Island of New Zealand. In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
    1901NZ1-1364.jpg
  • The Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae) is a carnivorous bird in the Kingfisher family (Halcyonidae). It is native to eastern mainland Australia and has also been introduced to Tasmania, Flinders Island, and Kangaroo Island. Kookaburra is a loanword "guuguubarra" (from the now extinct Aboriginal language Wiradjuri). Kookaburras (genus Dacelo) include four known species of large terrestrial kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea, best known for their unmistakable call, like loud echoing, hysterical human laughter. They can be found in habitats ranging from humid forest to arid savanna, but also in suburban and residential areas near running water and food. Wilson's Promontory National Park (or "the Prom"), in Victoria, Australia, offers magnificent and secluded beaches, cool fern gullies, great views, spectacular rock formations and an abundance of wildlife. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    04AUS-11263_Kookaburra_Wilson's-Prom...jpg
  • A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) takes wing from an iceberg which was calved from South Sawyer Glacier, seen via day cruise to Tracy Arm Fjord from Juneau, in the Alaska Panhandle, USA. We highly recommend the smoothly stabilized day cruise aboard the 56-foot boat Adventure Bound. This journey to the heart of Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness (Tongass National Forest) rivals Norwegian fjords and adds a punchbowl of icebergs from the spectacular South Sawyer Glacier, which calved ice into the tidewater with a rumble and a splash. Whales, bears, sea lions and other wildlife showed up along the way. The fjord twists narrowly 30 miles into the coastal mountains, with peaks jutting up to a mile high, draped with tumbling waterfalls.
    1906AKH-4733.jpg
  • A sea bird reflects in Tidal River at Wilson’s Promontory National Park in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. Natural tannins leach from decomposing vegetation and turn the water brown. “The Prom” offers natural estuaries, cool fern gullies, magnificent and secluded beaches, striking rock formations, and abundant wildlife. Drive two hours from Melbourne to reach Wilson’s Promontory. Renting a camper van is a great way to see Australia with “no worries” about booking a bed. One night in the campground, our camper van rocked us awake in what we though was an earthquake. The rocking soon stopped and the dark shape of a wombat (a marsupial “bear”) wandered off into the night from underneath the van, where he had been licking our tasty sink drain! Around the campground, we were also delighted to see wallabies and the Common Brushtail Possum. Visitors also commonly see echidnas, koalas, bats and sugar-gliders. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    04AUS-20006_Tidal-River_Wilsons-Prom...jpg
  • A yellow highway sign warns drivers to watch out for kangaroos, koalas, cows, and birds "NEXT 12 KM" on Cape Otway in Great Otway National Park, Victoria, Australia.
    04AUS-20105_wildlife-sign_Cape-Otway...jpg
  • The white-tailed ptarmigan, Lagopus leucura, is a member of the grouse family. Akamina Ridge, Akamina-Kishinena Provincial Park, British Columbia, Canada.. The loop hike to Forum and Wall Lakes via Akamina Ridge is 12 miles with 3440 feet ascent & descent. The trailhead is in Alberta, accessible by road from Waterton Park.
    2209RV-1170.jpg
  • Turkey feathers reflect a rainbow of colors. Pinnacles Campground, Pinnacles National Park, California, USA
    2203CA-0370.jpg
  • Turkey feathers reflect a rainbow of colors. Pinnacles Campground, Pinnacles National Park, California, USA
    2203CA-0357.jpg
  • It looks like a two-headed turkey! Wild turkeys in Pinnacles Campground in Bear Valley. Pinnacles National Park, California, USA
    2203CA-0128.jpg
  • A line of three Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) cruise the highway in Waterton Park townsite, Alberta, Canada. Wild sheep crossed the Bering land bridge from Siberia during the Pleistocene (about 750,000 years ago) and spread across western North America as far south as Baja California and northwestern Mexico. Genetic divergence from their closest Asian ancestor (snow sheep) occurred about 600,000 years ago.
    2209RV-1436.jpg
  • A line of three Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) cruise the highway in Waterton Park townsite, Alberta, Canada. Wild sheep crossed the Bering land bridge from Siberia during the Pleistocene (about 750,000 years ago) and spread across western North America as far south as Baja California and northwestern Mexico. Genetic divergence from their closest Asian ancestor (snow sheep) occurred about 600,000 years ago.
    2209RV-1434.jpg
  • Spotted Tussock caterpillar (Lophocampa maculata). Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
    2209RV-0882.jpg
  • The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus, or Rocky Mountain Goat) is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. This even-toed ungulate is in the family Bovidae, in subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes) in the Oreamnos genus (but is NOT a true "goat"–Capra genus). Sperry Campground, Gunsight Pass Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
    2209RV-0709.jpg
  • The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus, or Rocky Mountain Goat) is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. This even-toed ungulate is in the family Bovidae, in subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes) in the Oreamnos genus (but is NOT a true "goat"–Capra genus). Sperry Campground, Gunsight Pass Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
    2209RV-0692.jpg
  • The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus, or Rocky Mountain Goat) is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. This even-toed ungulate is in the family Bovidae, in subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes) in the Oreamnos genus (but is NOT a true "goat"–Capra genus). Photographed along Sperry Glacier Trail, a side trip from Gunsight Pass Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
    2209RV-0544.jpg
  • Capra ibex / steinbock / bouquetin at Glecksteinhütte above Grindelwald, in Switzerland, Europe. The ibex, a species of wild goat in the European Alps, was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s but was successfully reintroduced and protected. Gleckstein Hut (German: Glecksteinhütte) is a steep hike (6 miles round trip, 3000 feet gain and loss) high above Grindelwald in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. Run by the Swiss Alpine Club, the hut is at 2,317 meters elevation, above the Upper Grindelwald Glacier in the Bernese Alps. It's a popular goal for hikers, and climbers use it as a base for the ascent of the Wetterhorn and the Schreckhorn. From Grindelwald, take the PostBus to Abzweigung Gleckstein stop at 1557 m elevation, halfway between Hotel Wetterhorn and Grosse Scheidegg pass. (Hiking from Hotel Wetterhorn trailhead at 1275 meters elevation will add 900 feet of climb for 3900 ft total gain.)
    22ALP-09819.jpg
  • Capra ibex / steinbock / bouquetin at Glecksteinhütte above Grindelwald, in Switzerland, Europe. The ibex, a species of wild goat in the European Alps, was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s but was successfully reintroduced and protected. Gleckstein Hut (German: Glecksteinhütte) is a steep hike (6 miles round trip, 3000 feet gain and loss) high above Grindelwald in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. Run by the Swiss Alpine Club, the hut is at 2,317 meters elevation, above the Upper Grindelwald Glacier in the Bernese Alps. It's a popular goal for hikers, and climbers use it as a base for the ascent of the Wetterhorn and the Schreckhorn. From Grindelwald, take the PostBus to Abzweigung Gleckstein stop at 1557 m elevation, halfway between Hotel Wetterhorn and Grosse Scheidegg pass. (Hiking from Hotel Wetterhorn trailhead at 1275 meters elevation will add 900 feet of climb for 3900 ft total gain.)
    22ALP-09812.jpg
  • Capra ibex / steinbock / bouquetin at Glecksteinhütte above Grindelwald, in Switzerland, Europe. The ibex, a species of wild goat in the European Alps, was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s but was successfully reintroduced and protected. Gleckstein Hut (German: Glecksteinhütte) is a steep hike (6 miles round trip, 3000 feet gain and loss) high above Grindelwald in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. Run by the Swiss Alpine Club, the hut is at 2,317 meters elevation, above the Upper Grindelwald Glacier in the Bernese Alps. It's a popular goal for hikers, and climbers use it as a base for the ascent of the Wetterhorn and the Schreckhorn. From Grindelwald, take the PostBus to Abzweigung Gleckstein stop at 1557 m elevation, halfway between Hotel Wetterhorn and Grosse Scheidegg pass. (Hiking from Hotel Wetterhorn trailhead at 1275 meters elevation will add 900 feet of climb for 3900 ft total gain.)
    22ALP-09809.jpg
  • Frog. Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) trek Day 5: I hiked from Courmayeur via the Mont de la Saxe option to Walter Bonatti Refuge in Italy, Europe (10 miles with 5200 feet ascent, 2700 ft descent) (whereas the standard TMB route hiked separately by Carol was 8 miles with 3300 ft up, 700 ft down).
    22ALP-04585.jpg
  • Capra ibex / steinbock / bouquetin near Lac de Chéserys, Chamonix, France, Europe. The ibex, a species of wild goat in the European Alps, was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s but was successfully reintroduced and protected. We hiked a loop to Lac Blanc and Lac de Chéserys, starting from atop the lift, "Télécabine Flégère–Les Praz" (5.8 miles with 1930 feet ascent and descent). This rewarding circuit covers the most scenic parts of Stage 10 (Étape 10) of the Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB), but with less effort than starting from Tré-le-Champ. This hike on the Tour du Mont Blanc is also part of the Walker’s Haute Route (from Chamonix to Zermatt).
    22ALP-02585.jpg
  • Wild male turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), Bullards Beach State Park, Bandon, Oregon, USA
    2203OR_2203CA-1245.jpg
  • California ground squirrel. Leffingwell Landing Park, part of Hearst San Simeon State Park, Cambria, California, USA
    2203CA-0489.jpg
  • Cormorants. Leffingwell Landing Park, part of Hearst San Simeon State Park, Cambria, California, USA
    2203CA-0464.jpg
  • Turkey feathers reflect a rainbow of colors. Pinnacles Campground, Pinnacles National Park, California, USA
    2203CA-0372.jpg
  • Wild turkey in Pinnacles Campground in Bear Valley. Pinnacles National Park, California, USA
    2203CA-0136.jpg
  • The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus, or Rocky Mountain Goat) is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. This even-toed ungulate is in the family Bovidae, in subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes) in the Oreamnos genus (but is NOT a true "goat"–Capra genus). Photographed along Sperry Glacier Trail, a side trip from Gunsight Pass Trail, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
    2209RV-0590.jpg
  • Capra ibex / steinbock / bouquetin at Glecksteinhütte above Grindelwald, in Switzerland, Europe. The ibex, a species of wild goat in the European Alps, was hunted to near extinction in the 1800s but was successfully reintroduced and protected. Gleckstein Hut (German: Glecksteinhütte) is a steep hike (6 miles round trip, 3000 feet gain and loss) high above Grindelwald in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. Run by the Swiss Alpine Club, the hut is at 2,317 meters elevation, above the Upper Grindelwald Glacier in the Bernese Alps. It's a popular goal for hikers, and climbers use it as a base for the ascent of the Wetterhorn and the Schreckhorn. From Grindelwald, take the PostBus to Abzweigung Gleckstein stop at 1557 m elevation, halfway between Hotel Wetterhorn and Grosse Scheidegg pass. (Hiking from Hotel Wetterhorn trailhead at 1275 meters elevation will add 900 feet of climb for 3900 ft total gain.)
    22ALP-09813.jpg
  • A crayfish at Secret Lake. We hiked Leavitt Meadows Loop clockwise (8.9 miles with 1570 ft gain with ridge extension above Lane Lake) in Hoover Wilderness, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, California, USA. Trailhead is at Leavitt Meadows Campground, 38.33401 N, 119.55177 W. Staying below 8000 ft elevation, this makes a good training hike. The best ambiance is at Secret Lake. Roosevelt and Lane Lakes provide pleasant views.
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  • The moose (Alces alces) is the largest species of the deer family. Denali National Park, Alaska, USA.
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  • The American Scimitar Cat (Homotherium serum) lived in the Yukon and Beringia 80,000–20,000 years ago, and other areas on earth from 4 million–12,000 years ago. (The Scimitar Cat's fangs, or maxillary canine teeth, are shorter than those of the head shown below of a Sabre-toothed Cat, a close relative which has never been found in Beringia.) Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre, in Whitehorse, capital and largest city of the Yukon, Canada. During the ice ages, Beringia's climate alternated between warm interglacial and cold glacial periods. During glacial periods, sea levels dropped 120 meters, exposing a land bridge that was up to 1000 kilometers (620 miles) wide. Beringia, like most of Siberia and all of North and Northeast China, was a grassland steppe. Fossils found on both sides of the Bering Land Bridge show that since the time of the dinosaurs, it was a major route for the exchange of plants and animals between Asia and North America. Swedish botanist Eric Hultén coined the term Beringia in 1937. Beringia is the land and ocean area bounded on the west by the Lena River in Russia; on the east by the Mackenzie River in Canada; on the north by 72 degrees north latitude in the Chukchi Sea; and on the south by the tip of the Kamchatka Peninsula. It includes the Chukchi Sea, the Bering Sea, the Bering Strait, the Chukchi and Kamchatka Peninsulas in Russia plus Alaska in the United States.
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  • New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) colonize Long Reef Point on the Tasman Sea near Martins Bay Hut, on the Hollyford Track, in Fiordland National Park, Southland region, South Island of New Zealand. After the arrival of Europeans in New Zealand, hunting reduced the seal population near to extinction. This mammal is known as kekeno in Maori language. Some call it Australasian fur seal, South Australian fur seal, Antipodean fur seal, or long-nosed fur seal.  In 1990, UNESCO honored Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand as a World Heritage Area.
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  • Grey whale seen in the breakers at Ebey's Landing beach, Washington, USA.
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  • Hike the dramatic Sentier des Chamois from Verbier, in Switzerland, the Alps, Europe. The Chamois Path starts at La Chaux ski lift and ends at Fionnay PostBus. Cross Col Termin (2648m/8688 ft) in Haut Val de Bagnes nature reserve and descend to Lake Louvie via 1800s stone barns to the north, then to Fionnay (640 m up, 1415 m down in 8.5 hours). Along the way, we admired a group fighting of Hérens cows, ibex with huge horns, and the glaciers of Grand Combins. Optionally stay overnight in dorms Cabane de Louvie.
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  • Alpine ibex males carry big horns above Lake Louvie, near Verbier, in the Pennine/Valais Alps, Switzerland, Europe. The Alpine ibex or steinbock (Capra ibex, in the Bovidae family) is a wild goat native to the European Alps. After being eliminated from most of the European Alps by the 1800s, the ibex was successfully reintroduced. Four distinct social groups tend to form: adult male groups (shown here), female-offspring groups, groups of young individuals, and mixed sex groups; but Adult males and females segregate for most of the year, coming together only to mate.
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  • Young ibex on steep snow slope. Alpine ibex gather at Rotsteinpass (2120 m) in the Alpstein limestone mountain range, Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe. The Alpine ibex or steinbock (Capra ibex, in the Bovidae family) is a wild goat of the European Alps. Four distinct social groups tend to form: adult male groups, female-offspring groups, groups of young individuals, and mixed sex groups; but Adult males and females segregate for most of the year, coming together only to mate. After being eliminated from most of the European Alps by the 1800s, the ibex was successfully reintroduced. Appenzell Innerrhoden is Switzerland's most traditional and smallest-population canton (second smallest by area).
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  • Alpine ibex gather at Rotsteinpass (2120 m) in the Alpstein limestone mountain range, Appenzell Alps, Switzerland, Europe. The Alpine ibex or steinbock (Capra ibex, in the Bovidae family) is a wild goat of the European Alps. Four distinct social groups tend to form: adult male groups, female-offspring groups, groups of young individuals, and mixed sex groups; but Adult males and females segregate for most of the year, coming together only to mate. After being eliminated from most of the European Alps by the 1800s, the ibex was successfully reintroduced. Appenzell Innerrhoden is Switzerland's most traditional and smallest-population canton (second smallest by area).
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  • The Russian River drains Sonoma and Mendocino counties  in Northern California, USA and flows into the Pacific Ocean at Russian River State Marine Conservation area and Sonoma Coast State Park near Jenner.
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  • Gentoo Penguins (Pygoscelis papua) raise chicks in the snow on an Antarctic island. In 2005, the M/S Explorer cruise ship visited this remote wilderness. An adult Gentoo Penguin has a bright orange-red bill and a wide white stripe extending across the top of its head. Chicks have grey backs with white fronts. Of all penguins, Gentoos have the most prominent tail, which sweeps from side to side as they waddle on land, hence the scientific name Pygoscelis, "rump-tailed." As the the third largest species of penguin, adult Gentoos reach 51 to 90 cm (20-36 in) high. They are the fastest underwater swimming penguin, reaching speeds of 36 km per hour.
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  • Kittiwake bird rookery, Prince William Sound, Chugach Mountains, Alaska, USA.  The Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae. Prince William Sound is surrounded by Chugach National Forest (the second largest national forest in the USA). Tour spectacular Prince William Sound by commercial boat from Whittier, which sits strategically on Kenai Peninsula at the head of Passage Canal. Whittier is a port for the Alaska Marine Highway System, a ferry service which operates along the south-central coast, eastern Aleutian Islands, and the Inside Passage of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. Cruise ships stop at the port of Whittier for passenger connections to Anchorage (by road 60 miles) and to the interior of Alaska via highway and rail (the Denali Express). Known by locals as the Whittier tunnel or the Portage tunnel, the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel links Whittier via Portage Glacier Highway to the Seward Highway and Anchorage. At 13,300 feet long (4050 m), it is the longest combined rail and highway tunnel in North America. Whittier was severely damaged by tsunamis triggered by the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake, when thirteen people died from waves reaching 43 feet high (13 meters).
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  • A sphinx moth (or hawk moth, Sphingidae family, order Lepidoptera) is attracted to night lights in Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, near Quito, Ecuador, South America. Sphingidae is best represented in the tropics but species inhabit every region. Sphingidae are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their rapid, sustained flying ability, assisted by narrow wings and streamlined abdomen. Some hawk moths, like the hummingbird hawk moth, hover in midair while they feed on nectar from flowers and are sometimes mistaken for hummingbirds. This hovering capability has evolved only three times in nectar feeders: in hummingbirds, certain bats, and these sphingids. Sphingids can swing hover (move rapidly from side to side while hovering). Some of the sphingids are some of the fastest flying insects, capable of flying at over 50 km/h (30 miles per hour). They have a wingspan of 35-150 mm.
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  • A Galapagos Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) basks on rocks in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, South America. Marine Iguanas, the world’s only sea-going lizard species, are found nowhere else on earth. Marine Iguanas feed almost exclusively on marine algae, expelling the excess salt from nasal glands while basking in the sun, coating their faces with white. Marine Iguanas live on the rocky shore or sometimes on mangrove beaches or marshes. Most adults are black, some grey, and the young have a lighter colored dorsal stripe. The somber tones allow the species to rapidly absorb the warm rays of the sun to minimize the period of lethargy after emerging from the frigid water, which is cooled by the Humboldt Current. Breeding-season adult males on the southern islands are the most colorful and will acquire reddish and teal-green colors, while Santa Cruz males are brick red and black, and Fernandina males are brick red and dull greenish. The iguanas living on the islands of Fernandina and Isabela (named for the famous rulers of Spain) are the largest found anywhere in the Galápagos. The smallest iguanas are found on Genovesa Island. Fernandina Island was named in honor of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who sponsored the voyage of Columbus.
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  • A bonded pair of Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata; or Galapagos Albatross) grooms at Suaraz Point, a wet landing on Española (Hood) Island, the oldest of the Galapagos Islands, which are a province of Ecuador, South America.  The Waved Albatross is the only tropical member of the Albatross family (Diomedeidae). During the non-breeding season, Waved Albatross mostly reside in the coastal areas of Ecuador and Peru. The Waved Albatross breeds primarily on Española Island in the Galápagos archipelago (and maybe some on Genovesa Island and Isla de la Plata). Waved Albatross have blue feet and distinctively yellowish-cream neck and head, which contrasts with their mostly brownish bodies. The very long, bright yellow bill looks disproportionately large in comparison to the relatively small head and long, slender neck. They have chestnut brown upper parts and underparts, except for the breast, with fine barring, a little coarser on the rump. They have brown upper-wings, back, and tail, along with a whitish breast and underwings. Their axillaries (armpit feathers) are brown. Chicks have brown fluffy feathers. Juveniles are similar to adults except for more white on their head. Their lifespan may reach 40 to 45 years. Diomedeidae (the Albatross family) come from the Procellariiformes order (along with Shearwaters, Fulmars, Storm-petrels, and Diving-petrels).
    09ECU-5343_Galapagos.jpg
  • A Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata; or Galapagos Albatross) roosts at Suaraz Point, a wet landing on Española (Hood) Island, the oldest of the Galapagos Islands, which are a province of Ecuador, South America.  The Waved Albatross is the only tropical member of the Albatross family (Diomedeidae). During the non-breeding season, Waved Albatross mostly reside in the coastal areas of Ecuador and Peru. The Waved Albatross breeds primarily on Española Island in the Galápagos archipelago (and maybe some on Genovesa Island and Isla de la Plata). Waved Albatross have blue feet and distinctively yellowish-cream neck and head, which contrasts with their mostly brownish bodies. The very long, bright yellow bill looks disproportionately large in comparison to the relatively small head and long, slender neck. They have chestnut brown upper parts and underparts, except for the breast, with fine barring, a little coarser on the rump. They have brown upper-wings, back, and tail, along with a whitish breast and underwings. Their axillaries (armpit feathers) are brown. Chicks have brown fluffy feathers. Juveniles are similar to adults except for more white on their head. Their lifespan may reach 40 to 45 years. Diomedeidae (the Albatross family) come from the Procellariiformes order (along with Shearwaters, Fulmars, Storm-petrels, and Diving-petrels). In 1959, Ecuador declared 97% of the land area of the Galápagos Islands to be Galápagos National Park, which UNESCO registered as a World Heritage Site in 1978. Ecuador created the Galápagos Marine Reserve in 1998, which UNESCO appended in 2001. Panorama was stitched from 2 overlapping photos.
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  • Galapagos Marine Iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) rest in a tide pool at Puerto Egas, which can be visited via a wet landing on Santiago (or San Salvador; or James Island), in the Galápagos Islands archipelago, a province of Ecuador, South America. The Marine Iguana is the world’s only sea-going lizard and is found only on the Galapagos Islands (spread throughout the archipelago). They feed almost exclusively on marine algae, expelling the excess salt from nasal glands while basking in the sun, coating their faces with white. Marine Iguanas live on the rocky shore or sometimes on mangrove beaches or marshes. Most adults are black, some grey, and the young have a lighter colored dorsal stripe. The somber tones allow the species to rapidly absorb the warm rays of the sun to minimize the period of lethargy after emerging from the frigid water, which is cooled by the Humboldt Current. Breeding-season adult males on the southern islands are the most colorful and will acquire reddish and teal-green colors, while Santa Cruz males are brick red and black, and Fernandina males are brick red and dull greenish. The iguanas living on the islands of Fernandina and Isabela (named for the famous rulers of Spain) are the largest found anywhere in the Galápagos. The smallest iguanas are found on Genovesa Island. Santiago is equivalent to Saint James in English; and its alternative name San Salvador refers to the island discovered by Columbus in the Caribbean Sea. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
    09ECU-4256_Galapagos.jpg
  • The Galapagos Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) thrives on Punta (Point) Espinoza, on Fernandina (Narborough) Island, Galápagos Islands, a province of Ecuador, South America. Marine Iguanas, the world’s only sea-going lizard species, are found nowhere else on earth. Marine Iguanas feed almost exclusively on marine algae, expelling the excess salt from nasal glands while basking in the sun, coating their faces with white. Marine Iguanas live on the rocky shore or sometimes on mangrove beaches or marshes. Most adults are black, some grey, and the young have a lighter colored dorsal stripe. The somber tones allow the species to rapidly absorb the warm rays of the sun to minimize the period of lethargy after emerging from the frigid water, which is cooled by the Humboldt Current. Breeding-season adult males on the southern islands are the most colorful and will acquire reddish and teal-green colors, while Santa Cruz males are brick red and black, and Fernandina males are brick red and dull greenish. The iguanas living on the islands of Fernandina and Isabela (named for the famous rulers of Spain) are the largest found anywhere in the Galápagos. The smallest iguanas are found on Genovesa Island. Fernandina Island was named in honor of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who sponsored the voyage of Columbus.
    09ECU-3613_Galapagos.jpg
  • The Galapagos Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) thrives on Punta (Point) Espinoza, on Fernandina (Narborough) Island, Galápagos Islands, a province of Ecuador, South America. Marine Iguanas, the world’s only sea-going lizard species, are found nowhere else on earth. Marine Iguanas feed almost exclusively on marine algae, expelling the excess salt from nasal glands while basking in the sun, coating their faces with white. Marine Iguanas live on the rocky shore or sometimes on mangrove beaches or marshes. Most adults are black, some grey, and the young have a lighter colored dorsal stripe. The somber tones allow the species to rapidly absorb the warm rays of the sun to minimize the period of lethargy after emerging from the frigid water, which is cooled by the Humboldt Current. Breeding-season adult males on the southern islands are the most colorful and will acquire reddish and teal-green colors, while Santa Cruz males are brick red and black, and Fernandina males are brick red and dull greenish. The iguanas living on the islands of Fernandina and Isabela (named for the famous rulers of Spain) are the largest found anywhere in the Galápagos. The smallest iguanas are found on Genovesa Island. Fernandina Island was named in honor of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who sponsored the voyage of Columbus.
    09ECU-3559_Galapagos.jpg
  • The Galapagos Marine Iguana (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) thrives on Punta (Point) Espinoza, on Fernandina (Narborough) Island, Galápagos Islands, a province of Ecuador, South America. Marine Iguanas, the world’s only sea-going lizard species, are found nowhere else on earth. Marine Iguanas feed almost exclusively on marine algae, expelling the excess salt from nasal glands while basking in the sun, coating their faces with white. Marine Iguanas live on the rocky shore or sometimes on mangrove beaches or marshes. Most adults are black, some grey, and the young have a lighter colored dorsal stripe. The somber tones allow the species to rapidly absorb the warm rays of the sun to minimize the period of lethargy after emerging from the frigid water, which is cooled by the Humboldt Current. Breeding-season adult males on the southern islands are the most colorful and will acquire reddish and teal-green colors, while Santa Cruz males are brick red and black, and Fernandina males are brick red and dull greenish. The iguanas living on the islands of Fernandina and Isabela (named for the famous rulers of Spain) are the largest found anywhere in the Galápagos. The smallest iguanas are found on Genovesa Island. Fernandina Island was named in honor of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, who sponsored the voyage of Columbus.
    09ECU-3509_Galapagos.jpg
  • The Red-footed Booby (Sula sula) is a large seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae. Photo is from Isla Genovesa (or Tower Island, or Bird Island), a shield volcano in the Galápagos Islands, in the eastern Pacific Ocean, Ecuador, South America. Sula sula breeds in colonies and is found widely on tropical islands. The Red-footed Booby is the smallest of all boobies at 71 cm in length and with a 137 cm wingspan, and has red legs with pink and blue bill and throat pouch. They are powerful and agile fliers but clumsy in takeoffs and landings. The brown morph of this species is brown with a white belly, rump, and tail. The white morph is mostly white with black on the flight feathers. Young birds are greyish with browner wings and pink legs. The sexes appear similar. National Park visitors follow licensed guides up the steep path of Prince Philip’s Steps (up a cliff 25 meters vertically) to seabird colonies full of life amidst a thin palo santo forest growing in a rocky desert plain.
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  • A mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) shares the Garden Wall Trail near Logan Pass in Glacier National Park, Montana, USA. The mountain goat is an even-toed ungulate of the order Artiodactyla and the family Bovidae that includes antelopes, gazelles, and cattle. It belongs to the subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes), along with thirty-two other species including true goats, sheep, the chamois, and the musk ox. The mountain goat is the only species in the genus Oreamnos. The name Oreamnos is derived from the Greek term oros (stem ore-) "mountain" (or, alternatively, oreas "mountain nymph") and the word amnos "lamb".
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  • Snow Geese are typically seen in large flocks up to 55,000 in winter in western Washington, USA. Most gather in the Skagit River Delta (Skagit County) between the towns of Mount Vernon and La Conner (near Fir Island Road and Best Road) from mid-October to early May. Published in "Light Travel: Photography on the Go" book by Tom Dempsey 2009, 2010.
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  • Yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) in Granite Park in John Muir Wilderness, Inyo National Forest, Eastern Sierra, California, USA. From Pine Creek Pass Trailhead, we backpacked to Honeymoon Lake and Granite Park. Day 1: backpack 6.2 miles with 2900 feet gain to Honeymoon Lake. Day 2: backpack 3.1 miles with 1300 ft gain to Granite Park. Day 3: backpack 2.7 miles with 1300 ft descent to Honeymoon Lake to set up tents; then day hike 4.4 miles round trip with 900 ft gain to Pine Creek Pass. Day 4: backpack 6.2 miles with 2900 ft descent to the trailhead.
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  • Desert spiny lizard. We had lunch at South Canyon at River Mile 31.8, while rafting through Marble Canyon on day 2 of 16 days boating 226 miles down the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. Marble Canyon runs from Lees Ferry at River Mile 0 to the confluence with the Little Colorado River at Mile 62, which marks the beginning of the Grand Canyon. Although John Wesley Powell knew that no marble was found here when he named Marble Canyon, he thought the polished limestone looked like marble. In his words, "The limestone of the canyon is often polished, and makes a beautiful marble. Sometimes the rocks are of many colors – white, gray, pink, and purple, with saffron tints."
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  • One of the world's rarest birds, a California condor takes flight from the Historic 1929 Navajo Bridge, US Highway 89A, in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. As of 2021, the world total of California condors is around 500, more than half of which are in the wild. Although still endangered and facing ongoing challenges such as lead poisoning, they've come a long way since numbering just 22 in 1982. The original Navajo Bridge was built in 1929. The adjacent new bridge was completed in 1995. Highway 89A crosses the Colorado River here at River Mile 4.5 (measured downstream of Lees Ferry) in Grand Canyon National Park.
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  • Desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni), a few miles upstream of Lava Falls. 31 years after I last rafted the Grand Canyon in 1990, I noticed lots more (dozens of) native bighorn sheep in 2021, a healthy sign for this fascinating ecosystem, which is gradually recovering since nonnative wild burros were removed in the 1960s. Since Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1966, floods no longer scour the vegetation or deposit as much sand on the diminishing beaches (which affects rafters). Aggressive nonnative species such as tamarisk trees continue to threaten native riparian biodiversity. Day 13 of 16 days rafting 226 miles down the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA.
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  • A skeleton of a desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) rests in Mohawk Canyon, at Colorado River Mile 171.9 on Day 13 of 16 days rafting through Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. 31 years after I last rafted the Grand Canyon in 1990, I noticed lots more (dozens of) native bighorn sheep in 2021, a healthy sign for this fascinating ecosystem, which is gradually recovering since nonnative wild burros were removed in the 1960s. Since Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1966, floods no longer scour the vegetation or deposit as much sand on the diminishing beaches (which affects rafters). Aggressive nonnative species such as tamarisk trees continue to threaten native riparian biodiversity.
    2103SW-B1177.jpg
  • A healthy male desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) seen on Day 12 of 16 days rafting 226 miles down the Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA. 31 years after I last rafted the Grand Canyon in 1990, I noticed lots more (dozens of) native bighorn sheep in 2021, a healthy sign for this fascinating ecosystem, which is gradually recovering since nonnative wild burros were removed in the 1960s. Since Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1966, floods no longer scour the vegetation or deposit as much sand on the diminishing beaches (which affects rafters). Aggressive nonnative species such as tamarisk trees continue to threaten native riparian biodiversity.
    2103SW-B1109.jpg
  • A hummingbird sucks nectar from a red ocotillo blossom. Ladder Canyon and Painted Canyon Loop Trail, Mecca Hills Wilderness, managed by BLM's Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, near Mecca, California, USA.
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  • A hummingbird sucks nectar from a red ocotillo blossom. Ladder Canyon and Painted Canyon Loop Trail, Mecca Hills Wilderness, managed by BLM's Palm Springs-South Coast Field Office, near Mecca, California, USA.
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  • Desert tortoise. 49 Palms Oasis Trail. Joshua Tree National Park, near the City of Twentynine Palms, California, USA. The park straddles the cactus-dotted Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert, which is higher and cooler.
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  • Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) graze in winter at Ecola State Park, on the Oregon coast, USA. Behind the elk, various sea stacks rise from the Pacific Ocean, including nearby Bird Rocks and Haystack Rock offshore from Cannon Beach.
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  • Yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) on Piute Pass Trail in John Muir Wilderness, Inyo National Forest, Mono County, California, USA.
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  • A crayfish pinches a finger at Secret Lake. We hiked Leavitt Meadows Loop clockwise (8.9 miles with 1570 ft gain with ridge extension above Lane Lake) in Hoover Wilderness, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, California, USA. Trailhead is at Leavitt Meadows Campground, 38.33401 N, 119.55177 W. Staying below 8000 ft elevation, this makes a good training hike. The best ambiance is at Secret Lake. Roosevelt and Lane Lakes provide nice views.
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  • A juvenile mountain goat crosses the road in Spearfish Canyon, South Dakota, USA. The mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus, or Rocky Mountain Goat) is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. It is an even-toed ungulate in the family Bovidae, in subfamily Caprinae (goat-antelopes), in the Oreamnos genus, but is NOT a true "goat."
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  • Bison. Badlands National Park, South Dakota, USA. The intricately carved cliff of the Badlands Wall constantly retreats as it erodes and washes into the White River Valley below.
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  • Guanacos seen along Lagunas Altas Trail, in Chacabuco Valley, near Cochrane, Chile, South America. The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is a camelid native to South America, closely related to the llama. Its name comes from the Quechua word huanaco (modern spelling wanaku). Patagonia National Park consists of the Tompkins Conservation donation in addition to the former national reserves of Jeinimeni and Tamango, plus fiscal land. Parque Patagonia was created by Conservacion Patagonica, a nonprofit incorporated in California and founded in 2000 by Kris Tompkins. On January 29, 2018, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Kris Tompkins signed a decree creating 5 national parks, including Patagonia National Park.
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  • The austral parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineus; also called the austral conure or emerald parakeet), is the world's southernmost parrot species. Photographed at Refugio Torre Central in Torres del Paine National Park (listed as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO), in Ultima Esperanza Province, Chile, Patagonia, South America. The austral parakeet is found from the southern tip of South America up to as far north as Temuco in Chile. This fairly-large conure is primarily green, lightly barred, with some dull red on the forehead and lores, belly, and upper tail, with the northern part of the range displaying less red. It occurs mostly in wooded country, but also shrubland and farmland. It stays near sea level in the extreme south, but ranges up to 2000 m at the northern end of its range. Flock size is usually only 10–15 individuals, though flocks over 100 are known. It eats grass and bamboo seeds, nuts, and small fruit, and nests in tree cavities.
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  • A chimango caracara (Milvago chimango, in the family Falconidae), bird of prey. Photographed at Camping Frances, in Torres del Paine National Park, Ultima Esperanza Province, Chile, Patagonia, South America. The park is listed as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The chimango is found in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay and the south of Brazil. It lives as far south as Tierra del Fuego and is a vagrant to the Falkland Islands. The chimango caracara is the least patterned of the caracaras; its plumage is mostly brownish with variable dark streaking.
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  • A black beetle in the French Valley. Torres del Paine National Park is listed as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
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  • upland goose chick / Magellan goose / Chloephaga picta. Hosteria Pehoe, Lago Pehoe, Ultima Esperanza Province, Chile, Patagonia, South America. Torres del Paine National Park is listed as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
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  • The fire-eyed diucon (Xolmis pyrope) is a passerine bird of South America belonging to the tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidae. The eyes are bright coral-red, for which the bird is named. The upperparts are mainly plain grey. The underparts are pale grey with white throat and undertail-coverts. It is found in central and southern Chile, southwestern Argentina, and Tierra del Fuego. Location: Hosteria Pehoe, Lago Pehoe, Ultima Esperanza Province, Chile, Patagonia, South America. Torres del Paine National Park is listed as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
    2002PAT-4604.jpg
  • The guanaco (Lama guanicoe) is a camelid native to South America, closely related to the llama. Its name comes from the Quechua word huanaco (modern spelling wanaku). Young guanacos are called chulengos. Location: Torres del Paine National Park, near Puerto Natales, Ultima Esperanza Province, Chile, Patagonia, South America. The Park is honored by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve.
    2002PAT-4515.jpg
  • The South American gray fox (Lycalopex griseus), also known as the Patagonian fox, the chilla or the gray zorro, is a species of Lycalopex, the "false" foxes. Despite their name, they are not true foxes, but are a unique canid genus related to wolves and jackals; some resemble foxes due to convergent evolution. Lycalopex genus (of the family Canidae) is endemic to the southern part of South America. Lycalopex griseus has a distinctive black bar on the chin; its rear thighs are crossed by a dark bar; and its tail has a dark dorsal stripe and dark tip. Location: Mirador Lago Viedma, RN40, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, Patagonia, South America.
    2002PAT-4492.jpg
  • The rufous-bellied seedsnipe (Attagis gayi), below Piedra Negra in Rio Electrico Valley, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, Patagonia, South America. Attagis gayi is a wading bird resident in the Andes of South America from Ecuador and southwards. Its most common food is the buds and leaf tips of cushion plants. Refugio and Campground Piedra del Fraile ("Stone of the Friar"; 14.5 km round trip) serves as a comfortable base for hiking and climbing in scenic Rio Electrico Valley.
    2002PAT-4435.jpg
  • The rufous-bellied seedsnipe (Attagis gayi), below Piedra Negra in Rio Electrico Valley, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, Patagonia, South America. Attagis gayi is a wading bird resident in the Andes of South America from Ecuador and southwards. Its most common food is the buds and leaf tips of cushion plants. Refugio and Campground Piedra del Fraile ("Stone of the Friar"; 14.5 km round trip) serves as a comfortable base for hiking and climbing in scenic Rio Electrico Valley.
    2002PAT-4428.jpg
  • The black-necked swan (Cygnus melancoryphus) is the largest waterfowl native to South America. Photographed on Rio De Las Vueltas, at Punta Sur of Lago del Desierto, in Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, Patagonia, South America.
    2002PAT-3548.jpg
  • A southern lapwing (Vanellus chilensis) bird in El Calafate, Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, Patagonia, South America. The southern lapwing, a wader in the order Charadriiformes, is a common resident widespread in South America. It's the national bird of Uruguay. It has also been spreading through Central America and reached Trinidad in 1961 and Tobago in 1974.
    2002PAT-2343.jpg
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