Found throughout Florida, the southern states and around the Gulf of Mexico, the American Alligator is one of the most fascinating creatures found in the US.
An apex predator, they are powerful and efficient hunters, yet unlike crocodiles, they rarely attack humans and are considered relatively docile if left unprovoked.
American Alligators are so numerous that Alligator farming for their hides and meat has become a big business. Sadly, the only other Alligators in the world – the Chinese Alligator – is listed as critically endangered with fewer than 1,000 left in the wild.
Most people equate the American Alligator with the Everglades and swampy areas of Florida.
Sri Lankan Elephants in Ruhunu / Yala National Park
Elephants have always fascinated me. They’re such huge animals, yet they’re so quiet when moving and even eating.
Beyond the big tusked African elephants, are a number of different Asian elephant species. This one, the Elephas maximus maximus is known as the Sri Lankan Elephant.
There are roughly 6,000 of these endangered Sri Lankan elephants left in the wild, and as the name would suggest they are only found on the island nation of Sri Lanka, south of India.
These elephants were photographed in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.
A Lava Heron photographed on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos
With bright yellow eyes and colour patches around it’s bill, this little heron has a creepy silhouette to it!
Endemic to the Galapagos islands, the Lava Heron, or Galapagos Heron, is a relatively small heron that feeds mainly on crabs and fish. Their feathers and overall grey-black colour blend in perfectly with the lava rocks found along the shores of much of the Galapagos Islands. This camouflage and a stealthy ability to spear their prey with their bills makes them effective hunters.
You’ll often see them around the shoreline close to town as they have no fear of people. This one was photographed at a beach on San Cristobal Island.
A photo of a Uinta Ground Squirrel in Yellowstone National Park
I’m a fan of squirrels. They, like raccoons, have been able to adapt to so many different landscapes and environments. These Uinta Ground Squirrels find their homes pretty much anywhere with open fields and grass lands. While this guy was photographed in Yellowstone National Park, they go as far south as Utah, but prefer the Rocky Mountain states.
This one was one of many scurrying around part of the park, as they tend to live in groups, or colonies. While I’m used to seeing tree squirrels skipping their hibernating plans and being around almost all year in Canada, these ground squirrels tend to only be active for about 4 months of the year. They aestivate in summer and hibernate in winter…guess they’re not fans of extreme temperatures!
Looking a little fearsome, this Long-Tailed Macaque, also called a Crab-Eating Macaque, took a moment to call out in between his eating and grooming sessions.
These macaques were the monkeys most plentifully seen along the riverbanks and in the trees during a visit to the Kinabatangan River in Borneo. These macaques have 10 different subspecies and are the third most widespread primate on earth, found throughout much of Asia.
Being so plentiful, it’s not a sad surprise that they are also commonly used for medical experiments. The alternative crab-eating name is a bit of a misnomer as they don’t favour eating crabs at all. They can eat crabs and other small animals, but tend to prefer to eat flowers, fruits, seeds and plants.
The long-tailed name version is much more appropriate as their tail is often longer than the entire rest of their body!
