#naturalworldacademy

[naturalworldacademy-blog]

A small band of pronghorn in southern Wyoming. Pronghorn evolved at a time when North America was home to several species of cheetah, leading to an escalating arms race (technically a speed race) between the two. Over time, the pronghorn earned the rank of one of the fastest land animals alive, a title which it still retains despite the fact that North America has been cheetahless since the end of the last Ice Age! #pronghorn #cheetah #coevolution #evolution #naturalsciences #wyoming #unitedstates #extinction #naturalworldacademy #grassland #prairie #northamerica

[naturalworldacademy-blog]

Surf's up at Simon's Town near Cape Town, South Africa! A trio of African penguins (also known as "jackass penguins" due to their loud, braying call!) come to shore to catch a break from fishing and swimming, largely indifferent to the locals and tourists that are there for the show. Although penguins are often thought of as largely polar birds, close relatives of the African penguin can be found in the Galápagos, right on the Equator! African penguins compete with fisheries for ever-dwindling fish stocks, and their population is in decline. #penguin #africanpenguin #spheniscus #southafrica #capetown #simonstown #simonstad #semesteratsea #sas #galapagospenguin #jackasspenguin #biology #ecology #conservation #conservationbiology #bird #birdsofinstagram #birdsofafrica #birdsofsouthafrica #competition #fish #fisheries #naturalworldacademy #naturalsciences #studyabroad (at Cape Town Simon's Town)

[naturalworldacademy-blog]

A Burchell's zebra in Kruger National Park, South Africa. No one knows for certain why zebras have their pattern the way they do; even US President Teddy Roosevelt spent time thinking on the subject! #zebra #burchellszebra #krugernationalpark #southafrica #johannesburg #africa #mammals #animals #animalsofinstagram #photoshoot #photo #nature #naturephotography #teddyroosevelt #evolution #naturalworldacademy #naturalscience #biology (at Kruger National Park)

[naturalworldacademy-blog]

Several impala and a Burchell's zebra grazing in Kruger National Park, South Africa. #impala #zebra #krugernationalpark #nps #southafrica #studyabroad #semesteratsea #sas #naturalworldacademy #naturalsciences #kruger #burchellszebra (at Kruger National Park)

[naturalworldacademy-blog]

A shaded forest path on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. These coastal forests are close enough to the shore that they experience constant interaction with the Atlantic Ocean in some form or another. Deer, squirrels, and a wide array of birds call these forests home. #southcarolina #hiltonhead #hiltonheadisland #naturalscience #nature #naturephotography #naturalworldacademy #forest #forestpath #atlanticocean #ecology #environment #biology (at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina)

[naturalworldacademy-blog]

A Fijian fruit bat, silhouetted against the night sky. Fruit bats tend to be much larger than most other bats, and can be an important pollinator in many ecosystems. #fruitbat #fiji #naturalworldacademy #bat #mammal #pacificocean #fijianfruitbat #zoology (at Sigatoka)

[naturalworldacademy-blog]

A rainbow above scenic Lake Te Anau in New Zealand. Te Anau is home to the Te Anau glowworm caves. #teanau #laketeanau #aotearoa #newzealand #southisland #naturalscience #naturalworldacademy #rainbow #seaplane #rainbows #landscape #landscapephotography (at Te Anau, New Zealand)