#wildlifephitography

[drdadbooks]

Hopeful for bear encounters of a polar kind. #polarbear #instagramanimals #wildlife #nature #mammals #wildlifephitography #animals https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt8X2HwgmGs/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1via625olojaf

[drdadbooks]

An Unwelcome Visitor When an unwelcome visitor, a coyote, shows up on the ridge behind me, it’s time to give these boys and girls wider birth. They approach along icy trodden paths as sure-footed as if they were glued to the hillside. Shortly after this photo, I ascended the mountain to grant them passage. Despite an ominous presence, the rams did nothing to the coyote, leaving the lead ewe and her followers to send it scurrying on its way. It was an interesting lesson in herd dynamics. #BighornSheep #instagramanimals #wildlife #nature #mammals #wildlifephitography #animals https://www.instagram.com/p/BtqU5G5Amf6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=phn94tjmu983

[drdadbooks]

Saving Trees With an uncanny ability to lick their own nostrils, bison are at the top of my list of animals dedicated to conservation. Just think of how many trees they save by not using tissues! Plowing through the snow, face first, to nibble at the sparse grasses below surely leads to a plethora of runny noses. I am both awed and a bit jealous as I trudge through the countryside with my tissue filled pockets, sniffling as I go. #Bison #instagramanimals #wildlife #nature #mammals #wildlifephitography #animals https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt5qeBRgqvR/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ju10wd1u2o9d

[drdadbooks]

Otterly Hillarious North American River Otters are, at the least, very entertaining. When habituated they almost seem to thrive on the attention. But much of what they do is more deeply rooted in necessity rather than amusement. When exiting the water, they frequently roll in the snow, grass, or sand. They appear to be putting on a show, however, they do so to clean their fur, which helps to maintain its water-repellent characteristics. The antics may be “otterly” hilarious but the activity is rooted in the science of survival. #Otters #NorthAmericanRiverOtters #instagramanimals #wildlife #nature #mammals #wildlifephitography #animals https://www.instagram.com/p/BtbHMWiAoib/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1jjxijf5v96pn

[drdadbooks]

The Speed of Silence Large flakes of wet snow drift slowly to the ground. Their patter is the only sound one can hear on the northern slopes of Yellowstone where pronghorn, the fastest land mammal in North America, have gathered to graze and rest. Moving at the speed of silence they watch patiently but seem little bothered by our intrusion. Others move softly across the meadow sharing the sparse vestiges of flora partially hidden by the winter white. #Pronghorn #Notantelope #ConvergentEvolution #instagramanimals #wildlife #nature #mammals #wildlifephitography #animals https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt3JztKgJ8i/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1w4yksdmjvu4u

[drdadbooks]

The End of the Innocence It’s difficult to look into her beautiful eyes knowing that she and her herd are seen as little more than fodder, be it for wolves, ranchers, or hunters. Having survived the reintroduction of wolves, Yellowstone’s elk herds are now thriving and healthy. As a result, ranchers and hunting rights activists are calling for fewer limits of their ability to cull herds. Anyone living today wasn’t alive when these beautiful animals roamed much of the northeastern US, until overzealous hunters extirpated them from most of their natural range. #elk #instagramanimals #wildlife #nature #mammals #wildlifephitography #animals https://www.instagram.com/p/BtdTbgkg4WO/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=o6ws06irxz31

[drdadbooks]

Winter’s Rations As the snows fall, Bighorn sheep descend from their summer mountain tops to lower grounds in search of winter’s rations. Grazing and browsing on the desiccated remnants of a season gone by is a full-time job. The dry vegetation has much less nutritional value than its healthy summer counterpart, and even though they seem to eat almost constantly, most generally lose weight during the long, cold, winter season. Winter’s rations may be sparse but this young ram doesn’t seem to notice. #bighornsheep #instagramanimals #wildlife #nature #mammals #wildlifephitography #animals #animalphotography https://www.instagram.com/p/BtQdhqDAvmv/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=auk1tnipg9iq

[drdadbooks]

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Rock me to sleep, polar bear style. #instagramanimals #wildlife #nature #mammals #wildlifephitography #animals #polarbears #polarbearcub https://www.instagram.com/p/BuxpuPBAqTI/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=54op9w8loab9