Caribbean Reef Octopus – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data I’ve encountered Caribbean reef octopus on night dives You are looking into the eye of a Caribbean reef octopus. Although they look mysterious, they are one of the more commonly seen octopus and we know quite a lot about them. Caribbean reef octopus are generally seen at night. I […]
Mule Deer – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Mule deer can jump as far as 15′ This photo was taken at Zion National Park in Utah. Mule deer are a regular sighting here in the park. The range for mule deer includes much of western North America. Mule deer are fast but also rely on their large ears […]
Queen Conch – IUCN Conservation Status: Insufficient Data Queen conch move very slowly This is the flagship creature of the Florida Keys, otherwise known as the “Conch Republic”. Conch are a popular food. Unfortunately, years of overharvesting has led to a crash in their population. These days, the Conch Republic must import their conch. Spotted Eagle Ray This […]
Turkey Vulture – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Vultures heads are bald so that the pieces of dead animal don’t get stuck in head feathers These apex predators are found across the United States. In fact, they can be found from southern Canada to South America. This is an easy bird to identify because it is a […]
Christmas Tree Worm Christmas tree worms have a surprisingly long life, living up to 40 years You will be surprised to learn what you are looking at is considered a worm. These colorful worms are stationary, so once you locate one you are all set. However, if you approach these creatures too quickly or get too close, […]
Nurse Shark – IUCN Conservation Status: Vulnerable Nurse sharks are not considered a dangerous shark species to humans This is a photograph of a nurse shark, taken in Key Largo, Florida. To get a close up photograph of a shark can be tricky, but the nurse shark gives you a better chance than most shark species. Nurse […]
Yellowstone National Park The pronghorn was grazing comfortably while snow was coming down sideways This exotic looking animal is called a pronghorn. It is the fastest land mammal in the Western Hemisphere. When pronghorn sprint, they can reach speeds of around 50 miles per hour. They are known for their sustained speed over long distances. Why are pronghorn so […]
Permit – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern Permit are extremely efficient swimmers due to their body design The three large fish on the left are called, “permit”. These large silvery fish are not a frequent sighting on the Florida Keys reefs. Some people think the bubbles from scuba divers attracts their attention. They rarely hang around for […]
Acadia National Park Tides can be as much as 12 feet This photo was taken along the rocky coastline of Acadia National Park. Acadia National Park is located roughly two-thirds of the way north along Maine’s coast. It is a unique place. It is the only area along the United States eastern seaboard that has shear cliffs. Jordan […]
Yellowstone National Park A giant volcano sits underneath Yellowstone National Park I was fortunate to have visited Yellowstone National Park this year. I went in April. It was such a unique experience. This “Upper Geyser Basin” area of Yellowstone is where the majority of the world’s active geysers are located. You would be most familiar with the legendary Old […]