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 […]
Greater Earless Lizard – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern This has helped them adapt to their lifestyle of burrowing in the sand This photo has a fun story. While visiting Big Bend National Park, our group went for a guided canoe trip along the Rio Grande. Partway through the trip, we stopped the canoes to […]
Red-Spotted Toad – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern That’s when I came across a horde of tiny toads This photo of a red-spotted toad was taken while on a hike in Austin, Texas. I was hiking on a trail with my brother, Nick, who also serves as the scientific advisor for Wild Boyz Photography. We […]
Pearl Crescent The pearl crescent can be found throughout North America This incredible looking butterfly is a pearl crescent. I photographed it while hiking at Eagle Creek Park. This particular butterfly species was in abundance on the trail that I was hiking on, but it was no easy feat photographing it. These butterflies move from […]
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 […]
Zulu Giant This is a sacred place to the Hawaiian culture…called Leina-a-ka’uhane The plant you’re looking at in this photo is a Zulu giant, also known as the starfish flower. This is an invasive succulent that is native to South Africa and Tanzania. I saw this flower while just beginning a hike to the westernmost […]
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 […]