Africa in Focus: Rare Species Images

Using wildlife photography, the world is able to see the natural world – and some not-so-often seen – species through a different lens… those animals that might be a once in-a-lifetime sighting, even for the most avid safarigoers. Our selection for this week focuses on those species that one does not see that often. In most cases, capturing this on "film" or an SD card is even more special.

 

Ring-tailed Vontsira by Kathy West
These Ring-tailed vontsira (Galidia elegans) were entertaining and bold animals. Darting in and out of their scrubby pile of dead branches and vegetation, they would pop up unexpectedly close to us, not caring if there was a group of humans watching them.

 

Spacewalk of a Fennec by Marcello Galleano
A postcard from Mars? It would seem so, given the strange setting in which an animal very similar to an extra-terrestrial appears in front of me. Instead, I am in the Sahara Desert, where the sand at times tends to pink, orange and grey shadows and the creature with alien ears is of the same evanescent colour. I am photographing a Fennec, the desert fox, and I have never seen anything like it.

 

Serval Kitten - Playful Tree Hugger by Shivesh Ram
An adorable Serval Mother kitten playfully climbs a tree in Masai Mara National Park. My first sighting of Servals ever. Yay !! It was a joy to watch it jump and play and climb. See second image of kitten with mother.

 

Captain Caracal by Chanan Weiss
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of this..." tree

 

Better View by Les Crookes
Cape fox pups having fun but looking out for a predator. 

 

Sundevall's Leaf-nosed Bat having a drink by Ruth Muller
An infrared bream system set over known water drinking source at the Meletse Bat Research and Conservation Training Centre (AfricanBats NPC). As the bats break the beam, this triggers a master flash which triggers the other flashes to fire. Camera Cannon EOS with 100mm macro lens set to bulb, where the flashes freeze the bat in action.

 

Narina Trogon by Jason Glanville
This Trogon came down to a lower perch to investigate my lens for a few special moments

 

Ethiopian wolves by Carol Grenier
Two female endangered Ethiopian wolves meet and greet in the Ethiopian highlands. These wolves are Africa’s most endangered carnivore. Their diet is highly specialized, their range limited, and they are threatened by habitat degradation, human encroachment, and inter-breeding from domestic dogs.