Animal Models

STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT! This juvenile mountain lion and his buddy at Animals of Montana loved chasing each other in the snow. He may look a little cross here but he was actually having a great time. It was a real treat to be so close that I could make this photo with a wide-angle lens.

LEAVE ME ALONE! In a typical wolf pack only the alpha male and female get to breed and produce young. Unfortunately, the alpha female was constantly flirting with the subordinate male above, which caused him much stress. If he didn't repel her advances he was going to get beat up by the alpha male! Life is tough even in a wolf pack.

ROARING BARBARY LION. The magnificent Barbary lion is extinct in the wild. Formerly roaming the deserts and hills of Tunisia and Morocco, less than 400 Barbary lions still exist in captivity. Most of them are in Africa, believed to be descended from the collection once held by the King of Morocco, but a few exist on game farms and zoos of North America. The Barbary lion is distinguished from regular African lions by its darker and fuller mane which also extends half way down its back and across its belly. It was a special privilege to photograph this extremely rare animal at Animals of Montana.

SNOW LEOPARD. The snow leopard is one of the least observed cats in the wild. Roaming the high mountains of Afghanistan and beyond, it is rarely seen by humans. With a tail as long as its body, the snow leopard suggests elegance and grace.

MOUNTAIN LION JUMP. It was amazing to see the ease with which a mountain lion can leap in and out of trees. Like most cats in the wild, the mountain lion is wide-ranging and elusive. It's power, agility, and intense nature made every photo unique. Most published photos of mountain lions have been made in controlled situations because it is so stealthy and secretive.

GRAY WOLF The gray wolf (or grey, if you come from Canada) has many colour variations. From nearly black to almost pure white, and many shades of gray and brown, the wolf is as varied as any animal. His cunning and skill as a predator, however, is a constant. Love him, or hate him, the wolf is a magnificent creature, and it would be a shame to lose him.

MOUNTAIN LION Although the mountains in the background are a perfect setting for this aptly named cat, the mountain lion actually ranges throughout much of wild North America. Its habitat is shrinking, however, and increasing contact between lions and humans is causing consternation for both. Perhaps the mountains will be its lasting refuge after all.

FEMALE GRAY WOLF. You can almost always recognize the alpha female and male in a pack because they are the ones carrying their tails above the horizontal most of the time. Any other wolf daring to do so would quickly be put in its place.

SNOW LEOPARD. The snow leopard has exceptionally large feet and a long tail to help it clamber about in steep mountain passes looking for prey. Seemingly laid back and slow in movement, it can spring into action like an uncoiled spring when it needs to.

THE WATCHER. Wolves, and other wild animals, have a knack for disguising themselves when they don't want to be seen. A frequent trick is to keep their eyes covered by branches to avoid their telltale roundness from showing. When this wolf peered out from the willows, I quickly moved to the right and knelt down for this photo to keep the twigs from crossing his eyes. It is exactly the way I have been stared at by animals in the wild who were trying not to be seen.

GRAY WOLF IN SNOWSTORM. I love to photograph birds and animals when snow is coming down. The quiet atmosphere produces a feeling of oneness with nature and its creatures that brings peace to the soul. I am afraid that modern man has lost his sense of place in the wilderness. We should all get out more often when snow is falling.

LYNX IN HIDING. I have only seen lynx in the wild on a handful of occasions, and never when my camera was at the ready! It really felt great to be looking at one through my camera lens for a change; and at such close range, too. I'm glad I have a digital camera or this lynx would have cost me a lot of film!

AMUR TIGER. The Amur (Siberian) tiger is quite familiar with snow in its native habitat, so it was no surprise to see this one enjoying it as much as he did. I felt fortunate to capture him in full stride with all four feet off the ground, and his tail arching in joy.

THE CHASE. These two mountain lion cubs were barely 6 months old so they still played like kittens. Chasing each other at top speed through the snow, it was difficult to predict which way they would turn next. I finally caught the moment as they charged toward me.

BARBARY LION PORTRAIT. The Barbary lion has a remarkably serene but craggy face. His indifferent stare seems to be fixed more on the back of his mind then on what is going on before him. Through it all, though, he never forgets his regal ancestry.

THE STARE. I seldom leave large unfocused areas near the foreground of my photographs, but I made an exception here. I think the blurry wolf in the front adds a slightly sinister element to the stare down. Coupled with the low point of view, it also makes me feel as if I am the wolf returning the stare.

SNOW LEOPARD. The snow leopard has gorgeous eyes, but don't let that fool you. He'd just as soon take a bite out of you as give you a hug!

GRIZZLY BEAR I have photographed grizzly bears in Alaska, but never quite this close! It was amazing to see such a large predator pay so little attention to the humans around him.

GRAY WOLF. Perhaps a wolf like this is what greeted Little Red Riding Hood in the infamous story from our childhood. At any rate, we learned to fear the wolf early in our lives instead of appreciating its beauty and intelligence.

THE STALKER All cats have the ability to stalk on silent feet under almost any conditions. When snow covers the ground the silence of their stalk is deafening.

THE SMILE If tigers can smile then I guess this qualifies. Even at rest, however, the tiger's intense stare creates a feeling of unease. I like him to look at the camera, but I don't want him licking his chops.

THE HUNTER Lynx, like most cats, are solitary creatures. Although they are extremely quick and adept at chasing down smaller prey, they also are known to jump on their victims from an elevated position.

LYNX PORTRAIT The less marked face and longer ear tufts help to separate the lynx from the bobcat. The lynx also has inordinately large feet to help it walk on snow. Both animals somewhat resemble the common house cat, but their power is considerably greater.

CURIOSITY The tiger is alert even in repose. Animals in zoos give a false sense of their lethargy. Give them some space and open air, and their instincts and awareness come to life quickly.