I had the privilege of spending Saturday with accomplished wildlife photographer Dave Rolfe @wildlife_shots, at Port Lympne Wildlife reserve @portlympnepark, near Hythe on the Kent coast. The highlight for me was observing these lowland gorillas at feeding time. This reserve is part of the Aspinall Foundation @theaspinallfoundation, who are renowned for their conservation work and have relocated up to 50 gorillas to the wild in Africa after rearing them at this reserve, and their sister zoo, Howletts in Canterbury. As I learned on Saturday, gorillas avoid direct eye contact, so you have to be quick with your shot when they glance your way. Delighted I captured this one. Canon 5D Mk III + Canon 100-400mm at 349mm; 1/500sec at f/6.3; ISO 1600.
You will find these little guys scampering across the sand and up Coconut Palms in the Maldives. I used a long lens for this shot as they are quite skittish. This was taken on the island of Kuredu, in the Lhaviyani Atoll. Canon 5D Mk III + Canon 100-400mm at 400mm; 1/50sec at f/5.6; ISO 250.
Beware this image comes with a cuteness overload warning! This little Koala joey gave me a yawn while mum slept on. This was one of several Koala mum and joeys at the astounding Australia Zoo. This is a very impressive zoo, and a wonderful legacy of the late Steve Irwin, if not for this wee fella, the saltwater crocs are a marvel and the Australian reptile display is the best I've seen. Photographing a Koala joey takes some patience as they are only out of the pouch briefly. So I was delighted when this little guy opened his mouth. Canon 5D Mk III + Canon 100-400mm at 400mm; 1/640sec at f/11; ISO 1600.
I think the Australian Rugby team could take a thing or two from the steely stare I observed in this Tasmanian Pademelon. This diminutive wallaby and I had a stare off for about 10 minutes as I positioned for the optimal frame. Taken on the Nut (aka Circular Head) in quaint Stanley, north west Tasmania. Canon 5D Mk III + Canon 100-400mm at 371mm; 1/25sec at f/5.6; ISO 1600.
This little guy was very accommodating, looking at my lens at the right time, with his cute little face framed by the grass. Taken at British Wildlife Centre, Limpsfield, Surrey.
Canon 5D Mk II + Canon 70-300mm at 300mm; 1/320sec at f/6.3; ISO 400.
The stunning Sumatran tiger, sadly a critically endangered species with a few hundred left in the wild in Sumatra, Indonesia. Thankfully this guy is doing well at Symbio Wildlife Park in Helensburgh, NSW Australia. Canon 5D Mk III + Canon 100-400mm at 278; 1/1600sec at f/5; ISO 800.