ANIMA MUNDI #7
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NIMA MUNDI A NIMA MUNDI A Issue 7, Year 2 - 3rd Quarter, July 2012 In This Issue: SCOOP The Killer Wasp of the Amazon GREEN MANSIONS Ecuador’s Parque Nacional Yasuni SAND, SNOW AND SKY The Colorado Plateau MEDITERRANEAN MARVELS A portfolio by Marco Colombo KING OF THE PRIMEVAL FOREST The European Bison Adventures in Wildlife Photography Issue 7, Year 2 - 3rd Quarter, July 2012 In This Issue: SCOOP The Killer Wasp of the Amazon GREEN MANSIONS Ecuador’s Parque Nacional Yasuni SAND, SNOW AND SKY The Colorado Plateau MEDITERRANEAN MARVELS A portfolio by Marco Colombo KING OF THE PRIMEVAL FOREST The European Bison
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Anima Mundi Magazine #7
Transcript of ANIMA MUNDI #7
NIMA MUNDI
ANIMA MUNDI
A
Issue 7, Year 2 - 3rd Quarter, July 2012
In This Issue:
SCOOP The Killer Wasp of the AmazonGREEN MANSIONS Ecuador’s Parque Nacional Yasuni
SAND, SNOW AND SKY The Colorado PlateauMEDITERRANEAN MARVELS A portfolio by Marco Colombo
KING OF THE PRIMEVAL FOREST The European Bison
Adventures in Wildlife Photography
Issue 7, Year 2 - 3rd Quarter, July 2012
In This Issue:
SCOOP The Killer Wasp of the AmazonGREEN MANSIONS Ecuador’s Parque Nacional Yasuni
SAND, SNOW AND SKY The Colorado PlateauMEDITERRANEAN MARVELS A portfolio by Marco Colombo
KING OF THE PRIMEVAL FOREST The European Bison
B2
NIMA MUNDIAAdventures in Wildlife Photography
Now that is a rather esoteric title for an editorial,isn’t it? But as we have presumably succeeded inpiquing your interest, we should perhaps nowtranslate it in more colloquial English - and theriddle of our title is basically this: “Should an indi-genous ethnic group be allowed to live and huntby modern means inside a protected area - onceit has abandoned forever its original, low-impactway of life?”.
Let us be very clear on a specific point - we do notbelieve in the romantic illusion of some indige-nous tribes living in blissful harmony with nature,untouched and virginal creatures of the rainforest.Most of the “untouched” natives we have encoun-tered live a miserable, disease-ridden, anguishedlife. And the first thing they will do if given a chan-ce will be buying a chainsaw to cut down thetrees of their native forest, and buying a gun toshoot and eat any edible animal they can catch.Their priorities are understandably basic - no fearof tomorrow and a full stomach. We realize thisview is not accepted by many - but this is what wethink after so many trips in the field. Basically, wedo not believe that natives, once exposed tomodern weapons and tools, can possibly coexistwith wild animals - feared as dangerous andcoveted as food or for commerce, the latter willbe inevitably hunted down to extinction. Forest-dwelling natives do not care about conservation,they just want to survive and possibly better theirliving conditions! After all, this happens even indeveloped cultures, where the concepts of “con-servation” and “wildlife protection” have alreadytaken root - it’s just another repetition of the age-less conflict between Man and Nature. It happensall over the world - between tiger and tiller inIndia, between orangutan and planter in Borneo,between elephant and farmer in Africa and Asia.But with a twist, this time - one of the world’s mostunique Biodiversity Hotspots is at stake. If youwant to know more about the Waorani conun-
drum and its complex origins and implications,go to page 8 and read the first part of our tripreport to Ecuador’s Yasuni National Park, a trulyheavenly slice of the Amazon’s “Green Hell”.
Before that you might however want to taste avery special appetizer - so enjoy our Scoop atpage 4 and discover some new and very intri-guing aspects of the reproductive behavior of theinfamous Tarantula Hawk wasp we have recentlywitnessed in Ecuador’s lowland rainforest.
After these two juicy features you’ll have had yourfill - presumably - of South America, so scroll topage 57 and marvel at the beautiful landscapesof the Colorado Plateau and the Rocky Mountainsof North America, courtesy of our contributingphotographer Rafael Cardenas - this is where weintroduce a new location-focused, mostly visualformat we have baptized WorldWideWonders.The emphasis in this kind of feature will be moreon landscapes and panoramas and slightly lesson the animal species inhabiting them. Let usknow what you think of it!
Speaking of great images, there’s some more fan-tastic eye candy in the Personal Portfolio at page76, featuring on this occasion the lovely work ofyoung Italian photographer Marco Colombo...anamazing visual homage to the fauna of SouthernEurope.
And to top it all, the last feature of this issue focu-ses once more on Europe, this time going East onpage 98 with some stunning images and a revea-ling text about the secret life of the rare EuropeanBison, respectively by our Polish friends MateuszSzymura and Lukasz Mazurek.
Have a good trip!Andrea & Antonella Ferrariwww.animamundimag.com
The Waorani conundrum
A tabanid fly sucks blood close to the dreamy, peaceful eye of a South American Tapir Tapirus terrestris - a close-up image from our Yasuni National Park trip report starting from page 8.
We appreciate yourfeedback - constructive
criticism, useful suggestionsand interesting
contributions are mostwelcome.
Please drop us a line at
ANIMA MUNDIAdventures in Wildlife
Photographyis a Free Quarterly Online Magazine
www.animamundimag.com
PublishersAndrea and Antonella
Editor-in-ChiefAndrea Ferrari
Layout Design & ArtDirection
Laura GenoveseAnna Bortolini
VideographerAntonella Ferrari
Video EditingLeon Joubert & Claudia
Distribution & TechnicalSupport
Peter [email protected]
All rights reserved. Material inthis publication may not be reproduced, modified or
transferred electronically in anyform without written permission
from the copyright owners.
3
A female Tapir ambles by the PUCE EstacionCientifica in Yasuni National Park, Ecuador.
Contents4
ATTACK OF THEKILLER WASP
A surprising behavior ofthe Tarantula Hawk
8GREEN MANSIONS
Exploring Ecuador’sYasuni National Park
WITH EXTRA VIDEO CONTENT
57SAND, SNOW
AND SKYFrom the Colorado
Plateau to the RockyMountains
76MEDITERRANEAN
MARVELSMarco Colombo’s personal portfolio
98KING OF THE
PRIMEVAL FORESTThe mysterious life of the
European Bison
109THE PARTING SHOT
When Giovanna Holbrook took on the challenge of leading two University of Florida science professors and a group of naturalists to the Galápagos Islands in 1971, she had no way of knowing the lasting impact that experience would have on her life and on the lives of those traveling with her. The group journeyed throughout the archipelago aboard a retired navy vessel, propelled by their spirit of adventure and thirst for knowledge. At that time, the Galápagos was just celebrating its twelfth year as a national park, conservation work at the Charles Darwin Research Station was still in its infancy, and tourism in the islands was virtually non-existent.
More than thirty years later, Holbrook Travel continues to serve the needs of teachers, students, academic institutions, and nature lovers. Although many changes have taken place over the years, Holbrook Travel has taken great care to remain true to its roots. As news of environmental concerns and world conflicts continue to fill the airwaves, it seems more important than ever to help people gain a better understanding and appreciation of the natural world and other cultures through firsthand experiences. In the words of Andrea Holbrook, president: “Our goal is to try to continue the great work my mother started.”
To Travel Is to LEarn.
HOLBROOKTRAV E L
explore hoLbrook's DIVErsE ranGE of proGrams on our websiTe »
Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve Somewhere in the middle of a 500-
acre tropical rainforest reserve is a place where you can get away from the world and be surrounded by it at the same time. That place is Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve.
As one of Costa Rica’s legendary eco lodges, we are committed to a sustainable future — not only for Selva Verde, but for the people and wildlife that call the Sarapiquí home. We proudly carry and support Costa Rica’s Certification for Sustainable Tourism. We actively work with conservation partners, including the Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center, to promote conservation and environmental education throughout the local community. Learn more about our efforts when you visit Selva Verde!
Sarapiquí, Costa Rica
4SCOOP!SCOOP!
ATTACK OF THEKILLER WASPA TERRIFYING DRAMA IN MINIATURE ENFOLDS BEFORE OUR EYES WHILE EXPLORING THE AMAZON RAINFORESTOF EASTERN ECUADOR
ATTACK OF THEKILLER WASPA TERRIFYING DRAMA IN MINIATURE ENFOLDS BEFORE OUR EYES WHILE EXPLORING THE AMAZON RAINFORESTOF EASTERN ECUADOR
The Tarantula Hawkwasp overturns its half-paralized, living prey.
The tarantula’s hugefangs are clearly visible.
5
The reproductive strategies of theTarantula Hawk wasps are well known -these fast and aggressive hymenopte-rans attack and paralize large spi-ders, laying a single egg into the still-living host and guaranteeing their lar-vae a constant supply of fresh food.But the behavior we have recently wit-nessed in the lowland rainforest of theEcuadorian Amazon is new to us.Heralded by a loud droning sound, avery large Tarantula Hawk (Pepsinae)buzzed us a few times before enteringits nest (or larder?) inside a huge,dead tree - only to emerge a fewseconds later, dragging a very muchalive but half-paralized large tarantu-la out of it. The wasp showed no hesi-tation - the cohordinates of the sitewere clearly very well known to it.Dragging its still moving prey into theopen, the large predatory wasp thencalmly proceeded to methodically biteoff the remaining legs of the spider(some were already missing, provingthis was a work in progress whichhad been carried out for some time).The process went on for several minu-tes - we had to keep a reasonabledistance as these wasps can deliverone of the most excruciatingly painfulstings known to man. We can onlyguess the reason behind this intere-sting but rather horrifying behavior -reducing a large tarantula to itscephalothorax and abdomen bybiting off its legs would make storageof the living host somewhat easier? Itwould then be quite reasonable ima-gining the nesting site of the wasp fil-led with many neatly piled, well sto-red, legless but still living tarantulasbodies - the mind boggles! .
TEXT BY ANDREA FERRARIPHOTOS BY ANDREA & ANTONELLA FERRARI
A gruesome but fascinating behavior to ensure the survival of the species
6
Ignoring ourpresence, the large(about 10cms / 31/2 inches long)Tarantula Hawkwasp proceeds todrag its spider preyin the open andstarts to bite off itsremaining legs, stillbeing ineffectuallywaved in the air by the paralizedtarantula. Workingmethodically, thewasp uses its strong,sawtooth-edged jawsto cut the spider’slegs at their lowestjoint. Carefulobservation revealswhere other legshave beenpreviously cut offand discarded.
7
Most of the tarantula’s legs have beenbitten/sawed off. We can only imaginewhat is now left of the still-living spiderwill be easier for the wasp to store awayin its nest, where it will be fed upon by a single wasp larva until it will pupate.
8OntheTrail
Today what is said to be the world’s most biodiverse environment
is torn between conservation andexploitation - explore with us the amazing
“Green Hell” of Ecuador’s Amazon
HEREGOOGLE EARTH COORDINATES HERE
Today what is said to be the world’s most biodiverse environment
is torn between conservation andexploitation - explore with us the amazing
“Green Hell” of Ecuador’s Amazon
ECUADOR’S PARQUE NACIONAL YASUNI
GREENMANSIONS
ECUADOR’S PARQUE NACIONAL YASUNI
GREENMANSIONS
An Amazonian Palm viperBothriopsis bilineata sits on a branch overlooking the Rio Tiputini as aWaorani canoe passes byin the background - animage which symbolizesYasuni’s current conflictbetween Man and Nature.
9
A rainforest hosting the largestnumber of species on Earth
A panoramic vista of the Rio Tiputini at its lowest,during a period of dry weather. With the coming
of rain this sluggish stream will rapidly transform itselfinto a fast-flowing, raging mass of muddy water.
10
≠≠cuador’s Yasuni NationalPark has long been a legendarydestination for conservationists,researchers, biologists, wildlifephotographers and nature loversworldwide - an embattled symbolstanding, among others, forenvironment conservation andAmazonian biodiversity. Celebritiessuch as actors Leonardo DiCaprio andEdward Norton and US Vice PresidentAl Gore have publicly stood for itsfuture survival and against furtherexploitation by oil companies within itsborders, and some say Yasuni and itsWaorani indians were the actual
source of inspiration for JamesCameron’s record-breaking movieAvatar. Free online encyclopediaWikipedia sums it up nicely: “YasuniNational Park is sited in Ecuador,covering an area of 9,820 squarekilometers between the Napo andCuraray rivers in the Napo andPastaza provinces in AmazonianEcuador. The Park is about 250 kmfrom Quito and was designated aUNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1989.It is within the claimed ancestralterritory of the Waorani indigenouspeople. Yasuni is also home to severaluncontacted indigenous tribes,
ETEXT BY ANDREA FERRARI
PHOTOS BY ANDREA & ANTONELLA FERRARI
continued on page 12 ›
A butterfly comes in for a landing on theback of a Yellow-spotted river turtlePodocnemis unifilis - this species can growup to 45 cm long and weigh up to 8 kgand is now quite hard to spot along thebanks of the Rio Tiputini.
11
An Anolis nitens sitting perfectly still among the leaf litter
on the sun-dappled forest floordemonstrates how stunningly
effective its somatolitc camouflage can be.
12
A White-lined leaf frogPhyllomedusa vaillantii, one of themany beautiful tree frogs found in
the lowland rainforest of Yasuni.
including the Tagaeri and theTaromenane. The National Park lieswithin the Napo moist forestsecoregion and is primarily rain forest.Yasuni National Park is arguably themost biologically diverse spot on Earth.The park is at the center of a smallzone where amphibian, bird,mammal, and vascular plant diversityall reach their maximum levels withinthe Western Hemisphere. Moreover,the Park breaks world records for local-scale (less than 100 square kms) tree,amphibian, and bat species richness,and is one of the richest spots in theworld for birds and mammals at localscales as well. The Park holds a worldrecord 150 amphibian species forplaces with comparable landscapes. Italso is at the top for amphibiandiversity compared to other sitessampled in the western Amazon. Thetotal of its amphibian species are more
than those of the United States andCanada combined. Reptile speciesnumbers in the park are also very high,with 121 documented species found.In spite of covering less than 0.15% ofthe Amazon Basin, Yasuni is home toapproximately one-third of itsamphibian and reptile species. ThePark also harbors high levels of fishdiversity with 382 known species. Thisnumber is greater than the amount offish species found in the wholeMississippi River Basin. Yasuni also ishome to at least 596 bird specieswhich comprises a staggering one-thirdof the total native bird species for theAmazon. The Park is also very rich withmany species of bats. On a regionalscale, the Amazon Basin has anestimated 117 bat species, but on alocal scale, Yasuni is estimated to havecomparable richness. In a singlehectare, Yasuni has over 100,000
continued on page 14 ›
Technicolored tree frogsmoving in graceful slowmotion among the leaves
13
Heralded byan unmistakableloud squawkingand screeching,a flight ofScarlet MacawsAra macaoilluminatesbriefly the lateafternoon forestcanopy.Macaws arelarge andsplendidlycolored birdswhich usuallykeep theirdistance evenwhen allowingrelativelyprolongedobservation.
different species of insects, which isroughly the amount of insect speciesthat can be found in all of NorthAmerica. The Park also boasts one ofthe world’s richest levels of vascularplants. It is one of nine places in theworld that has over 4,000 vascularplant species per 10,000 square kms.The Park contains many species of treesand shrubs and holds at least fourworld records for documented tree andliana richness as well as three worldrecords for diversity in woody plantspecies. Yasuni National Park also hostsa stunning list of endemic species with43 different species of vertebrates and220–720 different plant species”.
HARD TO REACH, WORTH VISITING!
This is all very nice of course, but howdoes this impressive list of scientificrecords translate into hard practicalfacts for a wildlife photographer? Well,the very least we can say is that visitingand exploring the Park is not particularlyeasy - this is the Amazon, after all.
continued on page 17 ›
One of the manyrainforest floor wonders
of Yasuni, this ReticulatedPoison Frog Ranitomeya
ventrimaculata is aspoisonous as it is small.Dendrobatids advertise
their toxicity to would-bepredators with
their gaudy, brightlycolored liveries.
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Morewonderfulamphibiansfrom Yasuni’srainforest. Left, a Jaguar Tree FrogDendropsophusbifurcus. Right,top, a ConvictTree FrogHypsiboascalcaratus; right, bottom, a Shreve'sSarayacu Tree FrogDendropsophussarayacuensissits by its freshly-laid egg clutchon the undersideof a leaf.
16
Mineral-rich wet sand patches inthe forest - like those soaked in urine
by wild mammals - immediatelyattract large numbers of the stunningly beautiful
daily moth Urania leilus.
17
Reaching the Rio Napo from Quitorequires a long day’s drive and a night’sstay at the border town of Coca, andactually crossing the Napo and enteringthe National Park itself reminds one of ascience fiction or espionage movie - theprotected area is ironically controlledand administered by the oil companieswhich have “occupied” it, and there is avery distinct military feeling to the placewith all the checkposts, X-ray machines,huge hangars, enormous drillingmachinery and uniformed, armedguards everywhere. Hardly what onewould expect from any other NationalPark in the world - but the oil companiesdo not want any problems withunwanted visitors, and this is also a verysensitive area due to the localindigenous Waoranis, who generallyresent the presence of outsiders.Accomodation can also be problematic- the oil companies have erected fenced-off, severely guarded camps andfortified citadels inside the Park for theirown workers but will not deal directlywith visitors, and the handful of luxurylodges catering to the mostly NorthAmerican tourist groups chargeexhorbitant prices, making a long staya very difficult proposal indeed for theseriously motivated visitor. A touch-and-go brief trip is obviously out of thequestion, given the remoteness of Yasuni
continued on page 21 ›
A pair ofunidentified or
possibly undescribedmating Monkeyface
grasshoppers(Eumastacidae) offera wonderful display
of metallic hues.
18
Left, theCommon boaBoa constrictoris one of thelargest reptilianpredators of theEcuadorianAmazon - adults of thisimpressive,heavy-bodiedspecies canreach a lengthof over 4.5meters / 15 feetand a weight of27 kgs / 60 lbs.Right, anOrange-wingedParrot Amazonaamazonica,often hunted for food andpersecuted asan agriculturalpest.
19
A large LanceheadPit viper Bothrops atrox -
Central and SouthernAmerica’s most feared
snake - lies in ambush bya forest trail, perfectlycamouflaged among
the decaying leaf litter.
Waiting in silent ambush, coils readyto spring from a bed of dead leaves
20
Far left, a largeHumboldt'sWoolly MonkeyLagothrixlagotricha male.This is one of themost impressivemonkey speciesin Yasuni, butgood sightingssuch as this oneare rare in the rainforestenvironment.Left, the strikingbeauty of anAmazonianPalm viperBothriopsisbilineata - anuncommonencounter.
21
and the overwhelming abundance of itsphotographic subjects. We wereextremely lucky as our friends at TropicalHerping were able to secure us a stay atthe Yasuni Research Station (EstacionCientifica Yasuni) built and maintainedby the Pontificia Universidad Catolicadel Ecuador (PUCE) - an immaculatecomplex right in the middle of the forestwhich is strictly reserved to students,researchers and biologists. It’s exactlythe kind of accomodation we cherish,but keep in mind one has to forward ascientific/documentation project to beapproved by PUCE to be able to staythere - the Station does not cater to theoccasional visitor or tourist. A widenetwork of long, well-kept and self-guided forest trails radiates from theResearch Station - other options forwildlife photography include anobservation tower whose top reachesthe forest canopy and a pair ofmotorized canoes to explore (at a price)the nearby Tiputini river.
A WELL-DESERVEDREPUTATION
Does Yasuni stand up to its awesomereputation? Yes - with someexceptions. Biodiversity in the area istruly staggering - walking in therainforest here means finding a new,different species at literally every step- be it amphibian, reptile, insect orplant. The variety of shapes and colorsis stunning, and the examples ofcamouflage and mimicry displayed by
continued on page 25 ›
Exquisitely camouflagedamong the dead leaves on theforest floor, a South American
Common Toad Rhinellamargaritifera is almost
impossible to spot.
22
A mixed group of Pieris and Itabalia (withone single Papilio species on the left side)butterflies is feeding on soil minerals - acommon and enchanting morning sight in Yasuni’s rainforest open patches.
Thousands ofmulticolored
butterfliesfluttering
everywhere
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Top left, a Day Tiger Moth(Arctiidae); top right, anEighty, Paulogramma peristera(Biblidinae). Bottom left, aParides sp. butterfly; bottomright, a Clearwing Moth(Arctiidae: Ctenuchinae).
24
A trio of Scarce BambooPage butterflies Philaethriadido feed on soil minerals.Large numbers of butterfliescongregate on wet sandypatches in the morning.
is 25
a large number of species is absolutelymind-blowing. Exploring the foresttrails at night is even more surprising -wearing a headlamp will attract somany moths of all sizes that actuallyswallowing one accidentally or gettingone flapping up one’s nostrils is rathercommon! Insect life is incredibly rich -we have found ourselves literallycovered with spectacular butterfliesduring the day when stopping close tosome mineral-rich sandy spots, and theplace is pure heaven for katydid andgrasshopper lovers, with manyundescribed species. Depending onthe point of view, Yasuni can also bean arachnophile’s dream or anarachnophobiac’s nightmare - wehave never seen anywhere else suchan enormous quantity of spiders -mostly very large, very hairy andcaught in the act of devouringsomething else! Several beautiful treefrog species are commonly observedduring night walks, while manyincredibly colorful dendrobatids hophere and there on the forest floorduring daytime. Careful observationwill also provide exceptional snakeencounters - common and rainbowboas and above all the ubiquitous andhighly dangerous Lancehead Pit viperBothrops atrox can be expectedanywhere, especially at night. It goeswithout saying that walking here -especially at night - requires great careto avoid extremely unpleasant andpossibly life-threatening accidents.
continued on page 28 ›
Alien-looking and brilliantlycolored, a Monkeyfacegrasshopper belonging to the family Eumastacidae.Yasuni is home to animmense number of speciesstill undescribed by science.
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Top left, a Spiny Katydid Panacanthus cuspidatus; top right, a notodontid moth. Bottom left, an AmericanSilkworm Moth Quentalia sp. (Apatelodidae); bottom right, a Leaf-mimic katydid (Tettigoniidae).
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The South American Tapir Tapirus terrestris isrelentlessly hunted everywhere in the Amazon - thisbeautiful female is completely wild but will occasionallyappear in the vicinity of the Estacion Cientifica Yasuni.
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This exceptional, overwhelmingrichness of life - which is truly uniqueby any standards - is also howevermirrored by the microscopic universe,and Yasuni is both a microbiologist’sdream come true and a high-risklocation regarding the occurrence ofdangerous tropical parasites anddiseases such as leishmaniosis orChagas’ disease. We didn’t catchany of those luckily, but our anklesand calves still bear the scars left by amyriad invisible rainforest mites,which, undeterred by long trousersand knee-high socks, inflict biteswhich cause first an unbearably itchyswelling and then a festering sorewhich won’t heal for several months.Ticks, mosquitoes and dangerouswasps are also prevalent - Yasuni iscertainly no place for those unwillingto deal with bugs, as the rest of theAmazon basin in fact. Thispermanent, ever-pervading cascadeof life forms everywhere makes it allmore noticeable however the
continued on page 32 ›
This stunning Metallic Green Rhinoceros Beetle Oxysternonconspicillatum was being attacked by dozens of ticks when we
found it - some can be spotted between the joints of its front legs.
29
Extreme left, an unidentifiedPraying Mantis in threat posture;
center, two undescribedAcridiidae grasshoppers mating;
left, a Jumping Stick Apioscelissp. (Proscopiidae)
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A gruesome dramaunfolds on the forest flooras a large cicada is beingattacked by a swarm ofarmy ants. Careful, patientobservation will reveal a multitude of similaroccurrences everywherein tropical rainforests.
31
Left, a trio ofProboscis Bats
Rhynchonycterisnaso roost on a tree
trunk by the RioTiputini; right, a rareclose encounter with
a spectacularScarlet Macaw Ara
macao, an imposingand iconic
but normally verywary species.
32
unmistakable scarci ty of largerspecies, even more so than one wouldnormally expect in any rainforestenvironment - such habitats arenotoriously difficult anywhere in theworld for the sighting of terrestrialmammals or canopy-dwelling birds,for instance. Some investigation anda few pressing questions provided theanswer for this riddle - anything edible(Black and Spectacled caimans, rivertur t les, monkeys, birds, largemammals such as tapirs) is beingruthlessly hunted by the Waoranis,which have abandoned thetradit ional, sustainable huntingmethods by trap and blowpipe andare now being abundantly providedwith guns, ammunition and boatengines by the oil companies rentingtheir ancestral grounds for drillingand extraction. According to what wewere told, the problem has become soserious that some of the mostexpensive tourist lodges will actuallypay the local Waorani families toavoid having the animals on theirgrounds being killed and eaten - toavoid losing a precious source ofrevenue. Accorded by Ecuadorianlaw a protected status - being partand parcel of the natural environmentof Yasuni - but having now forgottentheir traditional ways, the Waoranis -which number in total less than 4.000individuals - have now become theirown world’s worst enemies, withalcoholism, gambling and prostitution
One morespectacularlycolorful dendrobatidfrog from Yasuni’srainforest floor - thisis an EcuadorianPoison FrogAmeerega bilinguis.
continued on page 37 ›
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Left, a juvenile TreeFrog Osteocephalussp.; right, a Tiger-striped Leaf FrogPhyllomedusatomopterna. Bottomleft, a Bassler'sHumming FrogChiasmocleisbassleri: bottomright, a Peter's DwarfFrog Engystomopspetersi.
34
A Brown SipoChironius fuscus
glides effortlesslyamong the forest
canopy branches.This is a fast, active,
non-venomouscolubrid predator.
A graceful, fast dartgliding among therainforest foliage
35
Left, a Leaf-footed Bug(Coreidae); middle, aLepidoptera pupa in agraceful, lace-like, self-createdprotective casing; far right, anunidentified / undescribedbug, possibly a Reduviidae.
An Amazonian Palmviper Bothriopsis bilineatain ambush mode on a lichen-covered treebranch. This is a muchsought-after species whichis however very difficult to spot in the forestenvironment.
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running rampant along the forestroads opened by the oil companiesand with the rainforest’s naturalresources being mindlesslysquandered for money, liquor orweapons. Fierce warriors and proneto solving disputes by violence (theyapparently are the ethnic group withthe highest rate of homicides andviolent deaths in the world), theWaoranis won’t be easily relocatedsomewhere else or accepted by othertribes, as they are highly feared - northey wil l be easily convinced toaccept the fact that animal prey is notinf ini te. The damage has beenirr imediably done once the oi lcompanies penetrated in their territoryand the Waoranis (then called Aucas)lost forever their virginity, and theproblem seems almost impossible tosolve now - but the tragic fact is thatthe signs of an unbearably highhunting pressure are very evident (atleast in the area we explored), aslarge animals are extremely wary,have turned nocturnal or havedisappeared alltogether. This makesphotographing them even moredifficult than it normally is in the usualrainforest conditions, which areprohibitive at the very least. Besidesthe interesting moral implications ofthis conundrum - should anyindigenous people be allowed todestroy their own ancestral grounds,to which they owe their own protectedstatus? - the fact remains that Yasuni
A White-linedleaf frog
Phyllomedusavaillantii. Far left, a Jumping Spider
Capidava sp.,(Salticidae)
with its forestcockroach prey.
continued on page 42 ›
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Yasuni counts anenormous numberof impressivespider species,which can mostlybe observed atnight. Left, a GiantWandering SpiderCupiennius sp.,(Ctenidae),feeding on itsgrasshopper prey;right, anotherGiant WanderingSpider Cupienniussp. (Ctenidae)shows itscannibalistic habitsas it feeds onanother largespider it has justcaptured.
39
Left, a GoldenOrb SpiderEriophora sp.;right, a very largePink-toed TarantulaAviculariaavicularia. Thislatter species canget as big as a spread adulthuman hand andis capable oflighting-fast burstsof speed whencatching its prey. It feeds on largeinsects, lizards,frogs, small snakesand the occasionalrodent or bird.
40
A close-up of an unusuallycolorful and large AmblypigidWhip Scorpion Heterophrynussp., (Phrynidae). This nocturnalarthropod is rather common in
Central and South America.
A living death trapwaiting in ambush on the forest floor
Top left, a Pink-toedTarantula Aviculariaavicularia; top right,an unusual dorsalview of a well-camouflaged LubberGrasshopper(Romaleidae). Bottom left, aHuntsman SpiderOlios sp.(Sparassidae),assuming its typicaldefensive posture;bottom right, astrangely-ornamentedTreehopper,Bocydium sp.
41
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National Park ful ly deser ves i tsreputation as one of the world’sbiodiversity hotspots, and as such itneeds the highest degree of protection- both from i ts own corruptedindigenous people and from theircorruptors, the mult inational oi lcompanies which invaded these landsand did the damage in the first place.The careful “greenwashing” and thepublic relations so carefully put inplace by the national and internationaloi l companies operating insideYasuni’s borders since 1937 cannot
hide the awful truth - irreversibledamage is being done, and yet therest of the world with its unquenchablethirst for oil has to accept ultimateresponsibility for it. Is there still hopefor Yasuni’s wildlife? .
DON’T MISS THE SECONDINSTALLMENT OF OUR
YASUNI STORY – COMING INOCTOBER 2012 ON ISSUE 8 OF
ANIMA MUNDI –ADVENTURES IN WILDLIFE
PHOTOGRAPHY!
A large Spectacledcaiman Caiman crocodilus.This species - very common
elsewhere - has now becomedifficult to spot in several areas
of Yasuni due to huntingpressure and disturbance.
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Animals of Yasuni Forest and skies The observation tower The Lancehead Pit viper The Rio TiputiniANIMA MUNDI
ON
Click on theimages and watch
six short videosabout YasuniNational Park and its wildlife
The White-lined leaf frogPhyllomedusa vaillantii is one
of Yasuni’s most spectaculartree frog species.
The Research Station
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Yasuni’s forest offersan endless variety ofplants and fruits.Colorful berries, tinymushroom growingfrom rotting leaves and many-hued leavescreate a complextapestry ofindescribable beauty.
A new Giant fern leaf isunfurling - one cannot help
but admiring its delicate yet extremely complex
structural detail.
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Delicate lace-like structures unfurling in the shade of the forest
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Flowering treescan be seldomobserved in theclosed forestcanopyenvironment - theone at left wasspotted during aboat trip on theRio Tiputini. Right,a Black AgoutiDasyproctafuliginosa, arather commonspecies and one of Yasuni’s largestrodents. Agoutisare widely huntedfor their meat.
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Far left, a White-lined leaf frog Phyllomedusavaillantii; middle, a Jaguar Tree FrogDendropsophus bifurcus; right, a SouthAmerican Common Toad Rhinellamargaritifera. Yasuni is a dream destinationfor those interested in frogs and toads.
Also featured on this issue’scover, this is a Giant Broad-
headed Treefrog Osteocephalustaurinus, one of Yasuni’s largest
tree frog species. It can be easilyidentified by its brilliantly
patterned green eyes.
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Yasuni’s warm andhumid environment isideal for frog species
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Left, a solitaryforest wasp buildsits cardboard nest.Right, a detaileddorsal view of alarge HarlequinLonghorn beetle(Cerambycidae).Yasuni’s warm andmoist environmenthosts an enormousnumber of insectspecies - many ofwhich are stillunnamed andunknown toscience - andresearch within thePark is constantlybeing carried outby Ecuadorian andforeign biologists.
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Antonella cautiously approaches a 180cm / 6 feet longLancehead Pit viper Bothrops atrox, a beautiful but verydangerous species which is responsible for the majority of snakebite incidents in Central and Southern America.
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A close-up portrait of the Bothrops atrox from theprevious page - notice the heat-sensitive pits between theeye and the nostril. A mosquito hovers by - a constant,bothersome presence in Amazonia’s rainforest.
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Colors and structuraldetails from Yasuni - a rainforest view, a close-upof a Scarlet Macaw Ara macao’s technicoloredwing feathers, the folds of a palm leaf.
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Frogs which can move among treeswith the agility of a monkey
The deliberate, gracefulpose of a striding White-lined leaf frog Phyllomedusavaillantii belies the rapidityof its movements.
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Life and death areseamlessly interwined
everywhere in Yasuni’sexuberant, fluid
environment. Left, amoth has turned intoan organic sculpture
after having beencolonized and killed
by a Cordycepsparasitic fungus; right,
a butterfly alightswithout fear on
Antonella’s hand .
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USEFUL TIPS FOR YOUR EXPEDITIONSome simple, common sense, field-tested advice and information to make the best out of your trip and avoid hassles, worries and problemsROUTE: Your international flight will land atMariscal Sucre International Airport, smack in themiddle of Ecuador’s high-altitude capital Quito. Fromthere it’s a day-long drive to the town of Coca. Thefollowing morning you’ll drive to the crossing of theRio Napo, and after that you’ll have to go throughthe strict entrance procedures set by the oilcompanies before driving through the forest all theway to the Estacion Cientifica Yasuni. Getting to thelodges may require slightly different itineraries.
MEANS OF TRANSPORT: Visiting Yasuni withoutlocal help is almost impossible, and it might actuallyeven be problematic. For a well-organized and
successful trip we can heartily recommend theservices of our friends Lucas Bustamante-Enriquezand Alejandro Arteaga of Tropical Herping - twoyoung, enthusiastic Quito biologists with a keeninterest in nature, wildlife and photography.
CURRENCY: Since the year 2000 Ecuador hasopted not to have a national currency of its own – alltransactions are done in US dollars.
ACCOMODATION: Yasuni offers several beautifultourist lodges, usually set in strategic locations andoffering reliable wildlife sightings in their ownprivate reserves inside the Park. The best-known
ones include Sani Lodge, Sacha Lodge and theNapo Wildlife Center , but they are usually veryexpensive and are best chosen for a 2-3 daysluxurious stay - perfect for the casual visitor buthardly ideal for the serious wildlife photographer.Several Waorani communities are now also offeringsimple, relatively inexpensive accomodation.
FOOD: Simple but basically healthy and filling.Ecuadorians love soups (try the delicious Locro deQueso – potatoes, cheese and avocado), meats andfish and are blessed all-year round with fantasticvegetables and fruit. The type of food you’ll behaving in Yasuni really depends however on the type
At-a-glance travel guideCOUNTRY OF DESTINATION: ECUADOR
of accomodation you have chosen - that of theYasuni Research Station is abundant, healthy and -most importantly in this kind of environment -perfectly sanitized. No health worries there!
LANGUAGE: Ecuadorian Spanish and English.
WORRIES: Ecuador used to have a pretty bad (andrather well-deserved) reputation regarding streetmuggings and tourist-related crimes. Things aremuch better now, but - like in so many other big citiesworldwide - it’s always better to be accompanied bylocal friends when visiting Quito’s beautiful historicalareas. When in Yasuni - as in any other truly wildequatorial/tropical rainforest environment - you’llhave to be really careful with venomous snakes andstinging insects such as wasps and ants. Ticks andmites can also be very bothersome. In any case,never wander alone in the forest, especially at night.
HEALTH: This is a sticky subject, as Yasuni - like therest of the Amazon Basin - is a hotbed of tropicaldiseases and dangerous parasitic ailments. Younever know what you can catch in the Amazon assome diseases haven’t even been named yet, but toenter the Park you’ll need a Yellow Fever certificate,and the danger of catching Leishmaniosis (a veryserious, disf iguring disease transmit ted byphlebotomine sandflies) is quite real, especially inwaterlogged areas. Never forget to use insectrepellant and remember to wear long-leggedtrousers and long-sleeved shirts, always! Landing inQuito (2.800 meters, 9000 feet) upon one’s arrivalmight also cause al t i tude sickness to theunaccustomed, so it’s advisable to plan spending acouple of days there to better acclimatize. Food isgenerally quite safe, but when touring the Countryavoid street-stalls snacks and always make sure yourdrinks have been concocted with bottled water.
CLIMATE: Ecuador - especially at altitude - isblessed with an eternal spring, and they say one canexperience the four seasons in a single day in Quito.Climate in Yasuni however is very hot and humid,with frequent torrential downpours and strong sunlight.
BESIDES: Don’t forget to visit the historical center ofthe capital Quito, which has been extensively andlovingly restored and features some spectacularexamples of colonial architecture from the Spanishdomination. Ecuador is a rather small butexceptionally diverse Country, and it’s almostimpossible summarizing it in a few lines – a fewhours’s travelling will have one passing through high-altitude plateaus and valleys, stunning Andeanlandscapes and elfin cloud forests – descending tothe dry Pacific coast (and the Galapagos Islands) ifgoing West and to the rainforest of the Amazon -including Yasuni - if going East. .
This is pure, undiluted Amazon rainforest at its stunning best
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“My experience was EXCEPTIONAL! The trip exceeded my expectationsin all areas. I hoped to get in a position to see owls and couldn’t possibly have been happier. It was abundantly clear that David invested significant time and effort prior to the arrival of the group in scouting the area around Quebec and Ontario. He knew exactly where to go to find every species of owl. His knowledge and efforts were very much apprecia-ted by the entire group. My primary objective was just getting in a position to photograph owls and was not expec-ting much in the way of photographic instruction. I was very pleasantly surprised and was very happy with the instruction. Prior to the trip I had a love/hate relationship with auto focus as it applies to photographing birds in flight. I’ve struggled with this for years. While I have a lot more to
learn, and need to work at honing my skills, the trip with NPA helped me tremendously in being able to photo-graph birds in flight. Photographing birds in flight was my main objective. Prior to the trip I was nearly clueless in comparison to my skills after the trip. You can also see from my bird list that I found the trip productive from a birding perspective as well”.Kevin McCarthy, USA “I recommend NPA workshops! The level of services by workshop leaders was excellent. Quality of photographic instruction was exceptional and they
were always on hand to solve issues that arose, and I had more than my share of equipment issues. Quality of wildlife provided was good and I was amazed at how easily the subjects accepted new setups provided. Locations visited were right on for the spices targeted. My most memorable moment was using the flash setups the first time and capturing an image of the Swordbill Hummingbird. I feel that my level of photography has improved with the custom functions that were set up on my camera for me and the resulting images that I obtained. Overall experience and
expectations were achieved and we were fortunate to have a very compatible group on our tour, which made it very enjoyable. This was my first workshop and I would recommend them to friends”. Rosemary Harris, Canada “Great trip, great experience and great workshop leader. Great opportunity for capturing images of magnificent and uncommon (in southern USA) birds. Organizers contribute to great group dynamics and superb attitude. Cool techniques”. Eric Grossman, USA
Canada: Newfoundland - Puffins & Gannets l British Columbia - Spirit Bears l Alberta - Black Bears & Elk l Churchill - Breeding Arctic Birds and Polar Bears l Ontario & Quebec - Snowy Owls and Great Gray Owls United States: Alaska - Kodiak Bears & Bald Eagles l Florida - Raptors Asia: Borneo - Orangutans, Proboscis Monkey, Broadbills l India - Bengal Tigers and birds Africa: Botswana - Chobe River - Elephants and Hippos l Kenya &
Tanzania South Africa - African Penguins and the Big 5 Central & South America: Peru - Machu Picchu and The Amazon l Costa Rica - Hummingbirds l Brazil - The Pantanal & Jaguars
NATURE’S PHOTO ADVENTURESPhotographic Learning Travel Adventures
[email protected]://www.naturesphotoadventures.com
“Our goal at Nature’s Photo Adventures is to lead instructional photographic workshops
to the some of the world’s most beautiful and unspoiled destinations while providing a rewarding and educational learning experience”.
“We strive to exceed your expectations, taking you
on an adventure and a once in a lifetime experience. Explore nature, share, learn and develop new levels of photographic
skills and leave with fantastic photographs and wonderful memories and new found friends.”
David Hemmings - President, Nature’s Photo Adventures
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WorldWideWondersWorldWideWonders
A photographic journey across some of North America’s most iconic landscapes - revisited through the eyes of an unbiased traveller
A TRIP TO THE COLORADO PLATEAU AND THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS
SAND, SNOW AND SKYSAND, SNOW AND SKYA TRIP TO THE COLORADO PLATEAU AND THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS
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Twilight at Sand Dunes National Park.(Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm, 1/2s, F11, ISO 100, Solidex tripod)
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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY RAFAEL E. CÁRDENAS
Dunes fingerprint detail. Sand Dunes National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Macro 50mm, 1/100s, F14, ISO 400)
≠bout this portfolio: In May2011, I travelled from Quito, Ecuador, toFort Collins, Colorado, United States, to visitmy girlfriend. The State encompasses muchof the Rocky Mountains, as well as thenortheastern portion of the ColoradoPlateau and the western edge of the GreatPlains. In ten days, we visited the SandDunes National Park, The RockyMountains, the Arches National Park andthe Canyonlands (both in Utah State), andthe so-called “Natural Areas” in and out ofthe city of Fort Collins.My first impression discovering Nearcticnature was how "easy" could be to findwild fauna in this region. In Ecuador, it isquite hard to find yourself face to face ofa big mammal unless it is a cow! In thetropics, even common animals seem to bemore shy and are thus harder toappreciate, and of course, to photograph.The whole trip was scheduled to last amonth, and photography was just asmall part of it. I would say we spent25% of the total time in nature lookingfor wildlife. However, I found that it wasphotographically highly productive.Animals we found are catalogued as"common", so I t r ied to brief lyunderstand their behavior and get somemore "uncommon" angles.My second impression was how longbeautiful crepuscular light can last: forhours! In the tropics, dawn and sunsets arehighly ephemeral, and direct sunbeams
make light-contrast difficult to handle. I wasjust delighted to have such soft light forenough time to keep trying bettercompositions. I also found that inside atemperate forest there is some more lightcompared to tropical forests, whereepiphytes cover canopy gaps.My third impression, and something thatshocked me more than anything else, wasthe mortifying and uncontrollablepresence of the pine beetle,Dendroctonus ponderosae, a weevil-family insect that lays its eggs under thebark of mature pine trees. Every year,pine beetle outbreaks destroy thousandsof square kilometers of coniferous forestsecosystems in North America, includingvast areas of the Rocky Mountains. It wasvery sad to see such immense"evergreen" or coniferous forestscompletely devastated.Scientists predict that this impact mayconvert the forests from a small net carbonsink to a large net carbon sourcecontributing to global warming. Leadingecologists consider that climate changehas contributed to the unprecedentedextent and severity of pine beetleoutbreaks. Astonishingly, U.S. NationalPark information centers do not explainevidences of the role of climate change inthese abnormal insect outbreaks, thushiding from the people the fact that thisunfortunate phenomenon is one of theconsequences of negative human actions. .
A
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The Canyonlands National Park preserves a reddish landscape eroded into countless, nooks and rock pillars of all different sizes. This ACME® trademark landscape made me feel like I was in “The Coyote and The Road Runner” cartoon, but I never saw either. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm, 1/250s, F13, ISO 100)
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Canyonlands National Park typical landscape. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm, 1/250s, F13, ISO 100)
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The “Balanced Rock” in the Arches National Park is a rock that has a volume equivalent to three city buses!(Olympus E-5, Zuiko Wide angle Zoom 11-22mm, 1/100s, F16, ISO 100)
Contrasting landscapes in the Arches National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm, 1/1000s, F10, ISO 250)
Trees, shrubs and grasses seem to emerge from the rock in search of little holes to hold on to. Canyonlands National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Wide angle Zoom 11-22mm, 1/200s, F16, ISO 200)
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Details of a spiny lizard Sceloporus sp.(Phrynosomatidae). Sand Dunes National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Macro 50mm + 20mm extension tube, 1/320s, F9, ISO 320)
More hardy vegetation from the demanding environment of the Canyonlands National Park.(Olympus E-5, Zuiko Wide angle Zoom 11-22mm, 1/200s, F16, ISO 200)
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The American Antelope Antilocapra americana. This female belongs to a herd of about 8 antelope that were grazing near the campinggrounds. I started to follow them until the alpha-male, showing obvious signs of distress, told me to go away. I did. Sand Dunes National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm + 1.4x teleconverter, 1/640s, F11, ISO 200, Solidex tripod)
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American White Pelicans can be found in fresh water lakes on the inlands of North America.In winter, they migrate to the warmer Eastern and Western coasts. The Rocky Mountains. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm + 1.4x teleconverter, 1/1000s, F7.1, ISO 200)
Just outside of the city of Fort Collins, wild animals are fighting to survive. This fox Vulpes sp. found a prey and jumped unsuccessfully to try to catch it.(Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm + 1.4x teleconverter, 1/1000s, F4.9, ISO 400)
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Sand, rock and water dunes. Sand Dunes National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Wide angle Zoom 11-22mm, 1/160s, F18, ISO 200)
The top of the sand dunes can be a very windy place.Sand Dunes National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Wide angle Zoom11-22mm, 1/400s, F14, ISO 200)
Tourist in the Eye. Arches National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Macro 50mm, 1/160s, F9, ISO 100)
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Dunes fingerprint. Sand Dunes National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Macro 50mm, 1/100s, F14, ISO 400)
Sand, rock and water dunes. Sand Dunes National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Wide angle Zoom 11-22mm, 1/160s, F18, ISO 200)
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Although spring arrived late in 2011, birds started looking for material early on to construct their nests.The Rocky Mountains. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm + 1.4x teleconverter, 1/800s, F9, ISO 320)
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Jelly pond, Canyonlands National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Macro 50mm, 1/3200s, F5.6, ISO 400)
Temperate forest, Sand Dunes National Park.(Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm, 1/400s, F6.3, ISO 400)
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Caducifolia forest, Sand Dunes National Park. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm, 1/400s, F5, ISO 400)
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The Rocky Mountains. Low clouds blanket the ecological disaster and make this dead forest seem to be a healthy one.(Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm, 1/250s, F10, ISO 320, Solidex tripod)
The Disaster. From Canada to Mexico, pine beetles destroy thousands of millions of hectares of coniferous forests every year. The Rocky Mountains. (Olympus E-5, Zuiko Telephoto Zoom 50-200mm, 1/80s, F8, ISO 320, Solidex tripod)
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Portfolio
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - and this young promising Italian author sees it everywhere, as this glorious gallery shows.Discover through his images the wonderful, under-appreciated, endangered universe of Southern Europe’s natural world
Born in 1988, graduated in Natural Sciences, I’vealways loved nature and animals in particular. In1999 I started taking photographs (the first shot I’vetaken depicted a wasp building her nest) with myfather, who taught me how to use his camera, aNikon F70. Since then, reading lots of publicationsin various languages (Italian works are very scarce,so I usually read English, Spanish and French onestoo) permitted me to improve my knowledge aboutanimals behaviour and ecology; furthermore, I continuously keep on looking at otherphotographers’ work, as I think that from them I canlearn what to (and mostly what not to) do in order toget good shots - that doesn’t mean to copy them, of course, but to learn more about techniques. Myequipment ranges from wide-angle lenses to a zoomtelephoto lens, including macro lenses, extensiontubes, flashes and more; nowadays I’m using adigital camera (Nikon D700). My favourite subjectsare reptiles and amphibians, due to various reasons:first of all, they are just beautiful; secondly, they area quite free “photographic niche” in my country, asmost of photographers concentrate themselves onmammals and birds; and, last but not least, theseanimals are still victims of prejudice and killings, so
photographs can be a way to sensitize peopletowards them. Among my favourite subjects I’d alsoadd invertebrates, arachnids in particular; lookingfor them here and there permitted me to alsodiscover something interesting or new andoccasionally publish it on scientific papers. I also likemammals and birds, of course, but in such ananthropized country, their behaviour is very shy,apart from a few exceptions, and my 70-200 mm isnot always generous in these cases (I’d need moretime to concentrate myself only on them). I also takeunderwater photographs: after several years usingthe glorious analogical Nikonos V, I’ve started usingan underwater housing for a digital camera, withtwo flashes. I usually take underwater shots in themajestic, secretive and magical atmospheres ofnorth-western Sardinian underwater caves, but I alsolove freshwater life, such as trout, river crabs andcrayfish. Among plants, my favourite species belongto wild orchids and carnivorous plants. I think thatcuriosity and passion should drive people to feelawe for natural environments; in my opinion, in agood shot the vision of the photographer could actas a filter, through which even the “uglier” subject (ifany actually exist) becomes attractive.
www.calosoma.it
Marco Colombo – a Wildlife Photographer in His Own Words
Mediterranean Marvels76
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Spallanzani’s mantid(Ameles spallanzania), August 2009,
Sardinia, Italy. Nikon D700, 105mm/f2.8, extension tubes, no flash,
1/13 f3.5, ISO 400, handheld.While looking for an intriguing cornerduring nocturnal landscape shots, myeye was caught by the shape of this
small mantid on a branch. As thelatter was quite high, the temptationof aligning my eye, the mantid and
the full moon was strong.
Portfolio 78
Heart-flowered tongue-orchid (Serapias cordigera), May 2011, Liguria, Italy. Nikon D700, 70-200 mm/f2.8, extension tubes, no flash, 1/6400 f3.5, ISO 200, tripod.Wild orchids are wonderful little jewels, endangered by anthropization in many Italian areas.This tongue-orchid attracted me as a silhouette in the dawn light. In fact, I earned a nice stiffneck aligning the flowers with the sun, lying in strange poses in the grassland. (1)
Trapdoor spider (Cteniza sauvagesi) catching isopod (Armadillidium sp.), April 2009,Sardinia, Italy. Nikon D700, 105 mm/f2.8, R1C1 flash system and SB600 flash, 1/100 f22, ISO 200, remote controller. This shot is the result of a quite long period of study of the behaviour of Sardinian trapdoor spiders, incredibly fascinating species with an outstanding predatory behaviour and ecology. Before taking this photograph, many attempts failed, as the spider attack is sudden and without forewarning. (2)
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Ischyropsalidae(Ischyropsalis sp.),
October 2011,Lombardy, Italy. NikonD700, 105 mm/f2.8,
extension tubes, R1C1 flash system,1/50 f5, ISO 200,
handheld. Harvestmenseldom attract wildlife
photographers, but this genus
is beautiful and veryinteresting: chelicera
are well developed in thorny pincers,
which are used to catchsmall invertebrates,
including snails.
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Portfolio
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Greater horseshoe bat(Rhinolophus ferrum-equinum),April 2009, Sardinia, Italy.Nikon D700, 105 mm/f2.8,R1C1 flash system, 1/30 f22, ISO 200, handheld. It is always important, when exploring caves, oldgalleries or mines, to not disturb bats. In some cases,however, it is possible to take a couple of shots without wakingthem up, such as in this littlegallery, where at least threehorseshoe bat speciesalternatively hide in differentperiods of the year. (1)
Turkish gecko(Hemidactylus turcicus), August 2011, Sardinia, Italy.Nikon D700, 105 mm/f2.8,R1C1 flash system, 1/200 f40, ISO 400, handheld. It’s not always easy to have a good backlight whenphotographing vertebrates.However, in this case, a fortuitous regulation of theflash system and camerasettings permitted me to have a “lit-from-within” effect of the gecko. (2)
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PPoorrttffoolliioo
By-the-wind sailors (Velella velella), April 2010, Sardinia, Italy. Nikon D700,
105 mm/f2.8, no flash, 1/13 f22, ISO200, tripod. Flowing is a natural feature.
Life and death follow each other, and a huge hydrozoan stranding gives
a blue colour to their end in the backwash.
Common Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus), June 2011, Liguria, Italy. Nikon D700, 28-70 mm/f3.5-4.5, R1C1 flash system, 1/160f14, ISO 200, handheld. Ancient symbol of medicine according to Greeks,this snake can still be observed on pharmacies’ signs. It is a beautiful,harmless species that can be found on branches but also on the ground, as this unusually yellow specimen observed on the pebbly shore of a river. (1)
European hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), August 2009, Sardinia, Italy. Nikon D700, 105 mm/f2.8, R1C1 flash system, 1/30 f32,ISO 200, handheld. Hedgehogs usually move at night-time, looking for small invertebrates to eat. When discovered, they often roll up in order to hide their weak points, such as the tender snout. (2)
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Languedoc’s scorpion(Buthus occitanus), January
2010, Provence, France.Nikon D700, 105 mm/f2.8,
SB600 flash, 1/50 f45, ISO 200, handheld.
At night many creatures come out from their shelters.
This beautiful species is one of the most venomous
scorpions in Europe, although its sting
only causes local effects.
Portfolio84
Horned viper (Vipera ammodytes), April 2010, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy. Nikon D700,105 mm/f2.8, no flash, 1/80 f6.3, ISO 200, handheld. Vipers are very charismaticanimals, but horned vipers in particular are brilliant. The function of the little horn on theirsnout hasn’t been clearly explained yet, although some theories say that it makes their lookmore “evil” against predators. The ashen elegance of this specimen captivated me whilelying in the karst areas of north-eastern Italy where this species lives. (1)
Round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), July 2010, Lombardy, Italy. Nikon D700, 105 mm /f2.8, extension tubes, no flash, 1/40 f14, ISO 200, handheld. Carnivorous plants are fascinating evolutive examples of plants catching insects in various ways. This beautiful but very tiny species lives in mountain peat bogs, where it catches small flying insects through little sticky drops, recalling dew. (2)
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Grass snake (Natrix natrix),June 2010, Lombardy, Italy.
Nikon D700, 70-200 mm/f2.8, no flash, 1/1.6 f18, ISO 200, tripod.Not so far from home, it is possible to find real “jungle corners”, as someone told me about this one. The polished pebbles, the reddish roots, the flowing water, and the beautiful snake, all together. This photograph won the “Animal portraits” category in the prestigious Veolia Environment Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011 contest.
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Scorpion (Euscorpius concinnus), June 2009, Liguria, Italy. Nikon D700, 105 mm/f2.8, R1C1 flash system, 1/6 f22, ISO 200, handheld.
Italy hosts at least nine scorpion species, and one of them is this black one,fairly common in the woodlands and little towns of central and southern
regions. In this photograph I wanted to show a wall of “light flames”,recalling the real fires that devour and destroy Mediterranean habitats every
summer, with a huge loss of biodiversity.
Red sea star (Echinaster sepositus), August 2011,Sardinia, Italy. Nikon D90, 28-70mm/f.3.5-4.5, Isotta housing, Nikonos flashes, 1/13 f16, ISO 200,handheld. I love depicting movements of nature, and a strong backwash, enriched by the warm colours of the sea star, permitted me to take this shot, whilestruggling to not report injuries against sharp rocks.
Portfolio87
Cone-head mantid(Empusa pennata), May 2009,
Sardinia, Italy. Nikon D700, 16 mm/f2.8 fisheye, extension tube,
R1C1 flash system, 1/80 f22, ISO 200, handheld. Undoubtedly the most beautiful Italian mantid,
this species is usually found in quite dry habitats, such as the
Mediterranean maquis. Young stages are characterized
by a curly abdomen, as well as the typical horn on the head
(also observable on adults).
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Mouflon (Ovis [orientalis] musimon), October 2010,Lombardy, Italy. Nikon D700, 70-200 mm/f2.8, 1.4xconverter, SB600 flash, 1/160 f6.3, ISO 800, handheld.Mouflons are wonderful wild sheep that have beenintroduced to Lombardy in the seventies, due to huntingreasons; here, they suffer strong snowfalls and competewith local ungulates. Wearing a mimetic suit, I was ableto observe fighting males, courtship and parental cares;in this occasion, the old male looked at me in aninterrogative way, during the “flehmen” (curling of the upper lip in order to better perceive female’s smell),just before going on with its hot pursuit of partners.
Common eiders (Somateria mollissima), February 2011, Lombardy, Italy. Nikon D700, 70-200 mm/f2.8, 1.4x converter, no flash,
1/500 f5, ISO 200, handheld. Very common in northern Europe, eiders are quite rare to be seen in Italy (only as migratory specimens
for short periods). However, two males settled some years ago in a single locality, and did remain there, courting mallard females (Anas
platyrhyncos) and competing each other for them with their funny displays.
Portfolio
Yellow-leggedgull
(Larus michaellis),April 2010,
Sardinia, Italy.Nikon D700, 70-
200 mm/f2.8,1.4x converter,
no flash, 1/800f8, ISO 200,
handheld. Yellow-legged gulls
are becomingmore and more
common inanthropized
environs, althoughit is still possible
to find them at the seaside. This confident
specimen inspiredme with its grave
look and nobleprofile.
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Red nightDecember 2010, Sardinia,
Italy. Nikon D700, 20mm/f2.8, no flash, 30sec.
f2.8, ISO 500, multipleexposures, torch, tripod.
Nocturnal landscapes are notalways moon and stars.
Sometimes, light pollution canbe used as advantage and
addition to create a particularatmosphere; in this case,
the red mammillated clouds fit well with the rocky outcrop
just behind a beach, that I illuminated using a torch
in order to give a moremajestic impression.
Portfolio91
Long-snouted sea horse
(Hippocampus guttulatus),August 2009, Sardinia,
Italy. Nikonos V, 35 mm/f2.8, close-up
lens, Nikonos flash, FujiVelvia ISO 50, handheld.
I love sea horses, and wanted to
photograph one since I found a dying specimen
when I was a child.Finally, in 2009,
I found this wonderful,reddish-pink female
inside a cave at a depthof 10 m, and managed
to take some shotsalthough my flashes
didn’t work well due to a synchronization
problem. The next summer I met thisspecimen again,
in the same environs, this time with a little
ascidian grown on a side.
Alpine long-eared bat(Plecotus macrobullaris), September 2011,
Piedmont, Italy. Nikon D700, 105 mm/f2.8,R1C1 flash system, 1/60 f16, ISO 200,
handheld. Long-eared bats are among the most interesting and beautiful Italian bats.
Discerning species is not always easy, but in this case the fur coloration andmorphological characters were quite
unmistakable. I decided to use a backlight because I wanted to give importance
to the huge, semitransparent ears.
Portfolio92
2
1
Freshwater crab (Potamon fluviatile), April 2011, Tuscany, Italy. Nikon D700, 20 mm/f2.8, extension tube, R1C1 flash system, 1/3 f22, ISO 200, handheld.
The freshwater crab is a fascinating endangered crustacean that lives in non-polluted rivers of central and southern Italy. It has quite a character, and at the minimum sign of threat, it
opens its pincers trying to pinch the aggressor. As they are edible, this specimen was luckyI’m a photographer and not a cook, otherwise its attempts would have been vain... (1)
Praying mantid (Mantis religiosa), August 2007, Sardinia, Italy. Nikon F100, 105 mm/f2.8, extension tubes, no flash, Fuji Velvia ISO 100, tripod. Praying mantids
always look at observers with their large eyes, in a way that seems to say “Hey, I’m keeping an eye on you!”. That’s what I wanted to show in this old picture: the insect
hiding behind a stem, but always inspecting the observer. (2)
Portfolio93
Asp viper (Vipera aspis francisciredi), September 2011, Lombardy, Italy. Nikon D700, 16 mm/f2.8 fisheye, R1C1
flash system and SB600 flash, 1/40 f22, ISO 200, handheld. I don’t like to always take full frame portraits
of my subjects. Instead, I wanted a “theatrical” scene, showing the oak tree on the background. The tiger-like viper,
here, is just something more, an animal integrated in its wonderful calcareous environment in the Prealps.
Dice snake (Natrix tessellata), July 2009, Ticino canton, Switzerland. Nikonos V, 12 mm/f2.8fisheye, no flash, Fuji Velvia ISO 50, handheld. Even in summertime, mountain rivers’ water is quite cold;however, in this case I only had to take 36 shots (slides) so, wearing only swimming trunks, I managed to take some underwater shots of these fish-eating snakes.
Portfolio94
Thyrrenian wall lizard (Podarcis tiliguerta), August 2009, Sardinia, Italy. Nikon D700, 20 mm/f2.8, extension tube,
R1C1 flash system, 1/50 f22, ISO 200, handheld. This quite colourful species is among the fastest lizards
I’ve ever seen. In this Sardinian area, they thrive on steep rocky cliffs meters above the sea, while the other
local species (P. sicula) is synanthropic and stays near houses. I needed two summers in order to take this shot.
Portfolio95
2
1 Agile frog (Rana dalmatina), March 2009, Lombardy, Italy. Nikon D700, 20 mm/f2.8, R1C1 flash system, 1/50 f22, ISO 200, handheld. During spring, dozens of frogs can gather in the same little pond, in order to lay eggs and mate, just for a few days. In this period, it is possible to meet several specimens that, also on sunny days, move in the undergrowth towards the water, such as this male near a dogtooth violet (Erythtronium dens-canis). (1)
Asp viper (Vipera aspis francisciredi), March 2011, Lombardy, Italy. Nikon D700, 105 mm/f2.8, extension tubes, no flash, 1/2000 f3.2, ISO 200, handheld. At the beginning of the “herping” season, daylight period is quite short, so it is possible to have grazing light even though it isn’t properly sunset. Asp vipers are endangered in northern Italian lowlands due to anthropization and human persecution. (2)
Portfolio96
Mediterranean giantdevil ray(Mobula mobular), August2009, Sardinia, Italy. Nikonos V, 35 mm/f2.8,no flash, Fuji Velvia ISO50, handheld. One of the most spectacularencounters I’ve ever had:swimming, several milesaway from the coast, with a huge 2-2.5 m wide devil ray, a very rare endemic species.Unfortunately, I only couldtake 9 shots of thisbeautiful animal, then I finished my film (as I hadused the other 27 shots the previous day, withsponges…). The eleganceof these beautifulcartilagineous fishes is nowadays endangeredby human fishery activities and pollution.
Portfolio97
Rhinoceros beetle(Oryctes nasicornis),
July 2009, Lombardy,Italy. Nikon D700,
105 mm/f2.8,extension tubes, no
flash,1/25 f22, ISO200, handheld. In my opinion,
rhinoceros beetles arewonderful little jewels(as my email address
can confirm), andevery year I look for
them. Males inparticular, with their
horn on the head, are attractive and
sometimes give visualcues as silhouettes.
Spotlight
HEREGOOGLE EARTH COORDINATES HERE
The secret life andhabits of the lastgiant roamingCentral Europe’simpenetrable woods
THE EUROPEAN BISON
KING OF THE PRIMEVAL FORESTThe secret life andhabits of the lastgiant roamingCentral Europe’simpenetrable woods
THE EUROPEAN BISON
KING OF THE PRIMEVAL FOREST
Photo Lukasz Mazurek
98
99
TEXT BY LUKASZ MAZUREKPHOTOS BY MATEUSZ SZYMURA
and LUKASZ MAZUREK
continued on page 101 ›
≠t f irst you just hear thegrunting, then the twigs crackingunder the pressure of half a ton ofanimal. You don’t need to see it to beabsolutely sure the Bison is close.Some other time you simply stumbleupon an animal - be it in the middleof the forest track, right in front of you- or hidden in the dense vegetation,just watching you closely. Whateverthe encounter is, you stay frozenalmost like you had seen a ghost, youfeel your heart racing and among thevariety of feel ings there is onecommon to everybody I spoke to -respect towards the huge animal andthe forest itself. These meetings stay inyour mind forever. Believe me, Iremember all my Bison sightings andit has been a few dozens of them overthe last several years.
The story of success... or is it really?
Once spread all over ContinentalEurope, Bison are now rare. Thereare about 4.000 Bison in the world,but of those only 2.500 in 30 free-ranging populations are living in thewild - in the mountains and forests of
AA stunning
portrait of anadult snackingon an apple inwinter showsthe relativeslimness of sucha large animal -an adaptationto forest lifeseen also in theIndian GaurBos gaurus.
100
Mature bisonbulls aresolitaryanimals, but youngbachelors willform smallgroups. Adultfemales tend to form smallherds togetherwith theiryoung calves.Devoid ofleaves, forestsin winter offergood chancesto sight andphotographthese beautiful,rare mammals(photos LukaszMazurek).
101
Eastern Europe and Western Russia.The species had been decliningquickly, as the forests of Europeshrunk, since the Middle Age, and bythe time of World War I there wereonly two populations left - one inBialowieza and the other in theCaucasus Mountains. Bothdisappeared completely in the1920s. Well, they disappeared in thewild but their descendants survived inthe zoological gardens of Europe andhaving been brought back to theirhome land they star ted the newgeneration that was first released intothe wild in 1950s in the BialowiezaForest. The story looks to be a successbut the scientists are not that muchcontent. The key here is geneticvariability - or its absence in fact -since all of today’s world populationcomes from only the 12 individualsused for reproduction. Moreover, inthe line of the Lowland subspecies80% of the genes come from just onepair! In the Lowland-Caucasian line(the pure Caucasian had been lostand only its mixture with the Lowlandblood could be bred) this share isonly half as high, if that might be ofany comfort. The effects of this largeinbreeding effect so far, have beenincreased vulnerability to diseaseslike parasitosis and serious genitalinfections greatly limiting malesreproduction rate. Furthermore, mostof the 30 world’s populations are
continued on page 103 ›
The horned, shy giants of the Old Continent’s lastremaining primeval forests
A huge adult bull in the frozen winterlandscape of the Bialowieza NationalPark, a large protected area straddling the border between Poland and Belarus .
102
Young bisonmales in winteracquire aheavy, shaggymane of hair to survive thefreezingtemperatures.This is one ofthe best timesof the year inBialowiezaNational Parkto observe thesmall herdswhich oftenappear at theforest edge at dawn.
103
continued on page 105 ›
A dramaticportrait of an adult bullEuropean bisonin its prime -here bathed inthe warm glowof a summerevening. Notice thebroad, thicklymaned headtypical of bisonmales.
isolated from one another and thereis little, if any, gene flow betweenthem. Will they survive? It seems thatthey will but the experiment is stillgoing on and future generations shallsee how muchgenetic variability isactually necessary for the species tosurvive.
Tracking the Primeval Beast
As much joy and satisfaction aswatching these majestic animalsbrings, tracking them in the wild canbe a tricky business. After 15 yearsspent in the forest I can sometimesfind them on the first day out but atother times I may still need 3-4 daysto succeed. They can walk in groupsfrom a few to over a hundredindividuals like mixed herds led byold cows or mixed winter herds. Theycan also walk alone or in twos likeold bulls. Their spatial distribution ismostly influenced by food availabilityso your general forest ecology andbotany knowledge pays. They are onthe constant move, however, andnever stay in one place for too long.From spring to autumn Bison dispersearound the forest to take advantageof the food variety and knowingwhat’s on top of the menu - theseason’s special - can greatly help infinding them. In the spring theirfavourite food can be fresh twigs and
104
Four young bachelors face uneasily the photographer in wintertime. European bison are not usually aggressive or dangerous, butone should never position himself between a mother and her calf.
105
leaves of deciduous trees, in thesummer i t can be grasses andherbaceous plants found on theforest glades and in the autumn -acorns if they are available in agiven year. When it’s hot they aremore likely to feed in a darker andtherefore cooler broadleaved forestthan in the more open coniferousstand. Examining the pooh found inthe forest can also help. If it’s solid itmeans more bark and twigs havebeen eaten and if it’s liquid you cansearch for animals in the meadowsand forest glades feeding on grassesand generally softer plants. If thewinter’s severe and snowy theywould gather in larger herds near thefeeding stations where hay is put outfor them by the National Parkworkers or they would go out of theforest into the meadows where largehaystacks were left over winter oreven into the corn or beetroot fields.And sometimes none of these ifs andwhens seem to work and you justfollow your intuition or count on yourluck or good wildlife karma. Butfinding them is one thing and comingclose is something completelydi f ferent and requires bothexperience and intuition. Most of thetime Bison would avoid close contactwith humans and just slowly walkaway. At times they can also bedangerous, especially the femalesprotecting their calves. It is possible,
continued on page 107 ›A beautiful portrait of four (yes - four!)
subadults. Bison are more afraid of suddennoise then they are of humans, so silence isparamount when trying to approach them.
106
Facing such a massive,powerfulphalanx mightbe ratherunnerving forthe averagemushroomcollector, butevery wildlifephotographerwould considerhimselfexceptionallylucky to beholdsuch a group ofEuropean bisonemerging fromthe thick, darkPolish forest.
107
however, especially with male Bison,to come close and not disturb theanimals. You will need this skill inorder to get back home with greatphotographs. The best you can do isget yourself a good local guide anddo what he or she says. And tomaximise your chances come here atwintertime, and I mean -20° C andone or two feet of snow at the veryleast! Believe me, you will surviveand you will have fun. And you canreally chill out in the long evenings bythe fireplace with your favourite drinkwith your beloved ones or your(carefully chosen) travelling friends,just enjoying the full spectrum of whatPoland has to offer. Isn’t that whatholidays are all about? .Lukasz Mazurek is a founder ofWildPoland.com and a wildl i fewatching trips organiser in EasternPoland since 1998. He is also the co-author of the “Bialowieza Site Guide- Where to watch birds and largemammals of the Bialowieza Forest” -the most comprehensive and detailedguidebook to this area everpublished. The guidebooks and tripsLukasz of fers are avai lable atwww.wildpoland.com.
Raw, primeval power at its best as alarge bison bull offers a rare display ofnervousness. This species can displaysurprising agility despite its massive size.
108
The ancient god-kings of the forest still survive in today’s world
The ancient kings of the forest live! Two beautiful young bisonmales stand guard at the edge of the woods, bathed in thewarm, golden light of the coming autumn.
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Nowadays every scuba diver with the slightest interest inmarine biology or underwater photography knows aboutJawfish - those strange, tadpole-shaped, bottom-dwelling littlefish belonging to the Family Opistognathidae which live in avertical hole dug in the sand or coral rubble and look exac-tly like a miniature marine pug thanks to their big, bulgingeyes and wide, permanently grinning mouth. But twentyyears ago, when we first encountered the previously unrecor-ded Giant Jawfish Opistognathus dendriticus as we wereexploring the dive sites of Pulau Lankayan, in the Sulu Seabetween Malaysian Borneo and the Philippines, this breedwas a very mysterious one indeed - so one can easily imagi-
ne our surprise as we sighted the Shrek-like countenance ofone, its toadish head as big as a clenched fist, emerging likea grotesque mini-periscope from the sandy bottom.Fascinated, we observed its bulging eyes as they rotated likeminiature turrets, watching us closely, its huge froggish mouthhalf-open in the twilight of the deep. But wait - I was glimpsingsomething there, was it maybe trying to swallow a prey? Islowly inched my way towards it, one shallow breath at atime, creeping on the sand, as I knew it would disappear ina flash inside its lair if alarmed. Slowly, slowly, closer, clo-ser...until I could see what was in its gaping mouth. No strug-gling prey - but a full clutch of eggs, almost ready to hatch! I
could even see - with utmost clarity, now - the shapes andeyes of the fry through the viewinder of my housed Nikon F4as I started to click away, knowing this was an absolute first.Marine biologists were well aware of the fascinating mouth-brooding habits shown by this Family, of course - but nobodyhad ever been able to record it clearly within this specificgenus, and Ophistognathus dendriticus was somewhat of amystery itself, being mostly known from a few, scarce speci-mens collected in the local fish markets by researchers. Andnow it was sitting there in all its glory, and this is how wewere the first ever to record in photographs the oral broodingbehavior of our ogrish little fish. Now isn’t that cool? .
109
ThePartingShotThePartingShot
IN ANIMA MUNDI‘S NEXT ISSUENo.8, Fourth Quarter, October 2012
PINK DOLPHINS OF THE RIO NEGROThe private life of one
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BACK TO THE GREEN MANSIONSPart 2 of our extensive feature on Ecuador’samazing Yasuni National Park
A PASSAGE TO INDIAA stunning personal Portfolioby Yuwaraj Gurjar
THE ILLUSIONIST MOTHYou won’t believe your eyes - meet a nocturnalinsect which defies description
BACK TO THE GREEN MANSIONSPart 2 of our extensive feature on Ecuador’samazing Yasuni National Park
A PASSAGE TO INDIAA stunning personal Portfolioby Yuwaraj Gurjar
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