Beautiful Animals

G'night.

The photographer waited for 2 hours to get a shot of the praying mantis catching the butterfly. When the butterfly flew away, he decided to name the photo 'patience'.

That is a beautiful photograph. Sometimes if y'all didn't tell me what these things were I'd think they were plants!

Barry, Are you sure those tigers are playing. Wonderful sequence. I wouldn't go near a mama rhino with offspring in tow. Of course, no one is asking me to. And I'll be worrying about that puppy in a war zone. Wonderful pics, all. Thanks mucho.

tsar, These wildlife photographers are nuts. Or just extremely patient people. The butterfly mantis pic is a gem. Really beautiful. Thanks muchisimo.

Arella Mae, Thanks for the glorious panda.

Another flower mantid. These animals are amazing!

I loved the color composition of that praying mantis photo - also the fact that the butterfly got away lol! Here's another narrow escape saga...

A lucky seal launches itself to safety from the mouth of a great white shark - using the predator's razor sharp teeth for leverage. Photographer Chris Fallows, 38, watched as the Cape fur seal darted left and right in a desperate bid to evade the vicious 11-foot-long shark. The massive creature failed to get a proper grip allowing the seal to launch itself to safety as the shark tried to get a second bite. Miraculously, the seal escaped with a minor flesh wound off Seal Island in False Bay, Cape Town, South Africa

I think this has been around before... but I love it!
http://wimp.com/dolphinbubbles/

That is a bug??????? It looks like beautiful birthday wrapping paper.

I'm so happy that little seal got away! I know sharks gotta eat but..............you go little guy!

A gray seal....

I've seen pink elephants (but that's another story) but never a pink Hippo....

G'night.

~ Cormorant Courtship Behavior ~

Thank you Barry for that lovely set of pics culminating with the napping squirrel and thanks RP for those lovely birds in love!

Irish, the seal escaping the shark is not an uncommon occurrence. If the seal survives the first bite, it can often maneuver itself back to safety. It has to leap toward the tail of the shark.

Barry, I have on occasion seen pics of baby hippos that are pinkish. Never saw one with freckles before. Thanks for the sleek looking seal.

I've come to look forward to your g'nights. Whose gonna be sleeping. Love dat squirrel.

reg, Ain't romance grand?

Cougar, puma, mountain lion:

Such lovely pictures greet me this morning! I love that pic of the puma Miss Roberta. He looks like he is standing sideways.

This is a series of pictures, Arella Mae, culminating in the leap. Here's the link. Lots of other great cougar shots on this site.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ejphoto.com/images_UT/UT_Cougar19.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ejphoto.com/cougar_page.htm&usg=__V1nfwY8GL0J9_iyW9Vu7-6yfJrY=&h=334&w=500&sz=80&hl=en&start=53&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=lzxag-INUnx8zM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcougar%2Bphotos%26start%3D36%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26ndsp%3D18%26tbs%3Disch:1

Photographer Daniel Hernanz captured this powerful picture of two lions fighting while visiting Madrid Zoo. "I just was there," he said. "I have been to the zoo many times and never get a scene like this. The noise from the two lions was incredible"

Love the pic of the sleeping squirrel. Here's one with an apple!

Amateur photographer Gail Johnson, from Anglesey, north Wales, captured this photo of a red squirrel with an apple in a tree in Northumberland

Irish, The one on the bottom looks like a goil.

Wonder if she was nagging him lol.