Mammal


23
Sep 13

San Francisco Zoo–Western Lowland Gorilla 2

Photograph of a Western Lowland Gorilla at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, CaliforniaThis gorilla seemed to enjoy posing. His eyes radiate intelligence.


16
Sep 13

San Francisco Zoo–Western Lowland Gorilla

Photograph of a Western Lowland Gorilla at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, CaliforniaThe silverback Western Lowland Gorilla, a mature male at the San Francisco Zoo. Very imposing, the gorilla can weigh up to 400 pounds and can stand up to six feet tall. Although they are large animals, they are generally peaceful and shy.


9
Sep 13

San Francisco Zoo–Patas Monkeys

Photograph of Patas monkeys grooming at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, CaliforniaPatas monkeys spend most of their time on the ground. They are the fastest of all primates and can run at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour. They are not aggressive and prefer to flee rather than fight. Lifespan is about 20 years in captivity and in the wild.


2
Sep 13

San Francisco Zoo–Mandrill

Photograph of a Mandrill at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, CaliforniaThis male Mandrill’s head seems almost too large for its body. The big mane and colored muzzle are used to intimidate other males.


26
Aug 13

San Francisco Zoo–Nile Hippopotamus

Photograph of a Nile Hippopotamus at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, CaliforniaHippos are heavier than water and walk on river bottoms. They can run fast as humans and have killed more people than any other wild animal in Africa. The hippo is the third largest land animal and can weigh 4000 pounds and measure 12 feet in length.


19
Aug 13

San Francisco Zoo–African Lion

Photograph of a female African Lion at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, CaliforniaThe lion spends up to 20 hours a day resting. That certainly seemed true on the day I visited. I accidentally dropped my tripod and this female looked up to investigate the noise. The big male didn’t stir.


15
Aug 13

San Francisco Zoo–Sumatran Tiger

Photograph of a Sumatran Tiger and her cub at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, CaliforniaThe Sumatran Tiger is critically endangered, primarily by disruption and destruction of its habitat. It is estimated that there are about 550 wild Sumatran Tigers. The cub, named Jillian, is about 5 months old in this shot.


12
Aug 13

San Francisco Zoo–Reticulated Giraffe

Photograph of Reticulated Giraffe looking at a Yellow-Backed Duiker at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, CaliforniaWhether zoos should exist or not is a complicated argument. Holding animals captive for the entertainment of humans seems completely wrong, yet zoos do foster appreciation for animals and educate the public. On a recent trip to the San Francisco Zoo, I had a chance to see for myself. For the most part, I was impressed by the enriched habitats for the animals and the obvious level of care. Only the Polar bear seemed lonely and bored. It’s probably a mistake to project human emotions onto animals, but that was my impression. Most of the animals seemed to be engaged and interacted with each other and their environment. As a photographer, I wanted to see if I could apply portrait skills to the animals there. That is, I wanted to concentrate on the eyes, fill the frame where possible, and capture some of the essence of the animal. Over the next few weeks I’ll post some of my results. The first shot is of the zoo’s baby giraffe interacting with a Yellow-Backed Duiker.