Summer Moult

I could have called this photo a moulting development, but I didn't. This mountain sheep cannot be comfortable in the hot summer sun. It looks pretty ragged but it will soon drop off and be replaced in the Winter with another heavy coat of wool.

Hippo Hide

If you closely at any plant or animal you will find surprising shapes and structures. This is the hide of a hippopotamus. In this case the animal was swimming in a large pool and surfaced just long enough for me to get a photo of the reflections of the wet hide. Look carefully and you will see what I mean.

Feathers

This is definitely a photo that you have to click on to see the detail. Feathers are one of the truly amazing things in this world. I have always loved the detail and texture. I find feathers on the ground from time to time and cannot resist picking them up and looking at the marvelous structure.

Cattle Egret

This bird, the cattle egret or Bubulcus ibis is a native of Southern Spain and Portugal but became established in Surinam and Guiana and has relatively quickly spread all across North America and much of South America and all around the world. I have seen them up on the Colorado Plateau at over 5000 feet above sea level. They are incredibly hardy birds and are very attractive with their white plumage. The males get the ruddy feathers during mating season.

Giant Tortoise

These giant tortoises live on tropical islands and can weigh up to 600 pounds. I am really impressed with the spikes on this tortoise's front legs. You may have to click on the photo to see them clearly but they are really scary. It is a good thing that they can't move very fast or they would be dangerous.

Grey Crowned Crane

This is another African bird. It seems to be popular in zoos, but I don't know how popular it is in the wilds of Africa. It is a Grey Crowned Crane or Balearica regulorum of the crane family Gruidae. The Crowned Crane was one of the few animals I remember seeing when I was a lot younger than I am now and that was before weird hairdoes came into fashion.

Deep in Thought

If you couldn't speak English, maybe they would put you in a zoo too. Gorillas are always one of the most popular attractions at any zoo that has them. Our level of concern and care for all animals is a measure of our own humanity and civilization. I have mixed feelings about zoos.