Michigan Wildlife Photos

Luna Moths on Showy Lady Slipper, Wilderness State Park, Michigan, USA

A delicate and fantastic Luna moth clings to a beautiful flower in Michigan.

Tiger Swallowtail on Maple Leaves, Michigan, USA

Tiger swallowtail on maple leaves, Michigan . . . the dramatically striped yet delicate butterfly on the deep red of the leaves in fall.

Mountain Lion, Winter, USA

A cougar leaps through the winter landscape, focussed and powerful, alert and capable in its wilderness environment. Cougars are known to live in Michigan.

Winter Shadows

A beautiful mountain lion stalks silently through the forest shadows in the winter wilderness.

Yellow Warbler, Male, South Padre Island, Texas, USA

The brilliance of a yellow warbler in the hedgerow. These beautiful birds are widespread accross the Americas including Michigan.

An American Marten in a Tree During a Light Snowfall

The beautiful yet elusive marten, supreme predator of the treetops. Although the American marten lives in Michgan, it is rarely seen, spending most of its time in the tops of conifer trees.

Trumpeter Swan in Flight

A trumpeter swan launches into the air, you can almost hear the sound of the wind through it’s wing feathers as it powers its way upwards. These beautiful birds are one of the species found in Michigan.

Portrait of an American Bald Eagle

The bald eagle, proud, majestic, powerful and free, the symbol of America. (sometimes seen in Michigan).

An American Bald Eagle Lunges Toward its Prey Below the Water

A powerful bald eagle lunges towards a fish in the water.

Portrait of a Turkey Vulture, Lincoln, Nebraska

Turkey vulture . . . strange, wrinkled, yet amazing in its own way. These are widespread in America, including Michigan.

Side View of Skunk

Skunk . . . not the most popular of animals due to its ability to defend itself, but beautiful none the less, and widespread in America including Michigan.

Portrait of a Great Gray Owl on a Frosty Fence in Winter

A stunningly beautiful photo of a great gray owl in frosted landscape. These beautiful and splendid birds are one of the owl species living in Michigan.

Common Loon, with Baby, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Loon with its chick, on the calm waters. The cry of the loon is one of the most evocative of bird sounds, suggesting still waters in vast wilderness. Loons are available on car licence plates in Michgan.

Michigan Islands National Wildlife Refuge, known for migrating wildfowl and rare plant species.

November 25th, 2009 | Tags: , , | 1 Comment »

Northern Wombat

More precisely known as the Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat, is a critically endangered species which now only consists of less than twenty individuals in a 3km area of National park in Queensland.

It is one of the rarest large mamals in the world, and has unfortunately proved difficult to breed in captivity. One of the reasons for its rarity is that the grass it likes to feed on has been destroyed by an introduced species of grass.

For a picture, and more info, see Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat page at Wikipedia.

November 14th, 2009 | Tags: , | No Comments »

Photo of Arctic Animals

Some of the world’s most beautiful photos of Arctic Animals . . .

Group of Musk-Oxen Huddle Together on the Tundra During a Blizzard

Musk oxen, standing facing outwards in defense of their herd, massive and powerful, warm in their long thick coat, superbly adapted to survive in the frozen wilderness.

Arctic Wolf, Canis Lupus Arctos

A beautiful arctic wolf stands in the deep snow of his wilderness home, proud and capable, alert and wise in the ways of survival.

Arctic Tern, Adult in Flight, Iceland

Graceful and light, delicate and beautiful yet posessing the unbelievable ability to fly 25,000 miles a year.

Northern Humpback Whale

The humpback in its arctic feeding grounds, majestic and massive, highly intelligent and spectacular.

Silhouette of Caribou, Mt. Mckinley, AK

Caribou silhouetted against a rosy sunset and snow-covered mountain, magnificant antlers proudly displayed on the head of a prime male.

Water fowl near an Arctic ice floe

Beautiful shot of waterfowl in the arctic, portraying the cold desolation of their wilderness home.

A pod of male narwhals gather in the darkness below the Arctic ice

Narwhals, mysterious in the dark depths beneath the arctic ice.

Portrait of an Arctic Fox in a Summer Coat

Arctic fox with its summer coat streaming feathery in the wind, alert and intelligent, focussed, still and silent.

Tundra Swan or Whistling Swan, in Flight, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, USA

Tundra swan taking off in the arctic, beauty, streamlined and elegant.

Walruses, Group, Arctic

Walrus group resting on an ice-floe in arctic waters, their strange design suiting them well to their marine lifestyle.

A Ctenophore with its Tentacles Trailing Through Icy Arctic Water

Tiny marine life in the rich arctic waters, beautiful and mysterious, the minature creatures at the beginning of a great food chain which ends with the giant whales.

Antler Amid Alpine Bearberry, Brooks Range, Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, USA

Antler in the arctic wilderness, a reminder of the harsh life in this beautiful environment.

Extreme Close-up of the Skin of an Arctic Char

Closeup of the skin of an arctic char, abstract beauty and superb adaption to a challenging environment.

Portrait of a Wolverine in the Arctic Snow

Wolverine in the dark of the dusk, a secretive and mysterious hunter, rarely seen, a dark ghost in the night.

Other post of interest . . . Polar Bear Pictures

More arctic animal photos

November 6th, 2009 | Tags: , , | 1 Comment »

Polar bear pictures.

Some of the world’s best pictures of polar bears (which you can buy as posters if you wish, or just enjoy looking) . . .

Polar Bear Family

Polar bear family, secure and happy in the love and protection of a powerful and dedicated mother. Strong family life in the arctic wilderness.

Polar Bear and Baby

Young baby in the warmth and security of its mothers protection, living wild and free in their frozen wilderness.

Polar Bears

Young baby Polar Bear safe with its mother, looking out into the frozen wilderness of it’s home. Healthy and capable, beautiful and wild.

Polar Bear and Cub, Manitoba, Canada

Playing happily on the back of the resting mother, safe and sound in the protection of the pinacle of the food chain.

Polar Bear

Resting comfortably, secure in the knowledge of its supreme survival ability in one of the world’s most challenging environments.

Polar Bear (Ursus Maritimus) Mother with Triplets, Wapusk National Park, Churchill, Manitoba

Mother and triplets, playing happily in the beauty of the arctic wilderness.

1618 Polar Bear Posters!

November 2nd, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Interesting facts on polar bears

Polar bears live mostly within the artic circle. It is the largest carnivore found on land, and equal largest bear with the kodiak bear (which is an omnivore). It is also the carnivore which has retained its survival throughout more of its original habitat than any other.

Male polar bears are about twice the size of females. The brown bear is a close relative, but the polar bear has evolved, about two hundred thousand years ago, to fit a much more precise habitat. Brown bears and polar bears can produce offspring together, but neither can live long in the others habitat.

The decrease in sea ice due to global warming is causing big problems for polar bears. They are considered “vulnerable” now and might become extinct within a century. Polar bears are still hunted by local peoples. There are probably not more than twenty five thousand polar bears alive today.

Many people think that polar bears are left-handed, but there is no scientific evidence of this. A polar bear will overheat in temperatures above 10 degrees C (50 F) due to their layer of blubber about ten centimeters thick.

The outer hairs of a polar bear appear white but are actually transparent.

A polar bear can smell a seal a mile away, but its hearing is only as good as humans. Polar bears can swim very well, and have been seen two hundred miles from land. They swim almost twice as fast as they walk.

Polar bears eat mainly seals, which they hunt from sea ice, where they live most of their lives. Polar bears hunt seals either by waiting for them to come up to breathing holes, or by stalking them when they are resting on land. Mature bears will mostly eat only the skin and blubber of the seal which is rich in calories, but young bears eat mainly the meat which is rich in protein. They wash themselves after eating, in either water or snow.

Polar bears occasionally eat walrus (which can be up to twice its weight) or beluga whales. A polar bear can survive without eating for several months.

Bear Hug

An arctic mothers love . . . the young cub secure and comfortable in the embrace of its powerful mother, the top of the food-chain in their frozen wilderness.

See our blog post Polar Bear Pictures

November 1st, 2009 | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment »