carnivora

The rock wall makes a really nice backdrop to their enclosure.

Although the invasive honeysuckle is a less than exciting sight in Missouri I think it looks really nice in this photo. These guys are normally just curled up in their den so it was nice to see them out and about this visit.

The late Waldemere was making some very silly expressions during his nap.

The lighting was very challenging during this visit, so it was just my luck that this is the time these guys were really active. I tried really hard to make it work, and I like to think I succeeded.

Not a huge fan of how prominent the fence is in this shot but I loved its expression so much. Maybe one day I'll get around to photoshopping all that fence out but this is what we have for now.

I was so excited to get such an expressive shot of one of my favorite animals.

I really love how lush the vegetation in this shot looks. I think it really brings some liveliness into the photo.

This leopard sat around these leaves for a while and I thought it was such a serene scene. I suppose its ironic for such a fierce animal, but I think it made for a nice portrait style shot.

I thought having the leaves in front of the jaguar was cool because it makes it look secretive and sneaky- quite appropriate for an animal like this.

These little guys make great subjects, but they take lots of patience. They spend a lot of time under cover so getting good photos is very much a waiting game.

Managed to capture this cute moment of one of the painted dogs with its eyes wide open and head on the ground while it rested in its den.

Dorothy ("Dot") was strangely active for a cat during this visit. I ended up spending a lot of time with her.

This is Dorothy ("Dot"), the zoo's female Amur leopard, now mother to Anya and Irina. The glowing light looked beautiful on her fur.

This is Winnie, the zoo's resident female red panda. She's quite a bit shyer than her counterpart, Pete, so getting to see her was quite exciting.

This is one of my zoo photos that I am the most proud of. Not normally a fan of harsh sunlight but I think it really added a lot to this. It was taken during one of the check up/training sessions that the keepers do several times a day. It makes for some awesome photo opportunities!

I have no idea what is going on with this individual's eyes. I've tried to research it but I've found no information. If anyone knows, feel free to share. It certainly makes it a very intriguing subject. I always focus on this individual when I'm at Sea Lion Sound.

The pinnipeds are definitely challenging to photograph, but its almost addicting. Playing with the reflections in the water and how their movement distorts them is really fun. I'm not sure what is going on with this particular individual's eyes. If anyone knows, feel free to share!

This is Pete, the zoo's male red pandas. He's normally very active and makes a great subject. This is one of my favorite shots I've taken of him.