Top lifer you have photographed? (Wild or captivity, feel free to add photos)

Both of my wild monotremes have definitely been memorable. 10 wild platypus sightings at a few sites now but only three echidna sightings exclusively in Tasmania. No wild echidnas on the mainland yet.
I've seen Echidnas in Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia, but not NSW or Victoria (I haven't been to the other states yet). They aren't really an animal you can specifically go look for, you just have to come across them fortuitously. For Platypus you can sit by a river where they occur and you'll likely see one eventually, but you could sit down on a log in Echidna territory for a week and still not see one walk past. Even though Platypus are the more famous ones, seeing an Echidna is much better.
 
I think my top wild mammal I've photographed is probably Red Panda.

full
 
I've seen Echidnas in Tasmania, Queensland and Western Australia, but not NSW or Victoria (I haven't been to the other states yet). They aren't really an animal you can specifically go look for, you just have to come across them fortuitously. For Platypus you can sit by a river where they occur and you'll likely see one eventually, but you could sit down on a log in Echidna territory for a week and still not see one walk past. Even though Platypus are the more famous ones, seeing an Echidna is much better.

I've found Phillip Island to be particularly productive for Echidna, a cruise on the roads at late afternoon to just before dusk nets a pretty good chance. Other than that, I agree it's entirely pot luck, I've been to one of the most 'reliable' spots for Echidna in Melbourne's outer suburbs well over a dozen times now and not seen one, yet I've gone to other places once or twice and seen them there.
 
Specifically for animals I have photographed (even if it was a poor record shot with a mobile phone), I would have to say the White-faced Storm Petrels that visited a pier in Melbourne's Southwest earlier this year. These are pelagic birds, so seeing not just one but four of them hopping around on the water (yes that is what they do, it is really charming) was very special.

For captive animals, the Olive Sea Snake at Cairns Aquarium, which is now likely the last Sea Snake on public display in Australia, Sea Snakes have always fascinated with me, how they move and their unusually potent venom so it had been a lifelong dream to see one, seeing one in the wild would be even cooler though.
 
Agree with @Chlidonias, platypus don't go far from their nests, and are easy to see if you know they are around. Echidnas just wander around, and you have to be lucky to come across them. Still, it would be an unusual year for me not to see one or two.

To get to the point of the thread, I have seen a number of threatened or difficult to see species. The golden monkeys were also quite hard work, as we had to hike eight kilometres up the side of a defunct volcano. There is some debate as to whether they are a full species or a subspecies, but either way the taxon is endangered.

Golden monkey.JPG
 

Attachments

  • Golden monkey.JPG
    Golden monkey.JPG
    186.6 KB · Views: 155
Last edited:
The photo isn't really the greatest on account of it being taken by holding my phone camera up to one of the lenses of my binoculars (and as such I probably won't post it here), but I was able to get a photo of a wild California Condor
 
I think taking all things together, my greatest single wild sighting is actually pretty clear cut. It ticks all the boxes:

- a new species for me
- a species that can't be found in captivity
- a species emblematic of the place I was visiting
- an endangered species
- a species that unless you live on its doorstep you won't see without at least travel effort
- the main species target that day (arguably of the whole week) and close views coming after some effort (including helping with running repairs to the road and agreeing to skip lunch :D )

but also

- a really attractive animal
- really excellent views, nice and close and clear
- excellent natural behaviours observed
- great for photography
- feeding on another lifer species ( :D ) - which fortunately we were able to see not mid-death-throes as well..!

It has to be...

full


full


(a whole series of images in the Ethiopia - Wildlife gallery :) )
 
New one for me is Raffle's Banded Langur in Singapore.

This was my 4th time trying to find them at Thomson Nature Park, and we finally came across a large family at around 2pm. These critically endangered primates cannot be found in captivity, making this wildlife sighting very precious to me.

 
Congratulations @Dr. Wolverine on your amazing sighting! When @twilighter and I were in Singapore in August, we went out with a guide for a 1.5 hour, early morning walk/hike in an attempt to see wild Raffles' Banded Langurs. Alas, we did not see any whatsoever, but I'm happy to see that you were more successful.
 
At the time of this writing I am currently staking out and photographing a wild Blakiston’s Fish Owl in Shiretoko Penninsula, Hokkaido, Japan :D
 
Elephant Seals in California, 2023
PXL_20230315_195602172~2.jpg

Great white shark, Gansbaai South Africa 2016
462386923_2761947640640653_1422532977506930193_n.jpg
462422053_2761947633973987_7620166395190396361_n.jpg
 

Attachments

  • PXL_20230315_195602172~2.jpg
    PXL_20230315_195602172~2.jpg
    320.9 KB · Views: 96
  • 462386923_2761947640640653_1422532977506930193_n.jpg
    462386923_2761947640640653_1422532977506930193_n.jpg
    58.2 KB · Views: 97
  • 462422053_2761947633973987_7620166395190396361_n.jpg
    462422053_2761947633973987_7620166395190396361_n.jpg
    70.1 KB · Views: 99
Seeing gaur for the first time literally shook me to my core. IMG_1410.jpeg

Also seeing Chittenango Ovate Amber Snails was super cool.

As far as wild animal photos, Roatan agouti and De Queiroz’s spiny-tailed iguana are two big highlights but honestly it’s too hard to pick for the coolest wild animal I’ve photographed.
IMG_6943.jpeg IMG_6195.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1410.jpeg
    IMG_1410.jpeg
    192 KB · Views: 33
  • IMG_6943.jpeg
    IMG_6943.jpeg
    231.9 KB · Views: 29
  • IMG_6195.jpeg
    IMG_6195.jpeg
    72.7 KB · Views: 31
Back
Top