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100 nature images for Earth DayRhett A. Butler, mongabay.comApril 22, 2009
Past extinctions have shown it takes at least 5 million years to restore biodiversity to the level equal to that prior of the extinction event event. Our actions today will determine whether Earth will be biologically impoverished for the 500 trillion or more humans that will inhabit the earth during that future period. The extinction event that is occurring as you read these words rivals the extinctions caused by natural disasters of global ice ages, planetary collisions, atmospheric poisoning, and variations in solar radiation. The difference is that this extinction was conceived by humans and subject to human decisions. We are the last, best hope for life as we prefer it on this planet. The lesson of mongabay.com is we may not have to accept this future. A lot can still be done. Using our intelligence and ingenuity, the human species can preserve biodiversity and unique places for future generations, without compromising the quality of life for present populations. These pictures represent a celebration and a reminder of life that surrounds us.  Gmelin's Bronzeback snake (Dendrelaphis pictus) eating a frog in Malaysia  Colorado River, Grand Canyon  Mountains near Muzagata Peak, China  Panther chameleon, Madagascar  Black-handed Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi) in Beilze  White-faced capuchin in Hacienda Baru  Stick Mantid, Madagascar  Male ostrich defending chicks, Tanzania  Blue-and-yellow macaws flying toward clay lick, Peru  Great Barrier Reef, Australia  Tenrec, Madagascar  Pair of plains zebra, Kenya  Baby caiman, Costa Rica  Red Leaf-monkey (Presbytis rubicunda) in Borneo  Pitcher plant, Nepenthes reinwardtiana, in rain forest of Borneo, Indonesia  Tomato frog, Madagascar  Sunset in Roatan, Honduras  Ring-tailed lemurs, Madagascar  Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah  Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah  Little Colorado River, Grand Canyon  Clear-wing butterfly (Pseudohaeterea hypaesia, Colombia  Lion cubs, Tanzania  Sunset on the Mekong near Luang Prabang, Laos  Young lowland gorilla, Gabon  Sunset over the Pacific Ocean, Maui  Sunrise near Hana on the island of Maui, Hawaii.  Swordplants in the Pantanal, Brazil  Cabybara, Brazil  Tree climbing lion, Uganda  Cancun sunset, Mexico  The cryptic short-tailed Nighthawk (Lurocalis semitorquatus) in Costa Rica  Danum river in Malaysia  Moth on the underside of a leaf caught by the sun, Costa Rica  Rhea in the Pantanal, Brazil  Jaguar in Brazil  Humpback whales breaching, Alaska  Jabiru stork, Brazil  Hatchling Olive Ridley sea turtle near Hacienda Baru, Costa Rica  Black Caiman, Brazil  Baobabs, Madagascar  Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) in flight over crashing surf, Costa Rica  Ranomafana, Madagascar  Adult Male Orangutan, Indonesia  Blueberry poison arrow frog, Panama  Big Sur, Big Sur  Reefs off Cancun, Mexico  Swarms of lake flies in a garden near Lake Victoria, Uganda  Ring-tailed lemurs, Madagascar  Praying mantis in Brownsberg National Park, Suriname  Metallic green, yellow, and copper colored beetle in Malaysia  Rainbow racerunner, Honduras  Two young brown bears on a rocky beach in Alaska, Alaska  Olive Ridley sea turtle headed out to see near Dominical, Costa Rica  Female lion with wildebeest kill, Tanzania  Entrance to St. Herman's Cave in Belize  Red frog in Las Cruces, Costa Rica  Tree frog in Costa Rica  Automeris moth caterpillar displaying its neon green but venemous spines, Colombia  Hatchling Olive ridley sea turtles headed out to sea  Mountains in Utah, United States  Virgin River in Zion National Park, Utah  Sunset over Tarangire National Park, Tanzania  African elephant, Uganda  Blue and yellow macaw, Colombia  Canyon des Singes in Isalo, Madagascar  Blue insect in Borneo Page 1
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