Humpback breaching in Alaska's Inside Passage. Photos by Rhett A. Butler 2007. It is still unclear why whales breach. Theories range from social signaling (danger, dominance, courting), stunning prey, to…
Baby orangutan in Sabah, Malaysia. Photo by Rhett A. Butler 2008. Orangutans vs palm oil in Malaysia: setting the record straight The Malaysian palm oil industry has been broadly accused…
Blue transparent (Ithomia pellucida). The Blue transparent (Ithomia pellucida) in the Colombian Amazon outside of Leticia. More pictures of butterflies and moths in Colombia.
Hyacinth Macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus). The Hyacinth Macaw of central South America is the world's largest parrot (in terms of length--the Kakapo of New Zealand is heavier). The species, which is…
Crowned lemur in Ankarana. Photo taken by Rhett A. Butler in October 2009. Madagascar's rainforests get death notice In what is being called an "awful" and "horrible" move for for…
This is an insect nymph I spotted in Ranomafana National Park in Madagascar. I have no idea what it is. The photo doesn't do it justice: the colors were incredible.
Red ruffed lemur from the Masoala Peninsula. This endangered red ruffed lemur is endemic to Masoala, where much of the current rosewood logging in Madagascar is occurring. The more widespread…
Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex). Photo taken by Rhett A. Butler in 2006 Uganda's wetland ecosystems are increasingly under pressure from industrial agriculture and plantation development. Local protests have thwarted several projects…
Costa Rica Over the past couple of years I have unintentionally encountered an incredible diversity of leafhoppers, small insects that most people probably don't notice despite their incredible coloration. Beyond…
Orangutan in Central Kalimantan. Photo taken in May 2009 by Rhett A. Butler A substantial population of endangered orangutans could be at risk if a planned road and bridge project…
Black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata). Photo taken in October 2009 by Rhett A. Butler The Black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata) lives in Madagascar's eastern rainforests. Surveys of village residents near…
Mother and baby Panamanian golden toads in a secure captive breeding facility. Photo taken in 2006 by Rhett A. Butler Harlequin toads (Atelopus sp) have been decimated by the outbreak…
Sloth in Peru. Photo by Rhett A. Butler (1996) Best wishes for 2010!
Gladiator tree frog (Hyla rosenbergi), Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica The Gladiator tree frog (Hyla rosenbergi) is named for the fighting behavior of males among some populations. The male Gladiator tree…
Fishermen in Laos Great hornbill in Khao Yai National Park, Thailand
Male panther chameleon near Maroantsetra, Madagascar The male panther chameleons found near Maroantsetra, Madagascar are known for their striking red-and-green coloration, especially during the breeding season when they are competing…
Owl butterfly (Caligo idomeneus) The Owl butterfly (Caligo idomeneus) is a large tropical butterfly characterized by eye-spots which are meant to startle or confuse predators, providing an opportunity for escape.…
Lion cubs in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania. While lions may seem abundant when one visits a national park in Kenya, Tanzania, or South Africa, Africa's lion population has plunged by…
Black Howler Monkey in the Community Baboon Sanctuary in Belize. With males averaging 25 pounds and females 14 pounds, the Yucatan Black Howler (Alouatta pigra) is the largest of the…
Male panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) in Madagascar. Major banks and shipping companies are facilitating the destruction of Madagascar's species-rich rainforests, but ultimately it is consumers in China, the United States,…
Giant monkey frog (Phyllomedusa bicolor). The giant monkey frog of Peru is known for its mind-altering skin secretions. Shamans in the Amazon rain forest have used this species in hunting…
An orphaned gorilla near Loango National Park in Gabon. The baby gorilla was being treated for a cold at a rehabilitation facility on Evengue island, near Loango National Park. It…
I have no idea of the identity of this species of moth, but it made an impression when I came across it in Las Cruces, Costa Rica in 2008. More…
Jaguar in the Pantanal. This jaguar came a little too close for comfort on a trip to the Pantanal this past April. The big cat emerged from a swampy area…
Borneo rhino. Photo and story by Jeremy Hance. Nothing can really prepare a person for coming face-to-face with what may be the last of a species. I had known for…
Male scale-crested pygmy tyrant in Costa Rica, 2008 The Scale-crested pygmy tyrant (Lophotriccus pileatus) ranges from Costa Rica to Peru and Venezuela. It is found in subtropical montane and tropical…
These male sifakas are in the midst of a territorial dispute. The dominant male is chasing off another male Verreaux's sifaka from southern Madagascar is known as the dancing lemur…
This spectacular male panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) was photographed in Ankarana Special Reserve in Northern Madagascar. The panther chameleon is popular in the pet trade due to its bright colors,…
The Ocellated Turkey (Meleagris ocellata) is a species of turkey found in the Yucatán Peninsula, including parts of Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. Ocellated Turkeys are considerably smaller than any of…