Wildlife

Two Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) toddlers cling to their mother on a cold, foggy winter day in Berhampur, Odisha. Famous for its "silent bared teeth" face - these highly social animals are most wide-ranging non-human primate.

A sea otter (Enhydra lutris), which is one of the few animals that uses tools other than humans, is seen swimming here. Even though it lives in cold waters, it is the only marine mammal without blubber and has a built-in pocket under it's arm.

Inca terns (Larosterna inca) occupy the same exact territory as the ancient Inca empire. They're best known for their dashing white moustache, found in both males and females.

Long legged flies (?) (Dolichopodidae spp.) are common in the rainforests of the Western Ghats in India. They use (their stunning) visual, rather than chemical or other signals during courtship.

A Kachinda, also called as the Indian chameleon (Chamaeleo zeylanicus) stares out into the pink sky as the dusk falls amidst the Eastern Ghats, India.

Malabar Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus malabaricus) is a species of frog in the Western Ghats of India and is very well camouflaged. It has well webbed toes and they can help it glide upto 12 metres. (PS: it's only 10 cm long)

The Malabar Pit Viper (Trimeresurus malabaricus) can be slow moving, but are capable of very fast strikes and its venom causes moderate pain and swelling in humans - but doesn't kill you. The one you see in this photo is a brown morph.

A Giant Golden Orb Weaver (Nephila pilipes) couple display extreme sexual dimorphism and males can be 4–10 times smaller than the females!

The tiny Confusing colored bush frog (?) (Raorchestes chromasynchysi), which is less than 30 mm in size, sits on a dry leaf in a site near Agumbe, Karnataka, India.

The Common Eagle Ray (Mylobatis aquila) reaches up to 6 feet. It excavates its food from the seabed. Instead of teeth, it has flattened hexagonal bars arranged in a mosaic pattern that it uses to crush the shells of its prey!

A Tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides), native to Australia and Tasmania, are considered to be among Australia's most effective pest-control birds, as their diet consists largely of species regarded as vermin or pests in houses, farms, and gardens!

A waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) stands looking back across a brook, as a small group of blackbucks (Antilope cervicapra) take a stride in the background hills. Antelopes are one of the most hunted animals in the world. Despite their sheer numbers, we underestimate the damages we are doing by killing them.

A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) rests as the dusk falls. These birds are large and have very powerful talons: they have been seen carrying mule deer fawns and flying.

A California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) rests itself before a dive. When they hunt - they can continuously do so for about 30 hours! (With each dive lasting 3-5 minutes)

This diurnal Desert Spiny lizard (Sceloporus magister), when encountered is often heard before it is seen as it scratches and claws the bark en route to the opposite side of the trunk or branch.

The Malabar Pit Viper (Trimeresurus malabaricus) occurs in more than four color morphs: green, brown, yellow, orange. A green morph can be seen here resting in a root complex at night.

This small 10 inch long Golden Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) is an endangered species. In 1970s, it was down to 200 individuals but consistent efforts have increased their numbers.

The false water cobra (Hydrodynastes gigas) is named so for its ability to flatten its neck to appear larger and look like a cobra. However, unlike a true cobra, it does not prop itself up vertically.

The Red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is specialized as a bamboo feeder, although is not in anyway related to the Giant Panda. It has been previously misplaced in the raccoon and bear families, but now is a family of its own.

A Spiny orb weaver (?) (Gasteracantha spp.) rests amidst its dew laden web in the Western Ghats, India.

Females of Emerald Tree Monitor (Varanus prasinus) reportedly use termite mounds as nesting chambers, because the temperature and moisture conditions create an ideal incubator.

In the Pleistocene, the lion (Pathera leo) ranged throughout Eurasia, Africa and North America but today only is found in fragmented populations in Sub-Saharan Africa and one critically endangered population in western India.

The territorial and mating system of the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) has been described as similar to a lek system, as females, which can be seen resting here, chooses their mates while moving through different territories

The southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is a solitary bird (found in Indonesia, New Guinea and northeastern Australia), which pairs only in breeding season, but is considered to be one of the most dangerous birds.

A Radjah Shelduck (Tadorna radjah), which is most known for making the most unusual sounds. They form long-term pair-bonds, and are usually encountered in lone pairs or small flocks.

In the 1900s, the Diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) was once considered a delicacy to eat and was hunted almost to extinction.

A Columbian ground squirrel (Urocitellus columbianus) hibernate most of the year (sometimes up to 250 days) in burrows, which may be used for many years.

Eastern red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) can evade predators by dropping all or part of their tail in the event of an attack, which can regrow later.