Photograph by Sandesh Kadur
A tiger's stripes leave it well camouflaged among tall grass in India's Brahmaputra Valley. Hunted to death in much of the rest of the country, the valley and Kaziranga National Park provide shelter.
Learn about National Geographic Emerging Explorer Sandesh Kadur » See more pictures of tigers »
Photograph by Michael Nichols , National Geographic
In the Serengeti, life is hard for the greatest of African predators. An adult male lion like Hildur, shown here, might attain the advanced age of 12 in the wild. Adult females can live longer, even to 19.
Photograph by Christian Ziegler , National Geographic
A kinkajou s pollen-dusted cheek tells of a late-night nectar binge in an Ochroma, or balsa, tree. The balsa tree bursts into bloom at sunset during Panama's dry season, feeding a kaleidoscope of species.
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Photograph by Paul Nicklen , National Geographic
Small auks called dovekies dive for copepods and nest on rocky shores in Svalbard, Norway's Arctic archipelago. The birds deposit guano and carcasses on land, fertilizing a mossy garden that provides ideal lurking ground for arctic foxes and other hunters.
See pictures from Nicklen's book, Polar Obsession » Explore 125 years of National Geographic »
Photograph by Paul Colangelo
A North American beaver (Castor canadensis) waterproofs its fur by combing through it with its claws, spreading natural oils. Vancouver's urban Stanley Park is home to Beaver Lake, a small body of water that supports waterfowl, fish, and its eponymous mammals.
Learn about National Geographic Explorer Paul Colangelo » See more freshwater mammal pictures »
Photograph by Robert Dreeszen , National Geographic Your Shot
Fox kits spar along the Ugashik River in the Alaska Peninsula. This area, in the southeastern part of the 49th state, is home to waterways, volcanoes, and a variety of wildlife.
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Photograph by Paul Colangelo
A camera trap catches two moose crossing Ealue Lake in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. National Geographic Explorer Paul Colangelo set up the camera on a land bridge between the lake and a fen, where wildlife frequently pass.
"In the three weeks that the camera was set, it captured images of about 12 moose, two wolves, and a grizzly. On the morning both of these shots were taken, I was actually canoeing back to the spot to take down the trap," he says. "While I was canoeing through the mist you see in the background, I saw the flashes pop and two moose trot away. Had I left five minutes earlier, I would have botched the two best shots!"
Colangelo's camera trap was part of the Sacred Headwaters project, a five-year effort to document a largely unknown wilderness area in northern British Columbia before gas and mining projects change the area forever. The efforts to protect the region resulted in the permanent ban of oil and gas exploration in the Sacred Headwaters.
Learn about National Geographic Explorer Paul Colangelo » Learn more about the Sacred Headwaters project »
Photograph by Michael Nichols, National Geographic
A pride of lions rests on a kopje, or rocky outcrop, near a favorite water hole in the Serengeti. Lions use kopjes as havens and outlooks on the plains. When the rains bring green grass, wildebeests arrive in vast herds.
Photograph by Mattias Klum, National Geographic
Jameson's mambas, like the one here in Cameroon, have hollow fangs that deliver toxins that can lead to respiratory paralysis and a person's death within hours. But scientists are working to unlock the medical potential of venom, and soon the toxins from snakes like the mamba may combat heart disease or other ailments.
Learn about National Geographic Explorer Mattias Klum » See a photo gallery of snakes »
Photograph by Yashodhan Bhatia , National Geographic Your Shot
Photographer Yashodhan Bhatia, a member of National Geographic's Your Shot community, was visiting Velavadar National Park (also known as Blackbuck National Park) in Gujarat state when he came upon this hyena. "The trip was on the verge of absolute failure because of the scorching summer heat," he writes. "Coincidentally, some luck prevailed the last evening."
See pictures of India from the Your Shot community » See our world in shades of orange »
Photograph by Christian Ziegler , National Geographic
A lichen-colored caterpillar disappears into its surroundings in Sarawak, Borneo. Staying alive in the tropics, where nearly everything is food for something else, often calls for such trickery to fool a predator's eye.
See pictures of Borneo » See our world in shades of green »
Photograph by Michael Melford , National Geographic
In summer, millions of fish disperse up Bristol Bay's watershed to rivers and lakes that are breeding grounds for five species of salmon. A proposed gold mine would transform the region, possibly jeopardizing the fishery. Far upstream in unprotected Upper Talarik Creek, near the mine site, researchers found these young salmon and trout.
See pictures of Alaska from Michael Melford » See pictures of freshwater aquatic species »
Photograph by Gus Mills
Cheetah siblings rest on a dune in the Kalahari Desert, which covers much of southern Africa, including parts of Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. National Geographic Big Cats Explorer Gus Mills is examining Kalahari cheetahs using trackers, radios, and DNA analyses. This data helps park managers ensure the continued existence of the cheetahs and future monitoring.
Learn about National Geographic Explorer Gus Mills » See more pictures of cheetahs in the Kalahari »
Photograph by Oskar Neuhold , National Geographic Your Shot
Spring is nesting season for egrets along South Carolina's waterways. The area's wetlands also attract ospreys, white ibises, wood storks, and other birds.
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Photograph by Mark Bridger , National Geographic Your Shot
In England, a fallow deer fawn stays close to a buck. Dama dama isn't native to the U.K.; the species is thought to have been introduced to Britain by the Normans in the 11th century. Today it's widespread in England and Wales.
See pictures of England from the Your Shot community »
Photograph by Jean Wimmerlin , National Geographic Your Shot
A red-spotted porcelain crab clings to an anemone in this underwater photo from a member of our Your Shot community. The tiny crustaceans often tuck themselves away under stones, among sponges, amid mussels, and in other hiding spots.
Photograph by Sandesh Kadur
Wild elephants live in India's fertile Kaziranga floodplain, where marshland, tall grass, and forests provide shelter and food. Kaziranga National Park takes in 50 miles of the Brahmaputra River and harbors some 1,300 elephants.
Learn about National Geographic Emerging Explorer Sandesh Kadur » Watch a video of elephants communicating through play » See more pictures of elephants »
Photograph by Andrea Marshall
A reef manta ray dwarfs a researcher in the waters off of Nusa Penida, near Bali.
"On one special day we encountered dozens of reef manta rays feeding at the surface in Nusa Penida," Marine Megafauna Foundation cofounder and National Geographic explorer Andrea Marshall says. "When these giant animals feed they are distracted, and snorkelers can approach them quite closely without disturbing them. It is almost like they go into a trance.
"This individual spent about a half an hour with us, in quite shallow water, weaving in and out between us while feeding on densely concentrated plankton in the surface waters," she says. "As it approached me it reared up a bit and flashed its ventral surface (belly) at me, giving me a glimpse of its natural spot patterning on its underside, which we use to identify between different rays."
Marshall and her team recently created Manta Matcher, an automated online manta ray database. It "stores the patterning of each manta ray sighted across the world and automatically checks for a match every time a new entry is uploaded," Marshall says. "This system will allow researchers to follow the lives of these elusive animals and learn more about their movements and behavior over time."
Photograph by Peter Stanley , National Geographic Your Shot
I was sitting on the grass photographing a powerful sunset when I looked back to see this curious giraffe slowly approaching. The distant storm was glowing with the last light of the day, and as I lifted my camera, the giraffe froze for one photo before turning toward the hills of Mikumi, Tanzania.
This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot . Check out the new and improved website, where you can share and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.
Get tips on photographing wildlife » See pictures of wildlife around the world »
Photograph by Boris S. , National Geographic Your Shot
A Japanese white-eye clings to a branch in Taiwan.
This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot . Check out the new and improved website, where you can share and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.
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Photograph by Sergey Gorshkov
Two bull muskoxen size each other up. In September, with mating season under way, bulls engage in frequent head-butting confrontations to establish dominance.
Explore 125 years of National Geographic »
Photograph by Paul Nicklen , National Geographic
Manatees swim close to the water's surface because they are air-breathing mammals. They use their stiff facial bristles to guide food into their mouths.
See where Florida manatees roam » Explore 125 years of National Geographic »
Photograph by Paul Nicklen , National Geographic
Manatees swim close to the water's surface because they are air-breathing mammals. They use their stiff facial bristles to guide food into their mouths.
See where Florida manatees roam » Explore 125 years of National Geographic »
Photograph by Christian Ziegler , National Geographic
The bonobo, once called the pygmy chimpanzee, is a unique species of ape, native only to forests on the left bank of the Congo River. Recent research casts new light on their sexual and other behavior.
Explore 125 years of National Geographic »
Photograph by Luciano Candisani
After the caimans emerged at dusk, the photographer was reminded of an earlier encounter. At 15 he went with his dad to look for the crocs by flashlight: The image of their eyes glowing like stars in a dark sky is something I will never forget.
Watch a video of swimming with caimans » See pictures of and learn more about freshwater environments »
Photograph by Cyril Verron , National Geographic Your Shot
Another picture from my work on the praying mantis
This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot . Check out the new and improved website, where you can share and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.
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Photograph by Adhi Anggadjaja , National Geographic Your Shot
During closing time at the Phillip Island Wildlife Park in July 2012, the roos were together resting and grazing as the winter sun was setting.
This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot . Check out the new and improved website, where you can share and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.
See pictures of Australia shot by our fans » Get tips on using available light »
Photograph by Johan Siggesson , National Geographic Your Shot
From a mayhem of hooves, stripes, and whinnying, suddenly an eye popped up between the manes. Originally set out to take a more abstract image of the zebra herd, I just managed to capture the eye before the moment was gone. For me it serves as a reminder that someone, or something, is always watching.
This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot . Check out the new and improved website, where you can share and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.
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Photograph by Sirsendu Gayen , National Geographic Your Shot
I took this image at the Galiff Street weekly market near the five-point crossing of Shyambazar, Kolkata.
This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot . Check out the new and improved website, where you can share and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.
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Photograph by Luciano Candisani
Barely eight inches long a bite-size snack for any keen-eyed jabiru stork that happens along these two-week-old caimans float among water grasses on hot afternoons. If trouble arises, they issue a distress call and nearby adults rush to their side.
Watch a video of swimming with caimans » See pictures of and learn more about freshwater environments »
Photograph by Peri Paleracio , National Geographic Your Shot
A sea pen crab hiding between the branches of this sea pen at 25 meters on a night dive
This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot . Check out the new and improved website, where you can share and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.
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Photograph by Ekaterina Bourindin , National Geographic Your Shot
Riding coach Ester and her horse Mirage, part of a horse series, Jerusalem, Israel
This photo and caption were submitted to Your Shot . Check out the new and improved website, where you can share and connect with fellow photographers from around the globe.
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