The Tamesis
Ferret’s game. That morning the stoat performed a series of jumps on the snow for several minutes, something it had not done in the previous days. He seemed to be playing with the freshly fallen snow, jumping suddenly and crawling in the snow. Scientists have repeatedly witnessed stoats (Mustela erminea) performing similar displays, a behavior they call dancing, although they disagree on the motivations for jumping and twisting. Sometimes these dances are performed in front of rabbits or large birds, seemingly to confuse or distract potential prey—a tactic that has proven effective in many recorded interactions. Other times, as is the case in the photographed display, there is no prey in sight and the dance appears to be simply an expression of exuberance. A third hypothesis is that the dance is actually an involuntary response to parasitic infection, since stoats are known to be hosts of intracranial parasites. Jose Manuel has been a wildlife photographer for 25 years, specializing in photographing birds. He has also conducted several studies on bird migration, which have been published in journals such as Aedeola (Seo/Birdlife). Jose’s photographs have won several awards including Wildlife Photographer of the Year, GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year and Best Photography in Nature. He is a member of the Spanish Association of Nature Photographers and the Spanish Ornithological Society. Follow Jose on Instagram @jm_grandio.Jose Manuel Grandio/Courtesy of Vital Impacts.
Today, on Earth Day, the same day as Jane Goodall’s 92nd birthday, we have the opportunity to reflect on this theme through the following images: The Nature of Hope: A World Inspired by Jane Goodalla series created by Vital Impacts, featuring works by Nick Brandt, Frans Lanting, Cristina Mittermeier, Steve Winter, Ami Vitale, Jim Naughten and others. On this occasion you can also purchase a selection of rare autographed prints of Jane Goodall.
Dance elements. Aerial photo of Arctic river delta in autumn. Aventdalen Valley, Svalbard, Norway.Orsolya Haarberg / Courtesy of Vital Impacts.
A world on the edge. The Arctic is one of my happy places. Its environment is like another world. I have high hopes of encountering, photographing, and photographing polar bears, but there is no guarantee that you will see them, especially one on a glass window. Believe it or not, I am lucky that my dream came true. This photo is my first polar bear encounter. I couldn’t believe it – the timing, the setting, the lighting, the location – it was all picture perfect, with the added bonus of a waterfall! The hardest job was me – standing on a small zodiac with the waves rocking it and changing weather conditions, I needed a prayer, a breath and a second. I’m very happy with the results. Michael Haluwana is an internationally renowned, award-winning cinematographer, photographer and videographer with over 17 years of industry experience. Michael’s outstanding work has earned him numerous accolades from prestigious organizations such as National Geographic, BBC, Virgin Galactic, Canon and Sony. Michael’s career has been marked by collaborations with renowned national and international professionals on landmark projects. Notably, he worked with Sir David Attenborough on the BBC’s Planet Earth II and Planet Earth Ill, creating stunning visuals that captivated audiences around the world. Follow Michael on Instagram @aeroture_aus.Michael Haluwana / Courtesy of Vital Impacts.
