Category: 2025

2025, Ethiopia Selection, Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis)

Young Abyssinian wolf scanning the pack’s territory

Young Abyssinian wolf scanning the pack's territory - Ethiopia

Young Abyssinian wolf scanning the pack’s territory – Ethiopia

Perched on a rocky outcrop, this young wolf is beginning to adopt the postures of an adult. Still inexperienced, he gazes across the high plateaus, learning to read the landscape and spot the movements around him.

For the Abyssinian wolf, vigilance is an essential part of growing up. Every individual plays a part in defending the family home range—a vital space closely linked to the abundance of rodents the pack relies on. By gradually taking his place on the high points, the juvenile learns this fundamental role, a quiet but decisive step toward adulthood.

2025, HD and 360°, Portugal Selection

Mesquita Beach and its golden cliffs, Algarve, Portugal


Mesquita Beach and its golden cliffs, Algarve, Portugal

Sculpted cliffs of Mesquita Beach, Algarve – Portugal.


👁️ View the 360° virtual tour

A discreet gem of the Algarve, Mesquita Beach reveals a spectacular landscape where marine erosion has carved arches and columns out of golden limestone.

Located near the famous Benagil Cave, Mesquita offers a much more rugged and wild atmosphere. Its steep cliffs, shaped by the wind and sea spray, bear witness to the patient strength of the Atlantic. At low tide, the receding water reveals secret passages between the rocks and natural pools where the stone seems to dissolve into the turquoise hues of the ocean.

This virtual tour allows you to immerse yourself at the foot of these stone giants and contemplate the fine geological layers that tell millions of years of sedimentary history.

2025, Bird, Oman Selection

Sanderlings in flight (Calidris alba) – Oman

Sanderlings in flight (Calidris alba) – Oman

Sanderlings in flight (Calidris alba) – Oman.

Flying in tight flocks over the shores of the Arabian Sea, these long-distance migrants connect the coasts of Oman to the Arctic tundras every year.

Always on the move, Sanderlings skirt the shoreline in dense groups, punctuating the coast with their swift, synchronized flights. These small shorebirds travel thousands of miles annually between their Arctic breeding grounds and the temperate or tropical beaches where they overwinter. On the foreshore, they tirelessly follow the ebb and flow of the waves, feeding on tiny invertebrates revealed by the receding water.

2025, Mammal, Spain Selection

Grooming Behavior of the Eurasian Otter

Grooming Behavior of the Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra), Spain

After a dive, a Eurasian Otter (Lutra lutra) shakes itself to maintain its fur, which is essential for insulation and survival in an aquatic environment.

Discreet and elusive, the Eurasian otter is a valuable bioindicator: its presence is a sign of a healthy river.

As a top predator at the apex of the food chain, it must consume around 10 to 15% of its body weight each day, roughly one kilogram of food (fish, crustaceans, amphibians). Such abundance is only possible in rich aquatic environments, where good water quality allows microorganisms and insects at the base of the food web to thrive.

Furthermore, the otter is extremely sensitive to bioaccumulation: chemical pollutants such as heavy metals and pesticides concentrate along the food chain until they reach it. Its active presence and successful reproduction therefore provide a particularly reliable biological indicator, revealing an aquatic ecosystem that is functional and well preserved.

2025, Ethiopia Selection, Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), Mammal

Ethiopian Wolf, Nose to the Wind

Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) catching a scent in the Bale Mountains, Ethiopia

Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) catching a scent – Bale Mountains, Ethiopia

The Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), also known as the Simien jackal, is the world’s rarest wild canid, endemic to the highlands of Ethiopia. A rodent-hunting specialist, it moves gracefully through alpine meadows.

In this image, an individual lifts its head into the morning breeze—perhaps tracking prey or simply attuned to the subtle cues of its environment. With fewer than 500 individuals remaining in the wild, every observation is a profound privilege. Its russet coat, slender muzzle, and poised silhouette make it a quiet but powerful symbol of Ethiopia’s unique natural heritage.

2025, Oman Selection, Stars

Moonlight over the Rub al Khali – Oman

Moonlight over the sand dunes of the Rub al Khali desert, Oman

Under the soft moonlight, the Rub al Khali reveals itself in all its nocturnal majesty.

Under the soft light of the moon, the Rub al Khali, the vast sand desert of the southeastern Arabian Peninsula, reveals itself in all its nocturnal majesty.

The silvery dunes draw silent undulations, while the starry sky stretches to infinity above this landscape of raw and timeless beauty. An atmosphere of absolute calm and solitude envelops this legendary desert, inviting contemplation and reverie in the heart of one of the largest sand deserts in the world.

2025, Bird, Ethiopia Selection

Blue Sparkle of the Male Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus)

Male Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) perched in a thorny bush, Ethiopia

A bright turquoise flash amidst the thorny thickets of the Ethiopian savannah.

Perched in a thorny bush, this male Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus) reveals its stunning plumage.

Its vibrant turquoise-blue breast and belly are highlighted by a distinctive red patch on the cheek. In females, these colors are more muted, with the blue being less extensive and the red cheek patch absent. This contrast allows for easy identification of the sexes. Widespread across the savannahs and scrublands of sub-Saharan Africa, this small, graceful bird enlivens the Ethiopian landscape with its vivid colors and energetic movements, often found in pairs or small groups.

2025, Oman Selection, Reptil and Amphibian

The Gulf Sand Gecko (Stenodactylus leptocosymbotes): A Night Watchman of Oman

Gulf Sand Gecko (Stenodactylus leptocosymbotes) photographed at night in the desert, Oman

A small marvel of adaptation to the extreme conditions of the Omani desert.

The Gulf Sand Gecko (Stenodactylus leptocosymbotes) is a discreet and elusive inhabitant of Oman’s arid regions.

Recognizable by its large eyes adapted for night vision, it emerges mainly at night to hunt small insects. Its slender legs allow it to move with agility over loose sand, while its pale coloration helps it blend seamlessly into its environment. A true watchman of the sands, this small reptile is a fascinating example of adaptation to the harshest climatic conditions of the Arabian Peninsula.

2025, Ethiopia Selection, Gelada (Theropithecus gelada), Mammal

Young Gelada female on a Cactus

Young female Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) perched on a cactus, Ethiopia

A unique specialization among primates to survive in high-altitude grasslands.

The Gelada, a primate endemic to the Ethiopian Highlands, is distinguished by an almost exclusively herbivorous diet.

Unlike most monkeys, it spends the majority of its day grazing on grass, much like a ruminant. Over 90% of its diet consists of shoots, seeds, roots, flowers… and even cacti, from which it consumes the tender, water-rich parts. This unique specialization allows it to thrive in altitude prairies where resources are seasonal but abundant. In this photograph, a young female nimbly explores the resources provided by the local flora, showcasing the species’ incredible adaptation.

2025, Bird, Oman Selection

Skimming Flight, Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) – Oman

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) flying low over the waves, Oman

The gull skims the crest of the waves, in perfect balance between sky and sea.

In perfect harmony with the water, the Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) performs a silent dance above the ocean.

A remarkable long-distance migrant, identifiable by its slate-grey mantle and yellow legs, it travels thousands of kilometers annually to reach the shores of the Indian Ocean from Northern Europe or Russia. Its low-altitude flight is more than just aesthetic: it utilizes the ground effect to conserve energy during long coastal journeys. In Oman, it is a regular visitor to the coastlines, where its elegant silhouette stands out against the deep blue of the Arabian Sea.

2025, Ethiopia Selection, Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), Mammal

The Ethiopian Wolf, Sentinel of the Abyssinian Highlands

Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis) standing in the tall grass, Ethiopia

A silhouette that stands still, watchful, in the silence of the high plateaus.

At the edge of dawn, across the vast expanses of the Ethiopian highlands, the Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis) embodies elegance and discretion.

Its silent steps lead it through the high-altitude pastures, where it scans every movement in the grass, stalking its favorite prey—primarily endemic rodents. This image reveals the profound harmony between the animal and its environment: soft lines, diffused light, and a suspended silence. As a critically endangered species, this solitary predator of the Simien and Bale mountains is a symbol of the raw and fragile beauty of Abyssinia.

2025, Oman Selection, Stars

The Waltz of Stars Over the Dunes of the Rub al Khali (الربع الخالي)

Star trails over the dunes of Rub al Khali

Star trails over the dunes of Rub al Khali (the Empty Quarter).

In the silent immensity of the Rub al Khali, the largest sand desert on the Arabian Peninsula, the night sky becomes a giant dial revealing the movement of the stars.

This long-exposure photograph captures the slow rotation of the Earth on its axis, as stars trace perfect circles around the northern celestial pole. In the foreground, the ochre dunes are illuminated by moonlight. Shaped by prevailing winds, they create a fluid and shifting landscape where sand grains, resulting from weathered sedimentary rocks, have been molded by wind erosion over millennia. In this frozen scene, everything speaks of motion: the wind, the stars… and time itself.

2025, Ethiopia Selection, Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), Mammal

The Abyssinian Wolf, Watcher of the Ethiopian Highlands

Ethiopian Wolf (Canis simensis) on the Ethiopian highlands

The Ethiopian Wolf, guardian of the Abyssinian highlands.

Standing alone on the Abyssinian highlands, the Ethiopian wolf scans the horizon, a fragile witness to a unique high-altitude ecosystem.

This slender predator, perfectly adapted to the vast alpine spaces, is now one of the most endangered mammals on the African continent. Suffering from habitat fragmentation and diseases transmitted by domestic dogs, only about 500 individuals are thought to remain in the wild. Its reddish silhouette against the moorlands embodies the wild and precarious beauty of the Bale and Simien Mountains, where every individual is vital to the survival of this endemic species.

2025, Oman Selection, Shellfish, Stars

Bioluminescence of Krill Rising to the Surface at Nightfall (likely Euphausia sibogae) – Arabian Sea, Oman

Bioluminescence of Krill surfacing at nightfall, (likely Euphausia sibogae) - Arabian Sea, Oman

Bioluminescence of Krill surfacing at nightfall, (likely Euphausia sibogae) – Arabian Sea, Oman.

At nightfall, krill rise from the depths to the surface, driven by the planet’s largest daily animal migration.

There, tossed by the waves, it releases a cold, bluish light. Its bioluminescence, emitted by small organs called photophores, creates fleeting flashes on the water’s surface. This shimmering sometimes transforms the nocturnal ocean into a sea of living stars, shifting and silent.

2025, Oman Selection

Birth of the Day over the Dunes – Rub al Khali desert, Sultanate of Oman


Daybreak over the dunes - Rub al Khali Desert, Sultanate of Oman

Daybreak over the dunes – Rub al Khali Desert, Sultanate of Oman.


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As night slowly gives way to light, the dunes awaken in a golden breath.

Shadows glide along the ridges, colors stretch out, and the desert reveals itself, silent, in all its majesty. At dawn, every wave of sand becomes a mountain, every ray of sunlight a promise of infinity.

This virtual tour allows you to immerse yourself in the heart of these sand giants and contemplate the purity of the lines shaped by the wind in one of the most arid deserts in the world.

2025, Ethiopia Selection, Mammal

Male Mountain Nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) – Bale Mountains, Ethiopia

Male

Male Mountain Nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) – Bale Mountains, Ethiopia

 

Shy and elusive, the mountain nyala lives only on the Ethiopian highlands, among misty heather forests, alpine meadows, and shadowy clearings. Fewer than 4,000 individuals remain in the wild, most of them confined to the Bale Mountains — the species’ last stronghold.

Males are especially striking: larger and darker than females, they bear long, spiraled horns and a dark crest along their back that stands erect during tension or display. These features make them elegant, ghost-like figures of the high-altitude forests — rare, silent, and hard to glimpse.

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