The Abyssinian Wolf, Watcher of the Ethiopian Highlands
Alone on the highlands of Abyssinia, the Ethiopian wolf scans the horizon. This slender predator, perfectly adapted to life at high altitude, is now one of the most endangered mammals on the African continent. Threatened by habitat fragmentation and diseases transmitted by domestic dogs, only about 500 individuals remain in the wild.
Eurasian ermine (Mustela erminea) – France
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.
Pack of Abyssinian Wolves on Patrol in the Bale Mountains (Canis simensis), Ethiopia
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Abyssinian wolves feed almost exclusively on rodents. Their habitat is limited to the high plateaus and mountains of Ethiopia, where rodent density is particularly high. In the Bale Mountains, where this photo was taken, up to 6,000 rodents can be found per square kilometer.
This diet has shaped their behavior: unlike other wolf species that hunt large prey in packs, Abyssinian wolves hunt alone.
Yet each morning, before spreading out to search for food, clan members carry out a joint patrol across their territory.
On this particular day, six wolves from the Meguiti clan were roaming their land, ensuring no intruders had trespassed.
Concentrated Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) – Ethiopia
Snow monkeys (in Japanese, nihonzaru 日本猿), also known as Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata), are the only species of primate living in the wild in Japan. This species is also endemic to the Japanese archipelago. These monkeys are mainly found in mountainous regions, at altitudes ranging from 500 to 2,500 meters. In winter, when temperatures become harsh, these monkeys have developed a surprising habit: soaking in natural hot springs to keep warm!
Ethiopian wolves at play (Canis simensis), Ethiopia
Two adults ethiopian wolves clash in a burst of movement — a game, perhaps, or a reminder of rank — under the watchful, curious eye of a young pup. These moments of energy, bonding, and social learning are the heartbeat of Abyssinian wolf life. In this dusty flurry, we witness a society in motion.
Tenderness towards the cub, Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis), Ethiopia
Gelada Male (Theropithecus gelada), Ethiopia
Culpeo zorro (Lycalopex culpaeus), Bolivia
Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra rupicapra), France
Female eurasian brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos), Asturias, Spain
The perfect teeth of the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), Australia
Alpine marmot (Marmota marmota)
Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica)
Alpine ibex (Capra ibex)
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Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra)
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Brown bear (Ursus arctos)
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Read the paper about the Boto to learn more from this dolphin
