Lesser Crested Tern (Thalasseus bengalensis) gliding over the waves at dusk – Oman coast, Arabian Sea
Bathed in golden twilight, this graceful coastal migrant skims the warm tropical shorelines with ease and precision.
Pack of Abyssinian Wolves on Patrol in the Bale Mountains (Canis simensis), Ethiopia
Pack of Abyssinian Wolves on Patrol in the Bale Mountains (Canis simensis), Ethiopia
Click to see the complete picture in a virtual tour
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.
Ornate Ghost Pipefish (Solenostomus paradoxus) – Indonesia
Ornate Ghost Pipefish (Solenostomus paradoxus) – Indonesia
Strange and delicate, Solenostomus paradoxus defies the eye. This harlequin ghost pipefish, a master of camouflage, blends perfectly among gorgonian branches or seagrass beds, mimicking the shapes and colors of its surroundings. Hanging head-down, it seems to vanish into the background, eluding predators with ease. Its spectacular mimicry makes it one of the most fascinating illusionists of tropical reefs.
