The view from above

Positivity on 2023-03-02

There are two female lions at Werribee Open Range Zoo, and they are mother and daughter. They were joined by a new male last year with a view to hearing the pitter patter of little paws – they are trying!

This day was heavily overcast, and the male didn’t seem to be interested in joining the ladies outside – perhaps he was overtired from the pursuit of pitter-patter?

Click on the images below to see them larger.

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What are you looking at?
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I don’t like how that bird is looking at me
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zzzzzzzzzzzz
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Let’s get a view from higher up
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Now everyone is beneath me!

These images were all shot on the Sony 200-600mm G on a Sony A7RV in Animal subject recognition mode. It was not the ideal lens when one is rather close to lions, though – even 200mm can be a bit long sometimes!

In case you are wondering, the alert lioness is the mother, while the less alert is her daughter.

That final perch is a long way from the ground. I’m not sure if it’s 4 or 5 metres up. Quite intimidating when 100kg of lion is that high up!

Hippos heading into the water

Positivity on 2023-02-28

These hippos at Werribee Open Range Zoo are a mother and two daughters. They had been out for a bit, and decided it was time to get wet. Not a radical decision for a hippo.

Click on the images below to see them larger.

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211mm, f/5.6, 1/2000, ISO 5000
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200mm, f/5.6, 1/2000, ISO 5000
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470mm, f/6.3, 1/1600, ISO 12800

These images were all shot on the Sony 200-600mm G on a Sony A7RV in Animal subject recognition mode, which locked onto the lead hippo’s eye in each case. I’ve put the exposure details on each image.

That’s quite a splash from a single hippo foot in the second image

Gorilla chat

Positivity on 2023-02-26

The gorillas at Werribee Open Range Zoo are a bachelor group, consisting of a father and an older and younger brother. When I visited late this morning they were enjoying an early lunch. I got a variety of expressions, and using the latest scientific tools (or an over-active imagination) determined what they were communicating over lunch.

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You know what they call the gorilla who hogs most of the food?
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Munch, munch, what?
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Munch, FAT!
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WHAT??
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At least you can’t be referring to me
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Can you?

These images were all shot at 600mm on the Sony 200-600mm G, with the lens wide open at f/6.3. I used the Sony A7RV in Animal subject recognition mode. The images were all taken at 1/2000, with auto ISO selecting values from 8000 to 12800 (there was 100% cloud cover).

Lemur against the light

Positivity on 2021-11-17

I visited the zoo at lunchtime, and caught this lemur sitting in the shadow, avoiding the harsh sunlight that we can see in the background. I like how much detail I captured in the shadow, and the separation of the lemur’s muzzle. The A1 managed to focus on the lemur’s eyes, despite the significant difference in brightness between the lemur and the background.

This image was shot with the Sony 200-600mm G lens at 312mm on a Sony A1, at f/6.3 1/2000 ISO 1250 (on auto ISO). The image is uncropped – thought you’d like to see the whole frame, including the lemur’s fingers.