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Yellow-billed Oxpeckers doing some maintenance and snacking on bugs and parasites. Masai Mara, Kenya
During the 20th century, poaching has significantly reduced the population of Elephants all over. The World Wide Fund for Nature believes there were between 3 and 5 million African elephants as recently as the 1930s and 1940s. Between 1980 and 1990 the population of African elephants was more than halved, from 1.3 million to around 600,000. Between 1973 and 1989, the African elephant population of Kenya declined by 85%. In Chad, the population declined from 400,000 in 1970 to about 10,000 in 2006. The population in the Tanzanian Selous Game Reserve, once the largest of any reserve in the world, dropped from 109,000 in 1976 to 13,000 in 2013. 85,000 elephants were lost to poaching in Tanzania between 2009 and 2014 (Source: Wikipedia).
Only Elephants should wear Ivory!
This beautiful scene of Elephants grazing in the early morning light with Mt. Kilimanjaro as the backdrop was photographed on a game drive in Amboseli National Park, Kenya.
This lionesse is very alive and enjoying the shade!
© Cosmopolitan Photography | All rights reserved.
Do not use, copy or edit any of my images without my written permission.
The brothers Titus and Brutus share a copacetic moment of synchrony.
At Brookfield Zoo - mid morning at the start of a hot day. They are normally sweet together, but usually just sleeping/lounging. I was walking by and saw this unusual dual pose, and quickly snapped off a few captures. The harmonic lines of their profiles really grabbed my attention!
A close-up, eye-level portrait of a young lion with its head tilted back and mouth wide open in a playful or tired yawn. The warm, soft light of the setting sun bathes the lions´ face in a golden glow, highlighting its youthful features and capturing a rare, intimate moment of a future king in its natural African habitat.
In the lush wetlands of Chobe National Park, Botswana, an African elephant cools off in the shallows, showering itself in water and light. The close-up captures both the raw power and the tender precision of this iconic animal as it grazes and bathes—an intimate moment in one of Africa’s most wildlife-rich landscapes.
Ausgezeichnetes Gehör und exzellentes Sehvermögen zeichnen diese wunderschönen Katzen aus.
Kenia - Samburu
Powerful expression
Excellent hearing and excellent eyesight characterize these beautiful cats.
Kenya - Samburu
All rights reserved. © Uli Assmann
The boss of the lion pack has everything under control
Masai Mara - Kenya
All rights reserved. © Uli Assmann
Shinde private concession, Okavango Delta in Botswana
Thank you very much for looking and commenting!
Selten lässt die sich Blicken -und plötzlich kommt sie unverhofft aus dem Gebüsch auf dich zu - das ist Bahati!
Masai Mara - Kenia
The mysterious leopardess
Rarely does she show her face - and suddenly she comes out of the bushes towards you - that's Bahati!
Massai Mara - Kenya
All rights reserved. © Uli Assmann
So erlebte man normalerweise den Park - ein großer Reichtum an Säugetieren, die sich hier tummeln.
Besonders die Elefanten sind hier einzigartig.
Nach einer sehr schwierigen Dürrezeit in den letzten Monaten in der viele Tiere verendet sind, scheint sich die Situation in Amboseli wieder zu verbessern.
Es hat geregnet und der Pflanzenwuchs kehrt zurück - die Lebensgrundlage für die dort lebenden Massai und die vielen Säugetiere.
Amboseli's elephants
This is how you would normally experience the park - a great wealth of mammals that congregate here.
Especially the elephants are unique here.
After a very difficult drought period in the last months in which many animals died, the situation in Amboseli seems to be improving again.
It has rained and the plant growth is returning - the basis of life for the Maasai living there and the many mammals.
All rights reserved. © Uli Assmann
In the heart of Botswana’s Okavango Delta, a young lion pauses in the golden light of dusk, its gaze sharp and contemplative. The soft glow of the setting sun dances across its tawny coat, highlighting the delicate textures of fur and the intensity in its amber eyes. Every detail of this close-up reveals the quiet strength and acute awareness that define Africa’s apex predators.
This photograph captures more than a portrait — it embodies a moment of stillness in the wild, where the boundary between observer and observed momentarily dissolves. The lion’s focused expression suggests it's scanning its surroundings, possibly tracking movement in the grass or listening for the distant calls of its pride. A subtle breeze lifts the fur on its ears, adding motion to an otherwise frozen moment.
Taken in one of the most pristine wildlife habitats on Earth, this image celebrates not only the lion as a symbol of wild Africa but also the fragile, awe-inspiring ecosystem of the Okavango Delta — a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its biodiversity and raw beauty.
A powerful close-up of an African elephant in Botswana’s Chobe National Park. The texture of its wrinkled skin, the curve of its ivory tusk, and the delicate movement of its trunk reflect both the strength and vulnerability of Africa’s giants.
Can I come? Where ya going? Hey! Hey big brother! Will there be snacks? This is GREAT!
Got out to Lincoln Park Zoo to see the Lion cubs. And they are of course quite cute even though they arent tiny any longer. Lotta of sleeping going on because...cats, but some intermittent action.
Three male cubs, Pesho, Sidai, and Lomelok were born January 9th to second time mom Zari, and her mate Jabari. Last year she gave birth to Pilipili who is now the big brother you see in this image.
Nice zoo, and met some nice folks there - Cheers!
with this fascinating mother hippo and her still very young offspring, who were able to keep their heads above water with skillful swimming movements.
A wonderful moment!
Maasai Mara - Kenya
All rights reserved. © Uli Assmann
The African buffalo or Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is a large Sub-Saharan African bovine. Syncerus caffer caffer, the Cape buffalo, is the typical subspecies, and the largest one, found in Southern and East Africa.
One of the "big five" African game, it is known as "the Black Death" or "widowmaker", and is widely regarded as a very dangerous animal. According to some estimates, it gores and kills over 200 people every year. Buffaloes are sometimes reported to kill more people in Africa than any other animal.
African buffalo is well known for its exceptional memory. It will recognize a person (such as hunters) that hurt it in the past and it will attack it at their next encounter. Same is with lions. They will "preventively" kill cubs of lions that are known attackers of the herd.
Photographed on a late evening game drive in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya.
Elephants (Loxodonta africana) are the largest land animals on Earth, and they're one of the most unique-looking animals, too. With their characteristic long noses, or trunks; large, floppy ears; and wide, thick legs, there is no other animal with a similar physique.
A baby elephant is called a calf. It weighs about 250 pounds at birth and stands about three feet tall. Calves can't see very well at first, but they can recognize their mothers by touch, scent, and sound.
Baby elephants stay very close to their mothers for the first couple of months. The calves drink their mother's milk for about two years, sometimes longer. They drink up to 3 gallons of milk a day! At about four months old, they also begin eating some plants, like adult elephants, but they continue to need as much milk from their mother. They keep drinking milk for up to ten years!
This beautiful Elephant family was captured on a photography safari during an early morning game drive in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.
The Kruger National Park lies in the north-east of South Africa and runs along the border of Mozambique in the east, Zimbabwe in the north, and the southern border is the Crocodile River. The park covers 20,000 square kilometers and is divided in 14 different ecozones, each supporting different wildlife. It is one of the main attractions of South Africa and it is considered the flagship of South African National Parks (SANParks).
The infrastructure of the park is outstanding by African standards and roads inside the park are of very good quality and potholes on the main roads are rare. Smaller sidetracks are close to the originals landscape, but manageable with a normal car, although a 4x4 offers probably a better comfort on this type of terrain. KNP roads have speed limits range from 20 to 50 km/h and it is not wise to go much faster, because game tends to cross the roads out of nowhere.
Head on view of a large male Cape buffalo with its huge set of horns, taken from the relative safety of a safari vehicle (they can and have rammed a vehicle, especially when feeling threatened). They weigh up to a ton and are considered one of the most dangerous of the African Big 5 to encounter in the wild due to their unpredictability, their huge size and dangerous horns. They can attack ferociously without warning and with surprising speed.
24/10/2025 www.allenfotowild.com
Die Sonne war noch nicht ganz aufgegangen - feine Wassertröpfchen bilden sich noch auf dem Gras - da machte sich dieser wunderschöne junge Löwe auf zum Jagen.
Masai Mara - Kenia
In the morning dew
The sun had not yet fully risen - fine water droplets still forming on the grass - as this beautiful young lion set out to hunt.
Massai Mara - Kenia
All rights reserved. © Uli Assmann
Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth, and they're one of the most unique-looking animals, too. With their characteristic long noses, or trunks; large, floppy ears; and wide, thick legs, there is no other animal with a similar physique.
A baby elephant is called a calf. It weighs about 250 pounds at birth and stands about three feet tall. Calves can't see very well at first, but they can recognize their mothers by touch, scent, and sound.
Baby elephants stay very close to their mothers for the first couple of months. The calves drink their mother's milk for about two years, sometimes longer. They drink up to 3 gallons of milk a day! At about four months old, they also begin eating some plants, like adult elephants, but they continue to need as much milk from their mother. They keep drinking milk for up to ten years!
This very cute looking baby Elephant, was captured on a photography safari during a game drive, following its mother in Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.
Leopard sightings are always a highlight of each safari. In the South Luangwa NP, Zambia, sightings are not rare at all, daily sightings almost guaranteed. But not often they pose as nicely as here.
Featured on Flickr Explore #27 on 2023-01-23,
During a recent trip to the Maasai Mara, we were lucky to sight Jilime, daughter of Luluka, late in the evening. Jilime is over 2 years old and is turning out to be a successful Leopard in the wild having gained her independence from her mother.
Queen Jilime posing on a tree was captured during a photography safari on a late evening game drive in the Maasai Mara National Reserve, Kenya.
Portrait of a lion | Kruger Sightings
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Have you ever been stalked by a leopard?
This look? The decisive moment for Samson, the Amur Leopard right before he tried to attack me!
Not something on my bucket list... Not something I thought I'd ever face... But...
I was taking pictures of Samson, the four year old Amur Leopard at Brookfield Zoo. He was quite active this day - roaming his habitat - going for birds if they strayed too close. I hoped to get some good action shots. He's grown quite large now - 5 feet? 100 lbs? A sizeable cat - much larger than his mom, Lisa.
It was cold and in the middle of the week - there were very few people around - in fact, I was alone with him. He was high up on the rocks - a typical place, and I moved over by the netting on the right side, and leaned in to minimize the appearance of the netting in the image capture.
He suddenly, intently focused on me, then moved along the rocks, toward the angled log that lets them climb up and down on that side of the habitat. Running first, then slowing, as he moved down the log - leading to the look you see.
I didn't realize it at the time, but he was stalking me. Judging that maybe, just maybe I was close enough to get at. Sizing me up.
Me? I was oblivious as to his intent - I was happy to get some big cat action!
Then he raced down the log, bounded to the ground, right toward me! I was just trying to keep him in the frame, but couldn't see his actions clearly, he was moving so fast!
Before I knew it, he leapt and hit the netting, bowing it way out toward me - he was going for my head! I backed away, the netting held, and he had a disappointed look on his face.
If you've seen Encanto, in the "Don't Eat Those" scene, the Jaguar has the same expression - I should post it.
Playing? Hunting? Both? I oddly did not feel frightened by this - but it could have been dangerous.
He did variations of this charge a few more times, but none as powerfully as that first leap. A couple of times he snuck up on me and was next to me before I knew it - again on the netting. After a while, he went up on the rocks for a nap, and I left...
A crazy encounter for sure. Hopefully I provided him some novel entertainment - a respite from his usual life. I won't soon forget it!
Featured on Flickr Explore #69 on 2021-03-05
Elephants (Loxodonta africana) are the largest land animals on Earth, and they're one of the most unique-looking animals, too. With their characteristic long noses, or trunks; large, floppy ears; and wide, thick legs, there is no other animal with a similar physique.
A baby elephant is called a calf. It weighs about 250 pounds at birth and stands about three feet tall. Calves can't see very well at first, but they can recognize their mothers by touch, scent, and sound.
Baby elephants stay very close to their mothers for the first couple of months. The calves drink their mother's milk for about two years, sometimes longer. They drink up to 3 gallons of milk a day! At about four months old, they also begin eating some plants, like adult elephants, but they continue to need as much milk from their mother. They keep drinking milk for up to ten years!
This beautiful Elephant family was captured on a photography safari during an early morning game drive in the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.
A desert-adapted African elephant strides across wind-sculpted dunes in the golden light of Namibia’s arid wilderness. Dust rises beneath its feet as it moves with quiet strength through one of the most dramatic landscapes in Africa.
Featured on Flickr Explore #40 2022-01-21
Pride lionesses (Panthera leo) often synchronise their reproductive cycles and communal rearing and suckling of the young, which suckle indiscriminately from any or all of the nursing females in the pride. The synchronisation of births is advantageous because the cubs grow to being roughly the same size and have an equal chance of survival, and sucklings are not dominated by older cubs. Weaning occurs after six or seven months. Male lions reach maturity at about three years of age and at four to five years are capable of challenging and displacing adult males associated with another pride.
Captured on a photography safari on a late evening game drive in the Rekero area of Maasai Mara Game Reserve, Kenya.