Source: Yahoo!
In a captivating display of learned behavior, a female cheetah named
Malaika at the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya climbs onto tour
vehicles as a means to gain elevation to make it easier to spot prey on
the horizon.
Photo and caption by Sanjeev Bhor/National Geographic Photo Contest
Sanjeev Bhor, a wildlife photographer since the age of 10, captured such a moment in an image he has submitted to the
2013 National Geographic Photography Contest.
According to Bhor, Malaika’s habit of using Jeeps as a hunting tool
was learned from her mother, Kike, who learned it from her mother,
Amber.
Bhor called the photo “Dare to Dream,” but not because the cheetah
was dreaming of her next meal. It was for the “brave” woman who
surprised him, and perhaps the cheetah, by popping up out of the Jeep’s
roof and taking close-up photos without any regard to the dangerous
predator. “Her act was so rare that someone Dare to Dream [sic],” Bhor
wrote. The man behind her did, too, apparently.
Bhor’s intriguing cheetah photograph is among more than
1,000 photos already entered in the contest, which ends November 30. Here are a few fascinating samples, led (above) by Bhor’s photo:
I was very lucky of sighting and photographing Malaika, the name of
the female cheetah at the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.
(Malaika generally means “angel” in Swahili). She is well-known for her
habit of jumping onto vehicles. She learned that from her mother, Kike,
and Kike from her mother, Amber. We saw Malaika hopping onto the Jeep
and scanning the horizon for prey. I was lucky to see and capture this
act of her by camera. And surprisingly the lady who was so near to the
cheetah was so brave that she started taking photographs even though she
was so near to predator. Her act was so rare that someone Dare to
Dream.
Photo by Mehmet Karaca/National Geographic Photo Contest
Two praying mantises appear to be boxing on a narrow twig in
Kahramanmaras, Turkey, located at the foot of Ahir Mountain. The mantis
insect family has more than 2,400 species. It is commonly called a
praying mantis because of the insects’ prayer-like posture with folded
fore-limbs.
Photo and caption by Antonio Chiumenti/National Geographic Photo Contest
Carezza Lake is a pearl of the Dolomiti [in Italy]. Nestled between
an ancient forest of grand firs and the Latemar Mountain, it is place of
legends and beauty. A nymph lives under its emerald waters. I threw a
little stone in the water to add a little mystery to the scene.
Photo and caption by Graham McGeorge/National Geographic Photo Contest
Eastern Screech Owls like to take over woodpecker nests that have
been dug out over the years in pine trees, which are the main species of
tree at this swamp. Fish and Wildlife also paints a white ring around
the base of a tree that has active nests in order to avoid when
conducting controlled burns. Screech owls can range in height anywhere
from 8 to 10 inches, so you have to have a sharp eye to find these
little birds of prey.
I spent the first few weeks of April this year photographing the grey
morph screech owl that was living in the nest and had no idea there
were three owlets inside.
Photo and caption by Melih Sular/National Geographic Photo Contest
This area is known as Çankiri Salt Cave and is believed to have been
operated by Hittites (3,000 B.C.) 5,000 years ago. This area has the
largest rock salt reserve in Turkey. This area started 25 kilometers
east from Çankiri, and rock salt production was made by the mining
method “room and pillar system.” Although a relatively narrow entrance
gallery, the galleries where production was made resemble highway
tunnels. Salt cavities, 400 meters under the Earth’s crust, thick of
blood vessels, separated orderly rooms and pillars. In other words,
parallel galleries designed in salt cavities.
Photo and caption by Majed Ali/National Geographic Photo Contest
We just went to search for the leopard in the morning, but we found a
group of giraffes come toward a small lake that start drinking. It was a
nice moment when the giraffe finished drinking and left a letter “S”
with a motion in the air.
Photo and caption by Gavin Hardcastle /National Geographic Photo Contest
Autumn sun pours into Punch Bowl Falls [on Eagle Creek in the
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon] to create some
stunning atmospherics. I didn’t have long to capture the moving light
beams, so I frantically started shooting as soon as I arrived on the
scene.
Photo and caption by Scott Bechtel /National Geographic Photo Contest
While photographing hummingbirds in British Columbia I shot this male
Rufous just as he fanned out to show his authority when another male
Rufous appeared over my head.
Photo and caption by Graham Erik Mandre/National Geographic Photo Contest
The picture is captured using special hide placed to the primeval
forest in Finland [sic]. High trees offer protection to the brown bear
cubs being vitally important to survive from all dangers around them.
Bear cubs are threatened especially by the other male bears, who might
attack and take their lives without any doubt. Thus fast climbing on
trees is one of the most important skills for bear cubs in order to
survive, and they are always ready for it.
Photo and caption by Peter Allinson/National Geographic Photo Contest
Rare photo of a tongue parasite in an Anemone fish, taken in Komodo, Indonesia.
