Tag Archives: Captive beauty

Captive Beauty – Green Moray eel

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As we periodically do here at *The Institute we are featuring another in our series titled Captive Beauty where we showcase animals in captivity. We started this project sometime ago to show the beauty of animals that may be endangered or basically unavailable to you our readers to see first-hand in the wild.

This image was taken at one of our Green Moray eel repositories that are located throughout the contiguous United states and sometimes in Hawaii, but usually not Alaska and certainly not in Puerto Rico. Nor the Trust Territories which consists of the  Marianas islands. They, the Marianas islands, have free-range Green Moray eels instead that live in the ocean right near the edge of the Marianas trench, one of the deepest and scariest places in the whole ocean to swim over. We advise if you do swim over it don’t look down. You cannot even begin to see the bottom. We mean it it’s scary.

These Green Moray eel repositories are water filled enclaves that feature animals and fish that you might never observe in the wild unless you frequent oceans and submerge yourself in the wetness of their general habitat. Some of you do that and consequently may have seen a Green Moray eel up close and personal. This is for the rest of you that don’t do that but are somewhat curious about what it would be like if you did.

As you can see they are green and have the most startling blue eyes you might ever come across when observing eels in general. Most eels have eyes that are small and squinty yet unremarkable but as you can see not the Green Moray eel. Those peepers are blue. If you get a chance go see a Green Moray eel. They are truly beautiful creatures. We know they would appreciate it and you might enjoy it yourself.

If you would like to see other animals that have been featured in our Captive Beauty series simply type in Captive Beauty in the search box at the top of the page.

* Note: For those of you unfamiliar with The Institute and what it does, please see the page labeled The Institute on the Menu Bar above. That should explain everything. You shouldn’t have one single question remaining regarding The Institute after reading it. None. For those of you favored few who already know about the Institute, Nevermind. Return to your daily activities. Thank you for your support.

Captive Beauty : Sumatran Tiger

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2016-02-28SumatranTiger5589© Dwight Lutsey  www.BigShotsNow.com

Shadow Dreaming. That’s what appears to be the activity this afternoon for this rare protected Sumatran tiger. Once again we delve into our files to bring you an image from our Captive Beauty series. This is Besar, a Sumatran tiger currently residing at the Denver Aquarium with his two companions Jalan and Marah. He is one of only 300 Sumatran tigers left in this world. To say the Sumatran tiger is endangered is to utter a colossal understatement.

Fortunately there are organizations that are working feverishly to protect and save these rare incredible tigers. They are now under the umbrella of the SSP, Species Survival Plan under the auspices of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). To qualify for protection from these organizations an animal must be critically endangered in the wild and just preserving its habitat in the wild will not help its population numbers. The Sumatran tiger more than qualifies.

Besar may be dreaming of wild places he has never seen himself, or possibly just taking in the dappled light of the afternoon sun, but whichever it is he is a beautiful example of his species. One that must be protected from extinction at all costs.

As I’ve noted before, my agenda here, if you want to call it that, is not to debate animals in captivity, whether it’s good, bad or indifferent, but to present those animals in a way that shows their strengths and character as well as their beauty. Which is why these posts are always titled “Captive Beauty.” And there is no denying that these rare or endangered animals are beautiful.

If you’re new to the blog or just want to see past posts of other captive beauties, just enter Captive Beauty into the search box at the top of the page and check them out.

Animal Portraits – Bighorn Sheep

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2015-11-05Animal PortraitsBighorn2385

Every blue moon we bring you an Animal Portrait. It’s not a blue moon but there is always time to present an Animal Portrait regardless of the Lunar calendar. This is a Bighorn Sheep ram and he is called Ishmael because he asked us to.

This is also a captive animal who resides at a nearby zoo. As always we prefer to shoot in the wild but sometimes one is presented with a situation where the subject commands a photo session. Such was the case with Ishmael. He is such an imposing individual, so full of character and strength, that nothing would do but to stop in our tracks and photograph him.

We usually don’t do much black & white photography but nothing else would focus our attention on the strength and iron resolve that resides in those horns. If you want to see others in our animal portraits project, type in Animal portraits or Captive beauty into the search box at the top of the post.

Captive Beauty – Bengal Tiger

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2015-10-09CaptiveBeautyTiger1388click to enlarge

Every once in a while we bring you an image from our Captive Beauty series. This is one of those images. Bengal tigers are in a class all their own when it comes to poise, grace and elegance. They are one of the few animals that will make eye contact with you and hold it until You look a way. We have long had a fascination for the large predator cats and tigers are at the top of the list.

If you are a long time reader of the blog you will have seen the other posts in this ongoing series. If you haven’t, simply enter Captive Beauty in the search box at the top of the page and you will see the previous posts. As usual this is not an opportunity to weigh the pro’s and con’s of animals that are no longer free. Instead it is an opportunity to see their natural beauty and perhaps reacquaint yourself with how fantastic the animal life in our world is. What you chose to do with that information is up to you.

 

Captive Beauty: Grey Wolf

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CaptiveWolf9669

For those of you wanting to see a slavering, vicious, cold-hearted killing machine I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed. What we have here instead is a highly-intelligent, extremely social member of the grey wolf pack at the Grizzly and Wolf sanctuary in West Yellowstone, Montana.

This is a captive pack made up of individuals who for one reason or another cannot be returned to the wild. They’re kept in a large enclosure that as accurately represents the environment that they would be in if they were in the wild, as possible. Except for the fence that is. But in providing for these animals some compromises are made. It’s always a give and take deal in a situation like this. It would be nice if there were no fences but these are not domesticated animals and some things, like fences, are necessary for the well-being of both sides of the equation.

As I’ve noted before, my agenda here, if you want to call it that, is not to debate animals in captivity, whether it’s good, bad or indifferent, but to present those animals in a way that shows their strengths and character as well as their beauty. Which is why these posts are always titled “Captive Beauty.” And they are beautiful. When you view this wolf all you see is pure unadulterated wolf. No hidden additives, no tricks, no phoniness, just wolf. Look at the expression on its face. This guy enjoys being a wolf.

If you’re new to the blog or just want to see past posts of other captive beauties, just enter Captive Beauty into the search box at the top of the page and check them out.

Captive Beauty

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Swainsons4665Swainson’s Hawk captive bird

As part of an ongoing series of captive animals and the beauty they have I am presenting this image of a captive Swainson’s hawk. This series is not designed as a project to show how terrible captivity is for the affected animals or with any kind of political agenda. It’s sole purpose is to give the viewer an opportunity to see the animal up close and have the opportunity to view its natural beauty in away you don’t often get to in the wild.

We all know that these wild things would be better off in their natural state living as Nature intended, but occasionally that simply isn’t possible. This bird in particular was injured by someone who doesn’t have the appreciation of wildlife that so many of us do, it had been shot and one of the pellets struck it in the eye causing its loss. Because it lost an eye and with it, its depth perception and the ability to hunt and feed itself, it faced slow starvation or possibly being killed by another raptor who sensed its weakness. Rather than let it die it was brought into a refuge to be healed and cared for.

As a result of the unnecessary actions of an unthinking individual that caused this hawk to be placed in captivity it has lost its freedom and its way if life. Through the efforts of the people at the refuge it has been fed, housed, and exercised and is now in the best of health. Regularly shown to the public to bring about awareness of the animals and birds that surround us, it fulfills a need to educate and create appreciation for wildlife even if it is not able to be free itself. The loss of its eye has not reduced its beauty. The fact that its life has been repurposed if you will, does not make up for its disability and loss of freedom in any way, but the fact that some good can come from this preventable circumstance, is better than the total loss of the bird.

Hopefully the more you know about these wonderful creatures the more likely you will be to protect one. That’s the aim of the folks who do this work. And I for one salute them.