Animal Butts & Fronts
Do we really need another photo of a zebra butt? That is an an excellent example of the type of question we never asked ourselves. We saw a multitude of amazing animals in South Africa, and have MANY photos of front and butts. For your perusal, we present the wildlife photography companion to our South Africa post.
You probably understand the desire to capture animal fronts, to stare their beauty in the eye. But butts? The thing is, once you start shooting butts, you begin to realize that in their stripes and spots, holes and wrinkles, rounds and dimples, there is profound beauty to be found.
From behind you can see the bulge of a pregnant zebra shift side to side, or a male giraffe sip the falling urine of a female. From behind you can truly appreciate JUST HOW MUCH falls out of an elephant's hiney all at once. And then come the dung beetles, the flies, the worms, to break it all down, cycle the nutrients, and perpetuate LIFE.
Because from behind, the world looks different.
So please enjoy these brief snapshots of our encounters with these incredible animals, both from the front, and behind.
Can you match the fronts...
Species identification from left to right: Vervet monkey; Spotted hyena; Ostrich; Leopard tortoise; Impala; South African giraffe; Chacma baboon; Burchell's zebra; Greater kudu; Black-backed jackal; Common warthog; Cape buffalo; African elephant; Lion; Bushpig; Lilac-breasted roller; Saddle-billed stork; African wild dog. [📸 Rachel & Johann]
...to the butts?
(Match the species, not the individual animal.)
Species identification from left to right: Leopard tortoise; Bushpig; South African giraffe; Cape buffalo; Lion; Common warthog; Spotted hyena; Greater kudu; Ostrich; African elephant; African wild dog; Burchell's zebra; Black-backed jackal; Impala; Lilac-breasted roller; Saddle-billed stork; Chacma baboon; Vervet monkey. [📸 Rachel & Johann]
More butts: can you name the animal?
Species identification from left to right: Black wildebeest; blue wildebeest; Impala; Rainbow skink; Blesbok; Burchell's zebra; Caracal; Black-headed heron; Springbok; South African giraffe; Ostrich; African elephant. [📸 Rachel & Johann]
And for a sweet finish, a few more photos from all angles!
Species identification from left to right: Secretary bird; Denham's bustard; Flightless dung beetle; African elephant; Red hartebeest; Klipspringer; Water monitoring lizard; Southern tree agama; Waterbuck; European roller; Knob-billed duck; South African giraffe; Hamerkop; Pied kingfisher; Long-tailed paradise whydah; Spotted eagle-owl; Terrapin; Black crow and white-breasted crow; Water monitoring lizard; Woodland kingfisher; Black-headed crane; Helmeted guinea fowl; Vervet monkey; Leopard tortoise; Cape starling; African elephant; Gecko; Mountain zebra; Southern red-billed hornbill; Burchell's zebras. [📸 Rachel & Johann]
