Chris Banotai, PhD
@seacow
Wildlife ecologist: elephant impact on woody veg, savanna ecology, and marula decline. Also interested in old-school hockey, lifting weights, photography, and the outdoors.
For #WorldElephantDay, I keep coming back to the quiet awe of being near elephants: branches breaking, low rumbles between family members, and impossibly soft footsteps. They make me more present, the landscape feel truly wild, and the human world seem a little smaller—and better for it.
Updating/revising some photos edits. #wildlife #photography #wildlifephotography #elephants
I believe this is a Grumman Hellcat (?). #MonochromeMonday #BlackAndWhitePhotography #photography #MonochromePhotography #airshowphotography
Japanese Zero from the #chesterfieldmo #airshow for #MonochromeMonday. #photography #airshowphotography #blackandwhitephotography
My first experience attempting to photograph at such speeds and distances--the Chesterfield, MO air show. 🧵 #photography #airshow #airshowphotography #airplanes
I love this shot of mine--prior to this I'd never been able to get a "good" shot of a baboon despite seeing them nearly every day. #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #KrugerNationalPark #nature ##naturephotography
For #MonochromeMonday, here's one of my favorite shots from #KrugerNationalPark. #blackandwhitephotography #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography
These sunsets call to me like the Green Goblin mask. #sunset #landscapephotography #photography #nature #naturephotography #SouthAfrica
Let's try something new. #wildlife #wildlifephotography #photography #wyoming
Enjoy some giraffe snaps for #monochromemonday ! Would love to get a Monochrome Monday community going on here--lemme see your pics! #blackandwhitephotography #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography
Didn't realize it was #worldbeeday ! Here's one of my favorite shots of bees I've taken--native honeybees in South Africa. #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography
#MonochromeMonday mourning dove (Zenaida macroura). If you can't get into the bush, practice local. Shoot what you can, when you can, and learning how to read animal behavior is always useful. #BlackAndWhitePhotography #birdingstlouis #birdphotography #wildlifephotography
Tasty grub! #birdphotography #WildlifePhotography #birdingstlouis #birding
Hot pot and Soju last night with good friends. Definitely going back. #FridayNight #HotPot #Soju #DinDin
Classic male cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) on the strut. #YardBird #birding #birdingstlouis #WildlifePhotography #birdphotography
More #YardBird snaps from today. Taking name suggestions for the blue jay. #birding #birdphotography #birdingstlouis #wildlife #wildlifephotography
First photos I've taken since December....yeesh. 🫠😮💨 But! I wrote on the patio all day today and was graced with this handsome blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) who lives in the thicket behind the fence. #yardbird #wildlifephotography #wildlife #birding #birdphotography #birdingstlouis
#MonchromeMonday thoughts Our human lives are chaotic, loud, erratic, and fast. It clouds the mind and heart with stress and despair. Here's a reminder that the wild world is out there, calling. Perhaps heeding that call is exactly what you need.. #wildlifephotography #naturephotography
This #InternationalLeopardDay , I'm remembering one of my favorite sightings in #KrugerNationalPark. I've only seen a leopard with a kill in a tree once. So special. #wildlife #WildlifePhotography #leopard #science
One way to get over #SundayScaries is to realize it's Monochrome Monday Eve! What would folks like to see tomorrow? #Elephants? #Lions? Other animals? #Landscapes? (Photo for attention) #photography #wildlife #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #landscapephotography
One of my favorite purchases over the last few years was a drone. I've only flown it in the U.S./ North America so far, but I'd love to change that someday. Here's are a few of my shots that I took in the Snowy Range Mountains of #Wyoming. #photography #dronephotography #landscapephotography
You've scrolled far enough. Take a rest here. #sunset #photography #nature #SouthAfrica
Mountain zebras are on my list to see someday! Here's a few shots of plains zebras that I've nabbed over the years.
My favorite subject to photograph are #elephants. Here's are a few of my favorite shots. What's your favorite animal or subject to photograph? #photography #naturephotography #wildlife #wildlifephotography