WCS In Focus

Posted on November 5, 2012 by admin

R E B U I L D I N G M I T I K ‘ S H O M E

All 14 acres of the New York Aquarium (NYA) were under water during Hurricane Sandy.

As the flood waters rose, the NYA staff worked tirelessly to care for our animals, including our newest member, Mitik, the orphaned walrus calf. He weathered the storm without incident.

If you’d like to help rebuild Mit’s home, the NYA, go to newyorkaquarium.com for details.

I hope my photos of Mit will keep him in your hearts and minds.

Photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS

Source: wcs.org

Posted on November 4, 2012 by admin

S T I L L F L Y I N’

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, we are still without power, and there is no gas in the area. None of this stopped the Sleepy Hollow Horsemen from rocking a victory in post season play by scoring two touchdowns in the final minutes, 24-21.

I charged my camera battery on my car charger (get one for your next field trip or power outage) and went to the game.

Keep flyin’, boys!

Photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher

Posted on November 2, 2012 by admin

P U M P I N G O U T A F T E R H U R R I C A N E S A N D Y

The New York Aquarium (NYA) was hard hit by Hurricane Sandy as huge waves of water filled its buildings and destroyed their systems.

Pumping was underway as I donned waders and went into some of the worst-hit exhibits with our hard-working NYA staff. The water from the storm had been to the ceiling and was knee-deep as of yesterday.

I shuffled along in the murky water with no power or lights (trying not to drop my camera) knowing assignments like this are important to inform our staff and the public of conditions in the aftermath of this powerful storm.

Photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS

Posted on October 31, 2012 by admin

H U R R I C A N E O N T H E H U D S O N

Hurricane Sandy shut down and moved everything around me including the docked boats AND the docks near the Tappan Zee Bridge in Tarrytown, New York. The waters came up river so high and fast that the vessels self-launched ending up in the baseball fields north of their winter docks. The docks themselves buckled and others sunk completely.

Our entire area is suffering with no power, little water, and no transporation. Luckily, there was no serious damage at four of the five wildlife parks where I work. The New York Aquarium is under water, though, having taken the crush of the storm at Coney Island. I hope for the best for them. I go to shoot there tomorrow.

Photo credits: Julie Larsen Maher

Posted on October 28, 2012 by admin

E L E P H A N T E M E R G E N C Y

Poaching is a major concern for the survival of elephants in Africa. Poachers kill elephants, mainly for their ivory, and populations are plummeting.

The Wildlife Conservation Society is working with local park services and their wardens to curtail the slaughter.

Photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS

Posted on October 26, 2012 by admin

S H O U L D Y O U G E T Y O U R K I D A C A M E R A?

Yes!

My daughter Megan teethed on my DSLR camera as she grew up around photo shoots at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s zoos and aquarium. In high school, during her science research on the Bronx Zoo lions, she stepped it up and took her own photos of animals in action (lion cubs, below.)

Nowadays, she is a freshman at Quinnipiac University taking sports and events photos with the Nikon D7000, a camera with nice capacity for stills and video that capture motion (a recent QU Bobcat hockey game, below middle.)

So, is a camera a good investment for your kid? I think so!

Photo credits: Megan Maher, Julie Larsen Maher

Posted on October 24, 2012 by admin

T I G E R T R I P L E T S

Taking a picture of three of anything is tricky—and getting the Bronx Zoo’s tiger triplets in a single photo? Nearly impossible.

At their young age, our curious cubs enjoy each other’s company as they explore their exhibit in leaps and bounds—and usually right out of my frame.

I spent many an hour waiting for just the right moment over the last few months—then on a recent bright autumn day, there they were in unison—first one, then two, and finally, the third (on the right) joined them .

Photo credit: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS

Posted on October 23, 2012 by admin

H I T T H E S P O T

That’s exactly what a crested coua chick hopes will happen when its time to eat. The chicks have markings inside their beaks (top photo) that look like targets and aid their coua parents (bottom photo, an adult) to hit the spot when feeding their young.

How did I get the shot?

This crested coua chick is being hand-reared behind-the-scenes by animal staff at the Central Park Zoo (CPZ.) I arrived at the chick’s scheduled feeding time for the “spot on” moment as it opened wide for lunch.

It is a significant hatching for CPZ as only the fourth U. S. zoo to successfully rear a crested coua chick. Even the New York Times thinks so!

Source: wcs.org

Posted on October 22, 2012 by admin

M A R T H A & M I T

Photographing zoo and aquarium news is one of the great things about my job. New arrivals are at the top of that list.

Meet Martha and Mit (short for Mitik), a 242-pound bouncing baby boy.

Mit is a Pacific walrus calf that was rescued about five months ago off the coast of Alaska. Martha Hiatt, a member of the animal care staff at the New York Aquarium (NYA,) flew to Alaska to bring him to his new home at NYA. She is part of his team that gives round-the-clock care.

I met up with both of them when he arrived just in time for his bottle (and it’s a big one!)

Posted on October 20, 2012 by admin

F L Y I N G F O O T B A L L P L A Y E R S, P A R T I I

Today’s post goes to the Sleepy Hollow Horsemen that finished their season 6 – 1 by defeating their river rival, Ossining, at Friday night under the lights.

Great skill, anticipation, and good sportsmanship equal a winning team, and a high ISO setting helps capture their action in low light.

Congratulations!