Bumping Heads - Part II

Saturday's post was about males jousting. Today we have a different kind of "bumping heads". Here it is done out of affection:

Bear Cubs

Wild Burros

Javelinas

Moose

Running

Capturing animals running isn't easy because you have no control over the direction the animal will take. They won't often run towards you so you can get a head on shot -- which, of course may be better for safety's sake. But, that's not always the case, as with these Caribou:

Sometimes they are running in the right direction, but there are too many, or you don't have the right lens to capture them all, as with these pronghorn:

Other times, it just seems to work out well, as in the following pronghorn, coyote, and wild burros.

A Most Reliable Spot

Wildlife photographers must learn where to look for certain animals or migrating birds. It has taken a while for me to find the best spot for Feral (wild) Burros. I had read about certain spots where they might be found. But, it wasn't until Imperial National Wildlife Refuge when I saw so many tracks that I realized that was the best place. Over the years Burros have created trails that are clearly visible. The next task was to discover the best time of day.  The first two times I visited INWR it was mid-morning or mid-afternoon. The third visit was early morning and I came across six Burros following each other in single file on one of the Burro trails. But late afternoon two hours before sunset has turned out most reliable. Here are several of the photos I took on this latest trip:

Imperial National Wildlife Refuge: Feral Burros

So, not only did I see the Desert Bighorns, I found several feral (wild) burros as well. The first photo shows you the kind of terrain at Imperial National Wildlife Refuge. The second photo shows that, like nearly all wild animals, they are afraid of people and will run away. The third photo, a different group entirely, was curious but kept their distance. They walked away instead of running, turning to look at me every couple of steps to see what I was doing. Wild burros are not native. They were originally brought to the Southwest from Northeast Africa. Their ability to live in the desert made them ideal for explorers, prospectors, and miners. However, once those people died or mines played out the burros were released into the wild. So, while not native, they have been "wild" in the US for over a hundred and fifty years.