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Kudu


Kudu
Photo Information
Copyright: Annick Vanderschelden (vanderschelden) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2712 W: 78 N: 7405] (30145)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-10-17
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon EOS 1D Mark III, Canon 400mm 2.8 IS
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/800 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Travelogue: Kruger National Park
Date Submitted: 2008-11-21 19:14
Viewed: 2240
Points: 34
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
In the morning when you're leaving the restcamp then often the roads are paved with elephant and other droppings. And sooner or later even an excellent driver will be 'successful'. And then in the case of an elephant's dropping, it has either something to do with Hooke's law
or if it's a recent one, you will have a locally airbrushed car.


From wikipedia...
Diet Kudu..

Kudus are browsers and eat leaves and shoots. In dry seasons, they eat wild watermelons and other fruit for the liquid they provide. The lesser Kudu is less dependent on water sources than the greater kudu.

Faeces general...
Etymology

The word faeces is the plural of the Latin word fæx meaning "dregs". There is no singular form in the English language, making it a plurale tantum. There are many colloquial terms for feces, of which some are considered profanity (such as ****(reserved word) and crap) while others (such as poo, poop, dookie, doody, and turds) are not. Terms such as dung, scat, spoor and droppings are normally used to refer to animal feces.

Ecology







After an animal has digested eaten material, the remains of it is excreted from its body as waste. Though it is lower in energy than the food it came from, feces may still contain a large amount of energy, often 50% of that of the original food. This means that of all food eaten, a significant amount of energy remains for the decomposers of ecosystems. Many organisms feed on feces, from bacteria to fungi to insects such as dung beetles, which can sense odors from long distances. Some may specialize in feces, while others may eat other foods as well. Feces serve not only as a basic food, but also a supplement to the usual diet of some animals. This is known as coprophagia, and occurs in various animal species such as young elephants eating their mother's feces to gain essential gut flora, or by other animals such as monkeys.
Feces are also important as a signal. Kestrels, for instance, are able to detect the feces of their prey (which reflect ultraviolet), allowing them to identify areas where there are large numbers of voles.
Seeds may also be found in feces. Animals which eat fruit are known as frugivores. The advantage in having fruit for a plant is that animals will eat the fruit and unknowingly disperse the seed in doing so. This mode of seed dispersal is highly successful, as seeds dispersed around the base of a plant are unlikely to succeed and are often subject to heavy predation. Provided the seed can withstand the pathway through the digestive system, it is not only likely to be far away from the parent plant, but is even provided with its own fertilizer.
Organisms which subsist on dead organic matter or detritus are known as detritivores, and play an important role in ecosystems by recycling organic matter back into a simpler form which plants and other autotrophs may once again absorb. This cycling of matter is known as the biogeochemical cycle. To maintain nutrients in soil it is therefore important that feces return to the area from which they came, which is not always the case in human society where food may be transported from rural areas to urban populations and then feces disposed of into a river or sea.

Workflow...
Lightroom 2.1
Camera Raw v5
Photoshop CS4

Have a very good weekend %=]
pirate, LordPotty, boreocypriensis, ferranjlloret, matatur, cicindela, anel, marhowie, Janice, Alex99 has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

You are a constant source of amazing images Annick. You remind me of the few but there, Japanese tourist who came to visit the Mendocino coast. Ever time I looked they had a camera up to their eye...Friends and I spoke about this...we wondered if they really ever got to see the place or if all was for photos...I suspect in your case it was a very well merged combination's of fun, sights and photos...and you just keep on pumping them out...all good and all fun...Wow..I am impressed sincerely!
Bob

Hi Annick,
Your series at Kruger has no ending :) This is an interesting specimen with particularly nice tail! It is kind of a mix between a White-Tailed deer and another animal that I don't know :) This is a beautiful capture, with as usual natural colors, exposure and superb details-composition. Thanks,
Claudine

  • Great 
  • pirate Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 472 W: 99 N: 624] (3213)
  • [2008-11-21 23:31]

Hi Annick
nice colours and great natural environment, good moment
maybe a little bit too centered ?
tfs
tom

Hi Annick,
Good Morning my friend! Lovely and great timely shot of this beauty in its natural environments.
TFS and cheers,

Bayram

A wonderful shot of this little Kudu doing poohs Annick (they forgot 'stool' too,or is that just human faeces?)....anyway,a wonderful shot as I said.
It certainly manages to keep the underside of its tail clean,unlike some species.
I love the subtle bands of colour on its side and the little crest on its back.
Great work,and a great note.
Cheers
Steve

Hi Annick,
A very beautiful species. Good photo!

Hello Annick,
A marvelous view of thi kudu, I like a lot the sensation transmited by branches tht you obseving it without animal notice your presence. For me, 10 points job
Best regards
Hernán

Another expertly and detailed capture from your wonderful collection of African mammals Annick, thanks also for the detailed notes my friend.
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • manyee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3062 W: 231 N: 6152] (21016)
  • [2008-11-22 10:53]

Hi Annick,
This is such an unusual view of a kudu, with his naked-looking neck, but with a mane, and that hairy ridge on his back. Cute little curled up tail too.
Very sharp details on the fur.
I really like the overall look of this image, with its pastel colors and the different textures in the FG and the BG.
Just beautiful. i want to look at it again and again.
TFS. : )

Hello Annick

This is a lovely capture of a Kudu.
It seems to be working out some plans.
Excellent sharpness with wonderful detail.
Very good light and colours.
Well composed in a beautiful natural setting.
TFS

Wolf

Hello Annick!
Funny pose of this kudu almost perfectly camouflaged among bushes and grasses. Technically this picture is very good, but I like the most nice details and DOF.
Anyway, I am really surprised that you took so many so good pictures during your trip to South Africa, especially that your visit in this country was not too long :)
Bravo and TFS!
Greetings from Lodz,
Radomir

  • Great 
  • izler Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 1399 W: 3 N: 30] (504)
  • [2008-11-23 11:24]

hello Annick
wonderful capture of a cute model
i like composition, POV, light, colours and sharpness
TFS
regards
izler

  • Great 
  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1713 W: 0 N: 3892] (15622)
  • [2008-11-24 0:17]

Bonjour Annick,
Il a choisi un joli coin pout faire ses besoins. J'aime bien cette image d'abord parce que c'est un animal vraiment spécial, comme un mélange de plusieurs animaux. L'environnement, la fine végétation sont rendus superbement avec des couleurs naturelles. Très beau!
Bonne journée
Anne

Hi Annick,
The kudu looks great in its natural environment (do you shoot anything captive..ever?) Love that tail-up "pooping" pose ;}
With respect to the larger issue :) I think I'd go with "Hooke's" law myself -
The "locally airbrushed" effect seems a bit overwhelming. In more ways than one :)
Well done,
Howard

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2377 W: 94 N: 5465] (17432)
  • [2008-11-26 7:37]

Hoi Annick,
Deze had ik even over het hoofd gezien. Heb ook het een en ander van plassende en poepende dieren. Ach, het is ieders dagelijkse behoefte, als het goed is.
Erg mooie opname weer. De voor jou weer herkenbare natuurlijke kleuren en super scherp, zelfs in het wit van de staart.
Groet,
Peter

  • Great 
  • Janice Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3316 W: 149 N: 6113] (18648)
  • [2008-11-28 11:48]

Hi Annick, what interesting notes.
And what a strange looking animal this fellow is. Good action shot, doing what must be done.
Nice and sharp, colours natural and real, well done
Janice

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3581 W: 143 N: 5669] (18529)
  • [2008-12-03 10:11]

Hi Annick.
Top quality shot of an amazing animal. Wonderful natural surroundings and stunning reproduction of the true beauty. Skin tones and other attractive details of the kudu are reproduced outstandingly. I like bokeh and BG so much too. Well done.
Alexei.

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