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Virungas Silverback 2


Virungas Silverback 2
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1369 W: 9 N: 6334] (18906)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2006-12-24
Categories: Mammals
Camera: Canon 1D Mark II, Canon 24-70 mm f 2,8 L-USM
Exposure: f/2.8, 1/100 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Gorillas, Gorillas on freedom, TN Favourites [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2007-04-30 12:10
Viewed: 9893
Favorites: 3 [view]
Points: 68
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This is the second shot of this silverback gorilla I have posted – taken a few seconds after the first – he is not looking quite as aggressive, For notes on how I got there etc, please look at the first shot.

Gorillas are the largest of the apes, native to the lowland and mountain forests of western and central equatorial Africa. The two species, the eastern or mountain gorilla (Gorilla berengei) and the western or lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) and five subspecies are all under threat; with the Virunga mountain gorilla (Gorilla berengei berengei) at fewer than 650. This figure may be as few as 320 if the Bwindi mountain gorilla is classified as a separate species, - Gorilla berengei bwindii, as some scientists suggest it should be.

Mountain gorillas are threatened by poaching, loss of habitat, human disease and war. Accidents from snares set for bush-meat can result in the loss of a hand or foot, and septicaemia from injuries can be fatal. Loss of habitat is now the main factor in their survival.

Mountain Gorillas live only in the mountain rainforests of central Africa, about 320 in the Virunga Volcano conservation area on the borders of Rwanda, Congo and Uganda, and another 300 or so just 25 miles away in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda. A third population, at Kahuzi-Biega National Park in Congo, have been so badly hit by war and mineral exploitation in their habitat in the past few years that some people believe they have gone forever, certainly very few remain although insecurity concerns make any kind of census currently unthinkable.

Mountain gorillas are social animals who live in close family groups of around 5 to 40. A typical family may have an adult male silverback leader, some adolescent blackback males and several females with their infants. A silverback may weigh over 200 kilos (twice as much as a female gorilla and three times as much as an average human) and be 1.7 to 1.8 meters tall when standing. Females usually conceive at around 8 to 9 years with their first baby being born before age 10. Pregnancy lasts 8 and a half months. Infants are weaned at about 2 years, but will 'comfort suckle' as long as their mother lets them, or until she gives birth again - usually after around 3 to 4 years. Males will usually reproduce before the age of 15.

Gorillas are almost entirely herbivorous. They eat berries, roots, shoots, fruit, leaves, bark, bamboo and wild celery, and occasionally ants. An adult male can consume up to 30 kilos of food each day. As well as having fingerprints, gorillas also have unique 'noseprints'.
stevkds, ramthakur, Necipp, satish_h, Hil, nglen, mirceax, lee, vanderschelden, MommaMiaX3, Adanac, coasties, delic, pilonm, Alex99, NellyD, Finland_in_Eton, Roynsam, diverjohn, rcrick, babujayan, jpdenk has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2454 W: 10 N: 8044] (25460)
  • [2007-04-30 12:30]

Hi James,

Marvelous capture of this gorilla. I think he has his eyes on you! His colors and coat are beautiful. I love his face. Wonderful details and a lovely setting.

Jane

Hi James.
Goodlooker.... Majestick shot. Excellent coloured presentation. Picture is good arrected. Interesting shot. tfs. Stev

What an impressive personality this Silverback Gorilla possesses, James!
Great image of this giant of a fellow in his natural habitat.
TFS.

Hello James what an impressive pose captured details and contrast look great nice DOf with a touch of softness in the background help make the sharp black fur standout tfs rgds Necip.

Hi JAmes.
first of all congratulations for achieving this photographic expedition to gorilla land. Very nice capture and beautiful species. This is one of my dream to photograph them.TFS

  • Great 
  • Hil Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 696 W: 13 N: 1407] (5035)
  • [2007-04-30 14:00]

Hi James

Superb capture of this handsome chap, great pose with excellent eye contact, I keep expecting him to start beating his chest, nice sharp detail and good colours too.

TFS Hilary :o)

Thanks for Info along with a good shot of the great ape.

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2007-04-30 15:24]

Hi James. What a fine looking beast.Very good compostion and colour. with great detail. Very good Picture you are very lucky to have the chance to capture this great shot. TFS.
Nick..

  • Great 
  • pvs Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1127 W: 254 N: 3161] (14464)
  • [2007-04-30 16:30]

Hi James,

Another wonderfull posting out of the series,well captured with good light and details,tfs

Paul

Hi James,
Great eye contact in this picture,great composition and details too!
tfs

Mircea

  • Great 
  • lee Silver Star Critiquer [C: 38 W: 0 N: 23] (84)
  • [2007-04-30 18:40]

Hi James, this is a wonderful specimen. Good catch of the gorilla. Looks very good against all that green. Look like he's watching you. Good detail. How fast can you run:-)? Thanks.

nice photo , good composition, nice expression while he is watching to you
regards
jo

Hello James! :)

Oh man, I swear I am going to pack my bags!! Unbelievable, this is fantastic! Seeing a Silverback in the wild, it's a perfect photograph! You know I'm a James fan, this tops the list! Wow, stunning!

Ange

  • Great 
  • Adanac Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1273 W: 1 N: 6188] (21378)
  • [2007-05-01 0:50]

Hello James,
PHENOMINAL, into my favorites it goes.
Rick

Hi James

What a face! Your image is fantastic. The eye contact is perfect. Lovely work. :-)

Hello James,
This must be such an impressive animal to see that close. I like this great eye contact, beautiful details and exposure and good composition. Those guys are huge! Well done with very interesting notes.
Claudine

Excellent, gorilla in the wild.
Stunning shot, great sharpness and details, great pose out in the open. Great colour.
Well done and TFS.
Chris

  • Great 
  • delic Gold Star Critiquer [C: 440 W: 6 N: 310] (898)
  • [2007-05-01 11:33]

Hi James,
Nice pose by this heandsome guy. Excellent exposure and good colors. This wasn't with the 24 mm, was it?
Best wishes,
Hakan

Hi James,
Once again you bring to us at TN A rare and beautiful creature. I envy you on this special momment, and can only dream about having an opportunity of one day photographing a magnificant animal such as the mountain gorilla. :)

  • Great 
  • pilonm Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 588 W: 90 N: 975] (3321)
  • [2007-05-01 15:21]

Hello James,

Wow! Spectacular picture of this silverback with a great pose and great face expression... I like the green surrounding and enhancing the gorilla... The back seems a little bit OE but I agree that it is very difficult to manage the exposition against that black and white..

Good picture and TFS,

Michel

Tremendous shot here...really quite impressive. It's really a wonderful shot, and as you say...he's not looking aggressive at all...but actually appearing a little "cute", if I might say. He's spectacular and the way you've photographed him with this tuff of grass in front of him is really well done. Very sad that such a magnificent creature has suffered so...and what an honor and moment for you to witness him like this.

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-05-01 20:49]

Hello James

Amazing.The look in his eyes is a bit unnerving.He looks like he wants to march over and pulverise you.lol.Excellent focus and sharp details.Very natural colours.TFS
Rob

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4072 W: 133 N: 7096] (23735)
  • [2007-05-10 9:46]

Hi James.
Your shot is simple perfect. It is well composed. Pose of the animal, reproduction of all its features are great. Exposure, colors and soft light are very good too. Excellent done impressive picture. TFS and best regards.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • NellyD Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 237 W: 0 N: 445] (1783)
  • [2007-05-11 12:41]

Hi James,

What a great capture of this Silverback, an impressive animal, and with this picture you show that even more.
Great details, beautiful colours, and I like the eyecontact very much. Thanks for sharing!

Greetings, Nel

Amazing creatures and this is a lovely photo, capturing the strength in those incredible limbs and the intelligence in his eyes. Beautiful colors and detail. Excellent POV and the eye contact, the watchfullness in his expression is wonderful. Well done ! TFS, Mish

  • Great 
  • pvb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 385 W: 16 N: 531] (1981)
  • [2007-05-22 12:49]

Hi James,
This is an very impressive shot of this silverback. Very good composition and pov. I like the pose he is standing in.
Maybe you have seen on the news that one of these silverback escaped in Holland in a zoo and attacked a woman. You can understand that this was a shock for all the visitors of the zoo.
gr. Paula

great guy, TFS Ori

Hello James.

Excellent image, very good details and colors.
Great composition.

Regards.
Jose Luis.

Hello James

What an absolutely excellent photo, of such a fantastic subject.
I am so amazed at this result that you got.
I am sure the moment was worth a thousand times what you paid.
I am off to the Cameroon in April to work at the Mefoua Gorilla Sanctuary and Orphanage there.
I doubt very much that I will be meeting such a fine specimen as you have shown to us here, but maybe one day, I will.
Excellent note and a brilliant photo.
Thanks very much.

Regards

Roy

You had a great opportunity to see this creatures (and a great camera to record it) and share with us.
Would've been nice to have a longer lens to get closer.

Hello James,
Impressive animal!
Really close almost a shaking hands ritual..
Wow...must have been some kind of experience.
TFS
Annick

Hi James,

Just logged on to T.N and you were the featured destination, what a great shot of this silverback, I photographed one of these in Jersey Zoo, amazing creatures must be something special to see in the wild, congratulations mate,

Cheers Rick :)

Nice shot. Shows the power of the majestic ape. The eye contact is also looking great, Good composition.

Hi James
beatiful monkey with nice colours
Mike

A very good photograph and especially your notes on it.
Babujayan

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