YS Wildlife Photography

YS Wildlife Photography See wildlife through a veterinarian's lens.

If you saw my last post about the picky loon chicks, here’s another baby being a brat! This time, it’s Akira the leopard...
08/08/2026

If you saw my last post about the picky loon chicks, here’s another baby being a brat!
This time, it’s Akira the leopard. She had just killed a springhare and brought it back for her cubs to eat. One of the cubs immediately claimed the entire kill and wasn’t about to let anyone come near it!
It may look like the cub is growling at us, but in fact, every time Mom even came a little closer, the cub would growl at her—and even try to bite or attack her! 😱
I’ve attached another image in the first comment (a very blurry one because it was getting dark), that shows just how much attitude this little guy had toward his mom.
If this were your cub, what would your reaction be?
Comment below!
Taken in the Masai Mara, Kenya, 3/2026.
(Nikon Z9, f 4, 1/160, ISO 2200, 400mm)
If you'd like to join us on an African safari or inquire regarding prints, please message/email us or click on the link in my profile.

My favorite time with the loons is over. It’s that magical stage during the chicks’ first couple of weeks of life.I love...
08/06/2026

My favorite time with the loons is over. It’s that magical stage during the chicks’ first couple of weeks of life.
I love this period because the parents are so attentive, protective, and completely devoted, while every day is a brand-new adventure for the chicks.
One of my favorite moments happened when this little chick started crying and complaining about how hungry it was (and trust me, it really did!).
Both parents immediately sprang into action, diving one after another and returning with what looked like an all-you-can-eat buffet from the bottom of the lake.
The problem? Their youngster had very refined tastes.
Insects? Nope.
Crayfish? Absolutely not.
Anything that wasn’t a fish? Rejected without hesitation.
The parents kept offering one meal after another, only to be met with an unimpressed stare. They almost seemed frustrated, but eventually they got the message. From that point on, it was fish delivery after fish delivery until the little brat was finally satisfied and drifted into what could only be described as a food coma.
Taken in the Adirondacks, New York, 6/2026.
(Nikon Z8, f 6.3, 1/3200, ISO 3600, 600mm)
If you'd like to join us on an African safari or inquire regarding prints, please message/email us or click on the link in my profile.

Apparently it’s International Owl Awareness Day so here are a few of the owl species I’ve seen over the years. Can you n...
08/04/2026

Apparently it’s International Owl Awareness Day so here are a few of the owl species I’ve seen over the years.
Can you name them all?

After bringing a small kill back for the cubs, Giza, the melanistic leopard, seemed ready for a little peace and quiet. ...
08/04/2026

After bringing a small kill back for the cubs, Giza, the melanistic leopard, seemed ready for a little peace and quiet. Her daughter, however, had very different plans.
She started by grooming her mom and rubbing affectionately against her, looking every bit like the perfect daughter. But it quickly became clear that all that affection had an ulterior motive—she was hoping for dessert.
She quietly slipped underneath Giza and tried to nurse, but Giza wasn’t interested. One deep growl was all it took to end the attempt. The cub immediately got the message and, as if apologizing, leaned in with the sweet expression captured in this photo.
With the lesson delivered, Giza made her graceful exit, leaving the cubs behind while she found a quieter spot to enjoy some well-earned solitude.
Taken in Laikipia, Kenya, 2/2026.
(Nikon Z9, f 4, 1/2000, ISO 1400, 300mm)
If you'd like to join us on an African safari or inquire regarding prints, please message/email us or click on the link in my profile.

We spotted a zebra and a jackal standing together in the same place. It was immediately clear this wasn’t a story of fri...
08/02/2026

We spotted a zebra and a jackal standing together in the same place. It was immediately clear this wasn’t a story of friendship, so we drove closer to understand what was happening.
The zebra had given birth to a stillborn foal. She refused to give up, gently licking her baby, nudging it, and even kicking it in an attempt to get it to stand. She stayed by its side for a long time, unwilling to accept the loss.
The jackal had likely either witnessed the birth (definitely not as the father… 😄) or had been drawn in by the scent of blood. Yet it never approached the foal. It simply waited, patiently, for the inevitable moment when the grieving mother would finally walk away.
We spent more than an hour watching this heartbreaking scene unfold. The mother alternated between grazing nearby and returning to lick her foal, while the jackal remained at a respectful distance, waiting.
We had to leave before the story reached its end, but nature rarely writes fairy tales. You can probably imagine what happened next.
Nature can be breathtakingly beautiful… and heartbreakingly cruel, often at the very same moment.
PS - In the first comment, you can see the patient jackal...
Taken in Olare Motorogi, Kenya, 8/2024.
(Nikon Z9, f 5, 1/2000, ISO 1400, 400mm)
If you'd like to join us on an African safari or inquire regarding prints, please message/email us or click on the link in my profile.

We spent the morning with these lion cubs and their moms. When we returned in the afternoon, they had completely disappe...
07/30/2026

We spent the morning with these lion cubs and their moms. When we returned in the afternoon, they had completely disappeared. A few hours earlier, a rainstorm had rolled through, so we assumed they were tucked away somewhere, staying dry.
After a careful search, our incredible Maasai spotter finally found the cubs hidden deep in the tall grass. Their mothers were nowhere in sight, but the moment the cubs noticed us, they stepped out of their hiding place as if they were coming to greet us.
This handsome youngster climbed onto a dry rock and settled in, completely captivated by my camera. He held my gaze for several minutes, giving me the chance to capture this portrait.
Isn’t he absolutely gorgeous? 🦁
Taken in Masai Mara, Kenya, 3/2026.
(Nikon Z9, f 4, 1/320, ISO 2200, 380mm)
If you'd like to join us on an African safari or inquire regarding prints, please message/email us or click on the link in my profile.

07/28/2026

Video by Yaron Schmid
French kisses 101…
A baby giraffe shows its love to the acacia leaves…
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If you’d like to join us on an African safari or inquire regarding prints, email us at [email protected] or click on the link in my profile.
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We spent some time with a cheetah and her cub, hoping we’d be lucky enough to witness a hunt.Most of the time they were ...
07/28/2026

We spent some time with a cheetah and her cub, hoping we’d be lucky enough to witness a hunt.
Most of the time they were fast asleep, with the occasional break for a little playtime or a grooming session.
Then, during one of those quiet moments, Mom suddenly sprang to her feet and stood behind a bush, her eyes fixed on the horizon. Every muscle in her body seemed alert. We couldn’t see what had caught her attention, but our excitement instantly shot through the roof.
A few tense moments later… she flopped back down and went right back to sleep.
Apparently, whatever she saw wasn’t worth missing her nap over. 😅
Taken in Mara North, Kenya, 3/2026.
(Nikon Z9, f 5, 1/4000, ISO 250, 400mm)
If you'd like to join us on an African safari or inquire regarding prints, please message/email us or click on the link in my profile.

I’m fascinated by a leopard’s tail.Whenever I have the opportunity, I look for creative ways to incorporate it into my i...
07/25/2026

I’m fascinated by a leopard’s tail.
Whenever I have the opportunity, I look for creative ways to incorporate it into my images—whether it’s dangling gracefully from a tree, curled high in the air as the leopard walks by, or even serving as a natural frame.
This young cub kept flicking its tail to swat away the relentless flies. Rather than firing away, I waited for a moment when something else added to the story.
Then it happened: the tail swept into position just as the cub licked its lips, and to top it all off, its gaze drifted up into the tree.
Sometimes it’s the little details coming together for a split second that make a photograph special.
Hope you enjoy it.
Happy Caturday! 🐆
Taken in Naboisho, Kenya, 3/2026.
(Nikon Z9, f 5, 1/3200, ISO 2200, 400mm)
If you'd like to join us on an African safari or inquire regarding prints, please message/email us or click on the link in my profile.

One of the loon pairs I’ve been following hatched two chicks this season. Sadly, only one remains. The smaller sibling w...
07/23/2026

One of the loon pairs I’ve been following hatched two chicks this season. Sadly, only one remains. The smaller sibling was found twice by the side of the road, and despite the dedicated efforts of kind people to reunite him with his family, he didn’t survive.
Now this little one enjoys the safest seat on the lake—his mother’s back—and receives every fish and every ounce of care his parents can provide.
It’s a touching scene, made even more poignant by the story behind it. Nature is as harsh as it is beautiful, and every chick that makes it to adulthood has already overcome incredible odds.
Taken in the Adirondacks, New York, 7/2026.
(Nikon Z8, f 8, 1/2000, ISO 1400, 600mm)
If you'd like to join us on an African safari or inquire regarding prints, please message/email us or click on the link in my profile.

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