Tommy Yu Photography

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Tommy Yu Photography

Wildlife & Nature Photography

07/22/2023

Post #65 'Whisper' Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Cub of the year trying to get mom's attention.

Litter size of the American black bear is between one and six cubs, typically two or three. Cubs are dependent on their mother's milk for 30 weeks and will reach independence at 16–18 months.

03/05/2023

Post #64 'First Sight' Mount Rainier National Park

My first sight of a wolverine in the wild...

The wolverine is one of the rarest wildlife in North America, with just about 1 individual per 100 square miles even in high-quality habitat. They had not been seen in Mount Rainier National Park for over 100 years, until the summer of 2020 when a mother and two kits were discovered.

I would count myself as extremely lucky if I could spot a wolverine in the wild just once in my life. Then the magic happened. On our first hike to look for wolverines, just as we were about to give up as expected, we saw a shadow from very far moving toward us in the final minutes of the golden hour. We hid our excitement and disbelief, and quietly observed this amazing creature for 7(!) minutes before it vanished into the forests onto its evening hunt.

02/26/2023

Post #63 'Jack-nado' Cabo Pulmo, Mexico

Swirl of common jack.

Spawning jack fish would circle around in enormous quatities, known as a 'fish tornado'.

02/19/2023

Post #62 'Exhilaration' North Cascades

American pika collecting food for the winter.

The American pika is a crucial indicator species of climate change, as they are extremely sensitive to heat and could be one of the first mammals to fall victim to global warming. They could die within a few hours when exposed to temperatures above 25.5°C (77.9°F). The Pikas in Peril Project (2010-2016), led by U.S. National Park Service, concluded that pika populations would possibly go extinct in several parks by the end of the century.

12/31/2022

Post #61 'Not in my Wildest Dreams' Mount Rainier National Park

Happy New Year! On this joyous occasion, I’d like to share something special.

The wolverine is one of the rarest wildlife in North America, with just about 1 individual per 100 square miles even in high-quality habitat. They had not been seen in for over 100 years, until the summer of 2020 when a mother and two kits were discovered.

I would count myself as extremely lucky if I could spot a wolverine in the wild just once in my life. Then the magic happened. On our first hike to look for wolverines, just as we were about to give up as expected, we saw a shadow from very far moving toward us in the final minutes of the golden hour. We hid our excitement and disbelief, and quietly observed this amazing creature for 7(!) minutes before it vanished into the forests onto its evening hunt.

The real heroes behind a sighting like this are the scientists and volunteers behind . Thanks to their work, the return of wolverines to the park sets a good example of successful conservation efforts.

I also learnt more about wolverine conservation from a screening of “Finding Gulo” , which is now available online through the bio link of .

More photos to come.

11/19/2022

Post #60 'Freediving' La Paz, Mexico

California sea lion playful after a mid-day nap.

The natural habitat of California sea lions ranges from southeast Alaska to central Mexico. Because of their intelligence and trainability, they have been used by parks to perform various tricks, and even in military applications by the U.S. Navy.

11/16/2022

Post #59 'Caught in the Act' Sequioa National Park

Yellow-bellied marmot feasting on flowers.

Yellow-bellied marmots can hibernate up to 8 months a year. They live in colonies that consist of a dominant male, several females, and the young.

10/22/2022

Post #58 'Portrait' Grand Canyon National Park

Desert bighorn sheep resting in the shade.

Wild sheep crossed the Bering land bridge from Siberia into Alaska during the Ice Age - the beginning of bighorn sheep in North America. Encroachment from human settlers reduced their population from millions to thousands by 1900. The past century witnessed a significant recovery thanks to many conservation efforts, although they still face great challenges, and desert bighorn sheep populations have trended upward since the 1960s.

10/09/2022

Post #57 'Black Pearl' Sequioa National Park

American black bear feeding on plants.

American black bears are omnivores, but plant materials such as berries and nuts make up approximately 85% of their diet. With a population estimated to be twice that of all other bear species combined, they thrive in many parts of North America, but still face threats such as urban encroachment and poaching - the latter encouraged by the fact that several cultures still consider bear gall bladders, paws, and claws medicines or gourmet delicacies.

08/28/2022

Post #56 'Growing Bigger' Morro Bay

Sea otter mom grooming as her pup sleeps.

In most of its range, the sea otter is a keystone species, protecting the kelp forest ecosystems by controlling sea urchin populations. Sea otters have the densest fur among all mammals, and were almost hunted to extinction in the early 20th century. The past few decades witnessed what is considered one of the greatest successes in marine conservation, as sea otter populations continue to recover in about two-thirds of their historic range. However, populations in California and Alaska's Aleutian Islands have recently declined, and sea otters still face major threats such as oil spills, as a major spill can rapidly kill thousands.

07/30/2022

Post #55 Treading - Rocky Mountain National Park

Male elk crossing a stream.

Only male elks have antlers, which grow in the spring and drop each winter. During the mating season each autumn, mature bulls compete for cows by displaying their antlers, bugling, and occasionally fighting.

07/17/2022

Post #54 'Dinner Time' Alexendria, VA, Summer 2022

Young beaver feeding.

There were about 300 beaver dams per square mile in North America - 200 million beavers - prior to the fur trade, which nearly wiped the species out by 1900. Following decades of recovery efforts, beavers today continue to thrive in their roles as a keystone species and ""nature's engineers"", by creating ponds and wetlands that are vital to preserving and increasing biodiversity.

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