Wildlife photographers spend a huge amount of their careers sat around waiting for a photo opportunity. It can often take weeks or even months to capture that perfect shot and a great deal of patience is needed to forge a successful career. Every now and again though, a shot is timed so perfectly that the results even surprise the photographers themselves and make all the waiting around worthwhile. The following are 10 examples of this and some of the most perfectly timed wildlife photos in the world.
Put em up!
This praying mantis may have adopted a fighting stance to try and warn off this hungry bird but we don’t fancy its chances much! Top marks go to the photographer though, who timed the bird’s swooping attack to perfection.
A Helping Hand
This heart-warming picture shows that good old fashioned teamwork also occurs in the animal kingdom. The photographer managed to capture the precise moment a panda gave their friend a helping hand to reach a high branch. Who knew pandas were so chivalrous!
You’re Having A Giraffe!
We’re not quite sure how this photo occurred but we absolutely love it! The photographer caught the exact moment a giraffe decided to lick a passing squirrel and, perhaps most surprisingly of all, the squirrel actually seems to be quite enjoying it!
The Killer Whale and The Penguin
The animal world can be a violent and brutal place and that is perfectly illustrated by the above photo. The photographer managed to capture the exact moment a penguin took a leap of faith from an icy cliff, only to be met by the hungry jaws of a killer whale. We’re not sure what happened next… but we like to think the penguin somehow managed to dodge the huge jaws and make a great escape!
It’s Behind You!
Snakes are renowned for silently hunting their prey and then making a lightning attack; nowhere is this more obvious than in this image. The poor robin is completely oblivious to the imminent danger and the photographer chose the perfect moment to take the incredible shot.
Taking Shelter
You’d be forgiven for assuming a frog would be pretty used to getting wet on a regular basis but this image shows that even the most water-bound of creatures still like to take shelter from the rain. The frog may well have picked up the leaf by mistake but we like to think it saw an opportunity to create the perfect natural umbrella.
Swooping In
Owls are not only beautiful birds but also master hunters and this photo shows both of these characteristics perfectly. The photographer managed to capture a stunning image of an owl in full hunting mode, while the poor mouse is completely oblivious of the dangers right behind it.
The Cycling Mantis
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the above image has been photoshopped for an advert or logo but it really was captured in the wild. The photographer timed the shot to perfection and managed to capture the exact moment a praying mantis crawled over two curled-up flowers, giving the perception that the insect was riding a natural bike!
You’re Pulling My Leg!
It seems that it’s not only humans that like to play practical jokes, as this image captured the moment a bird decided to grab his friend’s leg at the worst possible time. It may well have occurred naturally due to the two animals getting their claws tangled together, but we like to think it was all planned and a bit of light-hearted bird banter!
Hitching A Ride
Let’s face it, the majority of creatures in the animal kingdom don’t usually get along too well but it seems that the beetle and the frog have a good relationship, especially if this image is anything to go by. The photographer managed to perfectly capture the bizarre moment a frog took a piggy-back ride on a beetle and, most surprisingly of all, both creatures seem to be perfectly happy with the situation (although we guess the beetle may not have had much say in the matter!).
