Male manta ray with almost pure white ventral surface, may be a new species, for now known as Manta alfredi, Yum Balam Marine Protected Area, Quintana Roo, Mexico, North America

New Zealand Sea Lions (Phocarctos hookeri) at Otago Peninsula, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand, Pacific

Rare pampas deer grazing in swamp, Ibera National Park, Argentina, South America

King penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) at breeding and nesting colony at Salisbury Plain in the Bay of Isles, South Georgia, Polar Regions

Antarctic fur seal pups (Arctocephalus gazella) playing in Fortuna Bay on South Georgia, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

An Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica), landing on a cliff in Borgarfjaroarhofn, Iceland, Polar Regions

A curious young polar bear (Ursus maritimus) approaches the National Geographic Explorer in the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway, Arctic, Europe

Curious walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) near Apollo Island in Franz Josef Land, Russia, Arctic Ocean, Eurasia

Adult Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella), in Ocean Harbor on South Georgia Island, Southern Ocean, Polar Regions

Tourists watch female Bengal tiger, Panthera tigris tigris, in Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan, India

Female Bengal tiger, Panthera tigris tigris, in Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan, India

Female Bengal tiger, Panthera tigris tigris, in Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan, India

Female Bengal tiger, Panthera tigris tigris, in Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan, India

Female Bengal tiger, Panthera tigris tigris, in Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan, India

Female Bengal tiger, Panthera tigris tigris, in Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan, India

A Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla, on the Farne Islands, Northumberland, UK, next to a pool with red algae. Kittiwakes have declined drastically due to climate change causing their main fish prey species to migrate further north to find cooler sea temperatures.

Just a split second before surfacing, a Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) opens its blowhole to exhale ready to inhale when the blowhole has cleared the water. Beluga whales are an endangered and protected species in the St. Lawrence estuary, Canada

Juvenile Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), an endangered and protected species, lifts its head to take a look at the research vessel. Beluga calves are dark in colour and turn white at seven to nine years of age. St. Lawrence estuary, Canada

The white bodies of a group of Beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) breaking the surface of the calm water. These beluga whales that live in the St. Lawrence, Canada, year-round belong to the furthest southerly population of this arctic whale species.

Olive ridley turtle hatchling, Lepidochelys olivacea, Costa do Sauipe, Bahia, Brazil (South Atlantic)

Olive ridley turtle hatchling, Lepidochelys olivacea, Costa do Sauipe, Bahia, Brazil (South Atlantic)

Strawberry Poison Frog (Dendrobates pumilio), adult, Bastimentos National Park, Bocas del Toro, Panama. The strawberry poison frog or strawberry poison-dart frog (Oophaga pumilio or Dendrobates pumilio) is a species of small amphibian poison dart frog found in Central America. It is common throughout its range, which extends from eastern central Nicaragua through Costa Rica and northwestern Panama. The species is often found in humid lowlands and premontane forest, but large populations are also found in disturbed areas such as plantations. The strawberry poison frog is perhaps most famous for its widespread variation in coloration, comprising approximately 15���30 color morphs, most of which are presumed to be true-breeding. O. pumilio, while not the most poisonous of the dendrobatids, is the most toxic member of its genus. The species is most diverse in Panama with varieties in vivid shades of all red, orange, blue, yellow or green, green and yellow, white with red, orange or black and spotted varieties. The most colorful mix is found in Isla Bastimentos Marine National Park though not all in one place. Colors vary by location. A beach on the north side of the island is named after the species. Two of Southern Explorations' Panama tours visit red frog habitat. Both the eight-day Panama Adventure trip and eleven-day Panama Highlights trip spend time in Isla Bastimentos Marine National Park and the former also goes to Red Frog Beach. The red frog is not as poisonous as some of its cousins and is not a threat to humans. It subsists on a diet of ants that dine on poisonous plants, providing the red frog its protective skin toxin. Males attract females with a loud quick chirp. To hear the distinctive sound before you depart on your Panama tours, go to the University of Michigan Museum's biodiversity website (www.animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu.) After birth, the tadpoles climb aboard the mother who deposits them in different protected areas where she retu

Starry night octopus, Octopus luteus, foraging on coral reef at night, Malapascua, Cebu, Philippines, Visayan Sea.

Beluga whale in seen through window, Delphinapterus leucas, USA, California, San Diego, SeaWorld

Child looking at Beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas, USA, California, San Diego, SeaWorld

Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, Oahu, Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, USA

Green Turtle and Diver, Chelonia mydas, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Green Turtle and Diver, Chelonia mydas, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, Short Dropoff, Micronesia, Palau

Bear's Ear Primroses (Primula auricula L.), Kalk Alps National Park, Upper Austria, Austria, Europe

African wild dog (Lycaon pictus), adult, alert, resting, animal portrait, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, South Africa, Africa

African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus), hunting, running, social behaviour, Sabi Sand Game Reserve, Kruger National Park, South Africa, Africa

Alpine Ibex, Bouquetin, Steinbock (Capra ibex), male

Mountaingorillas (Gorilla beringei), Virunga National Park, Zaire, Africa

Mangalitsa pig, curly-hair hog, very rare, on the protected species list of domesticated animals

Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei), foraging, Virunga Nationalpark, Zaire

Kugelorchis orchid (Traunsteinera globosa), Rax, Lower Austria, Austria, Europe

Mangalitsa pig, curly-hair hog, very rare, on the protected species list of domesticated animals

Mangalitsa pigs, very rare, on the protected species list for endangered domesticated animals

White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), portrait, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi National Park, Province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Africa

Orangutan (Pongo species) standing on a wooden platform eating fruit in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, West Kotawaringin Regency, Indonesia

Orangutan (Pongo species) walking on a wooden board in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, West Kotawaringin Regency, Indonesia

Portrait of a Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) lying in the snow looking out from behind a snowbank, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Orangutan (Pongo species) adult and young sitting on wooden board, resting in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, West Kotawaringin Regency, Indonesia

Orangutan (Pongo species) mother and baby together on a platform in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, West Kotawaringin Regency, Indonesia

Orangutan (Pongo species) in a tree in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, West Kotawaringin Regency, Indonesia

Polar bear (Ursus maritimes) lying down in the snow, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Orangutan (Pongo species) mother and baby together on a branch of a tree in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, West Kotawaringin Regency, Indonesia

Orangutan (Pongo species) on a branch of a tree in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, West Kotawaringin Regency, Indonesia

Orangutan (Pongo species) mother and baby together on a platform in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, West Kotawaringin Regency, Indonesia

Orangutan (Pongo species) adult and young embracing while resting on a wooden board in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, West Kotawaringin Regency, Indonesia

Portrait of a polar bear (Ursus maritimes) standing in the snow looking at the camera, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Live Black-Lipped Pearl Oyster (Pinctada margaritifera) living on Haloha Reef off Maui; Maui, Hawaii, United States of America

Orangutan (Pongo species) mother and baby together on a branch of a tree in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, West Kotawaringin Regency, Indonesia

Orangutan (Pongo species) mother and baby sitting on a wooden platform in Tanjung Puting National Park, Central Kalimantan, West Kotawaringin Regency, Indonesia

Portrait of a Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) sitting in snow on the Canadian tundra, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Polar bears (Ursus maritimes) walking on the snow, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) in the snow at twilight in the Canadian arctic, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) running in the snow, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada

A green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), an endangered species, surfaces for a breath in front of a stand-up paddle board off the coast of Maui, Maui, Hawaii, United States of America

Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), an endangered species, gathering at a cleaning station off Maui, Maui, Hawaii, United States of America

Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), an endangered species, is resting under a fan of gorgonian coral along with two remora, Philippines

This green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), an endangered species, is passing under Lone Tree Arch, a dive site on the Kona Coast, Kona, Island of Hawaii, Hawaii, United States of America

Mr. Fleetham spent an afternoon photographing these Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (Stenella plagiodon). During the several hours in the water a group of Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncates) joined the company for nearly an hour of inter-species exchange, Bahamas

Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), an endangered species, Hawaii, United States of America

A diver feeds a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), an endangered species, at Sea Life Park's Underwater Sea Trek Adventure in their big tank, Oahu, Hawaii, United States of America

Diver and schooling Yellowfin Goatfish (Mulloidichthys vanicolensis). This species turns red at night and when they are in caves during the day, Kauai, Hawaii, United States of America

This Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), an endangered species, is rubbing it's chin on it's shoulder, Hawaii, United States of America

A close look into the eyes of a Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), an endangered species, Philippines

Encounters with Hawaiian monk seals (Monachus schauinslandi) (endemic and endangered) are few and far between. Here a monk seal shares a patch of sand with a Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), also an endangered species, off Maui, Maui, Hawaii, United States of America

Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), an endangered species, in an underwater crevice off West Maui, Maui, Hawaii, United States of America

A Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), an endangered species, makes it’s way from the beach back into the Pacific Ocean, Maui, Hawaii, United States of America

Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Australia, Western Australia, Ningaloo Reef, Indian Ocean

Female snorkeler swims with Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Australia, Western Australia, Ningaloo Reef, Indian Ocean

Female snorkeler swims with Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Australia, Western Australia, Ningaloo Reef, Indian Ocean

Female snorkeler swims with Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Seychelles, Africa, Indian Ocean

Female snorkeler swims with Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Palau, Micronesia, Indian Ocean

Female snorkeler swims with Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Madagascar, Africa, Indian Ocean

Eating Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Australia, Western Australia, Ningaloo Reef, Indian Ocean

Female snorkeler swims with Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Djibouti, Djibuti, Africa, Afar Triangle, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Tadjourah

Eating Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Djibouti, Djibuti, Africa, Afar Triangle, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Tadjourah

Female snorkeler swims with Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Djibouti, Djibuti, Africa, Afar Triangle, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Tadjourah

Eating Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Djibouti, Djibuti, Africa, Afar Triangle, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Tadjourah

Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, Marshall Islands, Bikini Atoll, Micronesia, Pacific Ocean

Green Turtle and Diver, Chelonia mydas, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Green Turtle and Diver, Chelonia mydas, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Mauritius, Africa, Indian Ocean

Female snorkeler swims with Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Djibouti, Djibuti, Africa, Afar Triangle, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Tadjourah

Female snorkeler swims with Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Djibouti, Djibuti, Africa, Afar Triangle, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Tadjourah

Female snorkeler swims with Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Thailand, Asia, Indian Ocean

Whale shark with yellow pilot fishes, Rhincodon thypus, Djibouti, Djibuti, Africa, Afar Triangle, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Tadjourah

Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, Oahu, Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, USA

Female snorkeler swims with Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Djibouti, Djibuti, Africa, Afar Triangle, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Tadjourah

Eating Whale shark, Rhincodon thypus, Djibouti, Djibuti, Africa, Afar Triangle, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Tadjourah

Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, Oahu, Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, USA

Two eating Whale sharks, Rhincodon thypus, Djibouti, Djibuti, Africa, Afar Triangle, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Tadjourah

Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, Maui, Hawaii, USA

Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, Oahu, Pacific Ocean, Hawaii, USA

Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, German Channel, Micronesia, Palau