In celebration of the vernal equinox, talented photographer Ken Coe shares images that showcase the beauty of African wildlife at all times of day and night. See Ken’s striking work and read about it in his own words.
Into the light
"A stunning guineafowl? Yes!"
Mmmm. So good ...
"Do animals feel joy? This photo leads me to believe they do!"
Lurking in the grass
"Some of the most boring creatures on earth during daylight hours, lions come alive at night. This male is in the midst of patrolling his territory."
I see you!
"The proper way to capture the immensity of elephants is to get very close with a wide-angle lens. Here, I am sitting down next to the wheel of a vehicle, making myself as inconspicuous and low to the ground as possible. They still notice you and acknowledge you as they walk by, merely 10-15 feet away."
Lynx drinks
"Caracal, a distant cousin of the lynx, is rarely seen due to its retiring nature. I was very fortunate to have come across this one at a floodlit waterhole."
Bagheera?
"Melanism in leopards is extremely rare, but currently there are a handful of known melanistic (breathtaking!) leopards roaming central-northern Kenya."
Topi Chiaroscuro
"The tawny-orange/dark blue iridescence of topi is at its best some minutes after sunrise and some minutes before sunset."
Under the bright lights
"The day's last light finds the zebras crossing a dry lakebed."
A close encounter of the spotted kind
"It's as if this young leopard disembarked from a UFO and is about to abduct yours truly."
Love on the rocks
"These lions were sunning themselves to warm up on a particularly cool early morning."
A feline outline
"A magical moment when this female leopard walked right in between two vehicles so that the spotlight from one cast a perfect rim around her."
Dust, smoke, haze, elephants
"In the dry season in Kafue, distant wildfires create moody skies."
Plains black & white
"They must be impressed with the beauty of their reflections."
Meet Ken
Avid photographer Ken Coe is a longtime supporter of The Nature Conservancy. He is a Legacy Club member and a Gift Planning Emeritus Advisor, as well as the former Chair of TNC's Africa Council. A passionate naturalist, he has traveled to the African continent an incredible 47 times, and today is focused on book and internet projects about his experiences there. He previously spent 30 years working in investment banking and management. Today Ken lives in Connecticut with his wife, Karla, and has two grown children.
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