The WorldPostwildlfeAnimalsNature

Lose Yourself In These Colorful Photos Of Wildlife On The Move

See cape buffaloes stampeding across Kenya, emperor penguins gathering in Antarctica and monarch butterflies resting in Mexico.
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By 

Editorial Fellow, The Huffington Post

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Photographer Art Wolfe has traversed the globe to follow wildlife migration patterns. Here, caribou leave tracks in the mud at the Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska.
Art Wolfe

Amid the hustle and bustle of daily life, it's sometimes easy to forget the beauty of the world around us.

Art Wolfe is here to remind us. Throughout his decades-long career, the Seattle-based photographer and conservationist has captured some beautiful scenes of wildlife on the move in search of new homes, food sources and climates.

"I have flown in helicopters, microlights and airplanes, floated in boats and canoes, waded in murky caiman-infested waters, and snorkeled beneath the crystalline seas of the South Pacific -- always with the intention of gaining a perspective on the pattern that was being created by the wildlife passing before me," Wolfe writes in the preface to his new book, Migrations: Wildlife in Motion, published earlier this month.

In showcasing the commotion and serenity of animal migration, Wolfe also wants to highlight the importance of protecting the world's creatures. Wildlife is "at the mercy of humankind," Wolfe says, and he urges his readers to take action toward preservation.

Take a look at more of Wolfe's photos below.

Art Wolfe
Colorful batstars -- also called sea bats because of their webbed rays -- thrive in Haida Gwaii and Queen Charlotte, two archipelagos in British Columbia, Canada. "Never before had I seen such a remarkable combination of vibrant hues in the wild," Wolfe said.
Art Wolfe
Cape buffaloes stir up a cloud of dust as they race across a dry lake bed in search of water in Amboseli National Park, southern Kenya.
Art Wolfe
A Grant's zebra -- a small subspecies of the plains zebra -- stands out among white-bearded gnus, or wildebeests, in Kenya. "The lone Grant's zebra engulfed by a sea of moving wildebeests in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve caught my attention," Wolfe said. "I waited for the confused zebra to turn into the herd, and I framed it off-center to add a sense of tension."
Art Wolfe
Monarch butterflies are tightly packed in a winter roost, or a place where creatures settle to rest, in remote mountains near Mexico City, Mexico.
Art Wolfe
Emperor penguins congregate on frozen ice in Halley Bay, Antarctica.
Art Wolfe
Southern carmine bee-eaters rest in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia.
Art Wolfe
Caribou leave tracks in the mud at the Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska.
Art Wolfe
Lesser flamingoes, which have been classified as "Near Threatened," gather in Lake Naivasha, Kenya.
Art Wolfe
White-cheeked terns in flight in Mnemba Island, Tanzania. The creatures typically nest on islands and coral barrens and can be found in various parts of the Red Sea, the Horn of Africa and India.
Art Wolfe
Harbor seals congregate in Bristol Bay, Alaska.
Earth Aware Editions
The cover of Art Wolfe's new book.

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Before You Go

GDT European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2015
(01 of18)
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winne r | young photographers 15 to 14 ye arsMarius Luca Bast, GDT – GermanySilhouetteI took this image of an Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) on the last evening of ourholiday in the Bernese Oberland in the summer of 2014. After travelling toAfrica in 2010 and 2012, my parents and I wanted to visit a completely newregion where we would be able to observe and photograph entirely differentspecies. After some research and discussions, we opted for the BerneseOberland. Unfortunately, the weather was rainy and grey for most of ourtwo-week holiday. Therefore, the backlight in the evening and the ibex‘ssilhouette formed a highlight of the whole holiday that made up for thesomewhat disappointing days before. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Marius Luca Bast)
(02 of18)
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winne r | young photographers up to 14 ye arsCorentin Graillot Denaix – FranceGridMy father and I had left early that morning to be at the hides of Le Teich birdsanctuary (France) in time for the best morning light. The black winged stiltwas in direct backlight so all I could do was capture its silhouette. It wasright in front of a wire fence that protects its breeding place from predators.The backlight, the fence and the star-shaped reflections on the waterwere the components for this graphic image. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Corentin Graillot Denaix)
(03 of18)
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runne r up | nature‘s studioFran Rubia – SpainThe forestA small puddle of mud at the end of Vatnajökull glacier (Iceland) producesthese amazing textures by filtering melt water. The funny thing is that thereare hardly any forests on Iceland, so this one is something very special.It is a living pattern, a forest that continuously reshapes itself. At night inMarch, when temperatures fall below freezing, it stops growing, becausethe water freezes; the next day, when the sun returns, it blossoms again,branches and roots reappear and the forest returns to life. I especially likethe powerful expression of this photo: abstraction as a source of inspiration,a photo that can be freely interpreted, but dominates by means of itsaesthetic attitude, a composition that can only be achieved by nature. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Fran Rubia)
(04 of18)
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winne r | nature‘s studioAntje Kreienbrink, GDT – GermanySprint at the edge of the forestThis photo was taken at „Sielmann‘s natural landscape reserve Wanninchen“.For decades, this was an open-pit mining area. Today the region ischaracterized by lakes and forests and provides a habitat for many species.One morning, the tree trunks were flushed with sunlight. I was so capturedthat I took a few shots. Suddenly, a hare dashed along the edge of thetrees. I hit the shutter three times before the animal disappeared. Whatfascinates me about this photo is that the forest seems to move while thehare is frozen. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Antje Kreienbrink)
(05 of18)
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winne r | man and natureJasper Doest – NetherlandsLandfill lightshowThis photo was taken at a small recycling centre in southern Spain, wherenumerous white storks and black kites gather to search for food among themunicipal waste. This source of food is reliably available all year and so thereis no need for the birds to move on. As the waste degrades, strong acidsare formed that are diluted by spraying water over the waste. Seen againsta backlight, it is a beautiful spectacle, even though it has a vile smell and is,in any case, altogether questionable. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Jasper Doest)
(06 of18)
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runne r up | unde rwater worldWahrmut Sobainsky, GDT – GermanyIntruderThe American crayfish (Orconectes limosus), an invasive species in ourcountry, was introduced from North America to Central Europe around1890. It not only drives out the local crayfish species in frightening measures,but also passes on the crayfish plague to which it is immune. This predominantlynocturnal species is mostly found sitting on visually unattractivesand or mud; much to the photographer‘s joy, this one here obviouslyprefers the greenery of a German lake among tiny water snails. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Wahrmut Sobainsky)
(07 of18)
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winne r | unde rwater worldEdwin Giesbers – NetherlandsDark futureBetween mid-March and June, amphibians migrate to ponds and lakes to reproduce.I photographed this great crested newt (Triturus cristatus) in a small pond inthe Netherlands by putting the camera underneath the animal. The photo is partof a story on endangered amphibians, which I shot on commission for the Dutchedition of „National Geographic“ in 2014. In only a few years time, the Dutch populationof fire salamanders (Salamandra salamandra) will be completely wiped out.This is caused by a fungus that most probably was accidentally introduced throughAsian salamander species. Scientists fear that it is only a matter of time beforemany populations of amphibians throughout Europe will be wiped out. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Edwin Giesbers)
(08 of18)
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winne r | land scape sEsa Pekka Isomursu – FinlandSnow-laden trees under a full moon, halos and northern lightsA very special night in Syöte National Park (Finland): the full moon hungover spruce trees deeply covered in snow and there were ice crystals in theair; just enough so that halos would form (including a rare 9° ring), but sofew that the stars were still visible. While I was photographing this lightphenomenon, a curtain of polar lights suddenly appeared. For a short momentthey danced above the halos, just long enough for me to capture thismagic moment in a photograph. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Esa Pekka Isomursu)
(09 of18)
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runne r up | plant s and fung iSébastien Tournier – FranceAutumn mirrorIt was a lovely day in October, exactly the right kind of weather for a longwalk around the village of Ain (France). I had already been walking for anhour when I noticed the flower heads of some wild teasel (Dipsacus fullonum),which seemed to glow in the low backlight. To photograph them,I stood behind a bush and focused through a gap in the foliage. I like thecontrast between the hard and prickly flower heads and the soft dissolvedbackground. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Sébastien Tournier)
(10 of18)
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winne r | plant s and fung iRadomir Jakubowski, GDT – GermanyPhantom of the nightI have been fascinated by local orchid species since childhood. The lady‘sslipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus) in particular is my favourite orchidin Germany, and every year I spend several days photographing this plantspecies exclusively. One morning, I tried to convey my feelings in an artisticphoto by merging the cold morning mood with the dark gloom of the forestin one photo. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Radomir Jakubowski)
(11 of18)
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winne r | other animalsQuentin Martinez – FrancePeace at the streamYoung caimans (Paleosuchus palpebrosus) spend their days in shallow waterwell hidden by dense vegetation that protects them from numerouspredators. Only at dusk do they emerge from their hiding places to searchfor food. I knew a very good spot where many young caimans lived. Therewas no cloud in the evening sky on that day and the sun‘s diminishing lightreflected on the water of the river. To blur the moving current of the water,I had to stop down a lot and use a tripod because of the necessarily longexposure time. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Quentin Martinez)
(12 of18)
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highly commended | mamm alsDuy Anh Pham – NorwayMorning exercise in the meadowThe rutting season of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) had just begun when I managedto take this photo near Fredrichstad (Norway). The day before, I had spotteda single doe in a cornfield, although I did not see a buck. The following day I wasthere again before sunrise. Thick fog covered the landscape. Half an hour later, theveil lifted and I saw the doe approaching from the other end of the field. She musthave heard a contact sound and galloped straight at me. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Duy Anh Pham)
(13 of18)
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runne r up | mamm alsAudun Rikardsen – NorwayHumpback whale under the Arctic moonFor a number of years, massive shoals of herring have gathered during thedark winter months in the fjords near the town of Tromsø (Norway). Theyare followed by numerous humpback whales that chase the herring in thedark, often only lit by moonlight. To document this kind of behaviour, I useda self-built flash system. But even locating the whales in the dark was quitea challenge. Every whale‘s tail has its own individual characteristics, whichcan be used to differentiate one animal from the other. This also enablesscientists to follow their migration routes across the oceans, and this ishow nature photography can contribute in yet another case to researchand the protection of species. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Audun Rikardsen)
(14 of18)
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winne r | mamm alsBence Mate – HungaryNight starI have always tried to explore new fields in nature photography. I especiallylike photographing animals at night, which has its very own uniquechallenges. This photo was made using a remote control camera that I hadput in an old fish box. It was difficult to estimate in advance the necessarybalance between the flash light and the natural light from the stars. I alsohoped that I would not scare away the animal as the wild boars in our areaare extremely shy. Luckily, it stood still during the shot. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Bence Mate)
(15 of18)
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highly commended | birdsTim Hunt – Great BritainCrested guanThis photo shows a crested guan (Penelope purpurascens) in the cloud forestsof Costa Rica as it pauses while foraging on a lone branch. Due to theclouds that are so typical for this habitat, I could often only photographthe bird‘s silhouette against a grey sky. But then, for a short moment only,the sun broke through the clouds, and I overexposed the image by overtwo stops in order to blow out the background and allow this beautifullymarked bird to stand out. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Tim Hunt)
(16 of18)
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runne r up | birdsBernt Østhus – NorwayCapercaillieOver the course of the years I have often witnessed how the sun movesacross the ridge where the capercaillies would carry out their mating ritual.So I had a pretty good idea where to pitch my hide to take a photograph inwhich the backlight filtering through the trees would make the bird appearas a silhouette. All I needed now was fair weather and one of the capercailliesin the right position. The long lens and open aperture softened thefore- and background. I took this photo in the woods not far from the villagewhere I grew up. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Bernt Østhus)
(17 of18)
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winne r | birdsJuan Carlos Muñoz – SpainFishing in the Evening in Hula ValleyThis photograph was taken at a fish farm in Hula Valley, which is part ofthe Galilee region in Israel. In the soft evening light, circular puddles stoodout against dark muddy areas at the bottom of a drained fish pond. Theyformed the perfect backdrop for a black winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus)that was searching for food in the shallow water. The Hula Valleyis an important resting ground for all kinds of wading birds and, thanksto long-term conservation programmes, a balance has been achieved betweeneconomic use and wildlife protection. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Juan Carlos Muñoz)
(18 of18)
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overall winne rRichard Peters - Great BritainShadow walkerTaken in my back garden, the image shows the shadow of anurban fox on its nightly patrols. To give context to the image, Iplaced the camera up high enough to show the neighbouringhouse, and using a 30-second exposure setting, I also capturedthe stars in the night sky. I did not plan to include the upstairslight in the neighbour’s house, but it helps connect the humanand wild elements of the image, giving context to the story.The camera was triggered by a light barrier when the fox walked by. (credit:GDT EWPY 2015/Richard Peters)
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