Colombia - Wild and Free

The fjords of Utría National Park act as a nursery for young humpback whales and provide protection from hungry predators. After a year-long gestation period, these one-ton calves are born in June and July. Mother and calf use the safety of the fjord to practice skills like diving and leaping. Sound waves generated by these leaps are used to communicate with other whales over long distances.

The oven-like temperatures of the dry season bring a mother jaguar and her cub to the local watering hole for an afternoon drink. Normally nocturnal, they prefer to rest in the shade of trees during the heat of the day and hunt at night. Nearby, a southern tamandua – also known as the collared anteater – digs up a snack with its powerful claws. While the cats sleep, the tamandua is hard at work.

A larger relative of the guinea pig, the capybara can grow to be approximately two feet tall and weigh 150 pounds. These semi-aquatic mammals are built to swim and congregate during the dry season around the few available watering holes. In in the Tupi language, the word “Capybara” translates to “grass eater”, a fitting moniker for these grazers.

A mother brown-throated sloth and her baby live in the rainforest that covers the steep slopes of Colombia. They are uninhabited by humans, but a teeming with diverse flora and fauna. This young sloth will spend six months hanging onto its mother’s stomach learning from her. Considering these animals spend up to 18 hours a day sleeping in the treetops, this young one will be slow to learn.

Life can be hard on the plains of Los Llanos, but fortunately there is one animal who finds time for some fun: the Burrowing Owl. True to their name, these owls live in burrows a few feet below the surface of the ground. The owl's long legs make them well-suited for all kinds of fun and games, especially if young owlets are involved.