27/06: PHOTOS 'WOT I HAVE TOOK' RECENTLY!!

I really need to go through my thousands of ref photos and 'thin them'.     I just can't bear to relegate too many to the 'recycle bin' even though I know that realistically I will never use them in my drawings ... but they are 'my babies'.  I also need to shortlist 'potentials' to be used in the wildlife pictures I plan to start work on in August.

Anyway - I will have some updates on the doggy portraits to show later this weekend but for now here are a few more photos from Howlett's Wildlife Centre taken on Sunday.

As an aside - Howlett's is part of the Aspinall Foundation which includes Port Lympe in Kent.   They both have breeding programmes for many endangered species with a view to eventually releasing captive bred wild animals back into their natural environments.   Just last weekend a family of silverback gorillas has been flown back to Africa.    The Male was rescued from Africa as a baby when his mother was killed for 'bushfood' - he was sent to Port Lympe and has since fathered youngsters himself and I hope there will now be a happy ending for all.

Although the weather was cool the animals were very sleepy and many couldn't be photographed as they were flat out and snoring in the grass.

How many times have you visited a wildlife park or zoo to take photos and come home empty handed as the animals were indoors, asleep or had simply learned how to park themselves in a spot as far away from the viewers as possible - and usually with their backs turned to the cameras (bless)?!

so ... let sleeping dogs lie

and Capybaras .... I love these.  Just like giant Guinea Pigs

Sleeping leopard

and yawning Lynx

Sleeping Red River Hog - amazing creature with the sort of face that only a mother could love LOL

Giant Anteater - must have had a heavy night

I loved watching these elephants - one of the juveniles decided to have a nap

but once down, he was considered fair game by one of the other babies who used him as a climbing frame

kids will be kids ...

It was lovely to see how gentle and tolerant the older elephants are with the young ones.   Here a cheeky juvenile was stealing food from the adult's mouth

and I was fascinated by the old elephant's eyelashes (got some real close up shots, but rather like this one which also shows the skin texture around the eye and trunk)

and anybody of a squeamish nature should look away now.      

The honey badgers had just had food left out in their enclosure (dead chicks) and I have some gory ones of this badger enjoying his food ... this is one of the more tasteful pics just as he was finishing his snack.  Yummy!!

Well I do hope you haven't all dropped off to sleep after this marathon ..... and if you have be careful, there may be a strange woman with her camera waiting to photograph you snoozing LOL