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#FriFotos Furry Edition: Close Up with Animals from Africa to the Americas


While I’m not much of a macro shooter, there is one thing I love shooting up close (preferably with a wide angle lens) and that’s animals. Yes, it’s gimmicky and cliché but it’s still so cute. So today, in honor of #FriFotos, I’m giving in to the cuteness.

 Up close with a French bulldog in Los Angeles

Up close with a French bulldog in Los Angeles

I’m a huge animal lover (except for sharks, which I actually fear to an irrational extent) and I love when I get a chance to bond with charming and exotic animals during my travels.

Of course the best place to see animals up close is on Safari (if you’re new to my blog, you can read my previous safari posts here) but I’ve met plenty of critters on my travels and here are some of my favorites.

 Mexican jumping dog in Baja, Mexico

Mexican jumping dog in Baja, Mexico

 Black cat at The Delano On South Beach

Black cat at The Delano On South Beach

While trying to play with Marron, the chocolate lab, in Malmo, Sweden I realized that the dog did not understand English (unlike most Swedes) but did understand the universal pleasing nature of "fetch."

While trying to play with Marron, the chocolate lab, in Malmo, Sweden I realized that the dog did not understand English (unlike most Swedes) but did understand the universal pleasing nature of “fetch.”

 Straight out of the horses mouth Santa Fe, New Mexico

Straight out of the horses mouth Santa Fe, New Mexico

 A darling camel I met in Giza, Egypt

A darling camel I met in Giza, Egypt

 Camel with an underbite Giza, Egypt

Camel with an underbite Giza, Egypt

 Giant turtle Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Giant turtle Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

 Young Male Lion at Kwandwe

Young Male Lion at Kwandwe

There is no better place to see the big five animals (lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo, and leopard) than on an African Safari. Here’s a gorgeous young lion I saw this spring on Safari at Kwandwe Game Reserve in the Eastern Cape of South Afric.

 White Tiger Cub

Me bottle feeding an 8 week old white tiger cub at Zion Wildlife Gardens (now called Kingdom of Zion in Whangarei, New Zealand).

Cute as they may be, wild animals are wild. This guy was strong and 8 weeks was just about the last time anyone untrained got to play with him.

Note: A zookeeper at Zion Wildlife gardens was killed by a white tiger in 2009. I don’t know if if this little guy was involved or not. But it’s best when wild animals can remain in the wild.

 An 8 week old baby white tiger cub at Zion Sanctuary in New Zealand

An 8 week old baby white lion cub I got to play with at Zion Sanctuary in New Zealand. Check out those paws!

 Koala Cuddle

Cuddling a koala at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was the highlight of my trip to Queensland, Australia.

 Taxidermy always seems in Vogue in St. Germain furniture shops

 Taxidermy at Deyrolles in Paris, France

Taxidermy always seems in Vogue in St. Germain furniture shops and Deyrolles in Paris, France

Mountain Lion taxidermy at the Helena, Montana airport

Mountain Lion taxidermy at the Helena, Montana airport