in the wild images - Joel Sartore

A pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) crossing under a fence near Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.

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A pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) crossing under a fence near Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.

A female Indri (Indri indri), the worlds largest lemur, in the wilds of Analamazaotra Forest near Andasibe, Madagascar.

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A female Indri (Indri indri), the worlds largest lemur, in the wilds of Analamazaotra Forest near Andasibe, Madagascar.

Picture of millions of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) roosting on the Chincua Mountain near Angangueo, Mexico.

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Millions of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) roost on the Chincua Mountain near Angangueo, Mexico. This is one of five wintering roosts for monarchs, where the cool mountain climate slows their metabolism enough for them to overwinter before migrating back northward in the spring. Logging threatens this spectacle–Already one of the five sites is no longer used by the butterflies due to the forest being cleared.

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A pronghorn antelope sneaks under a barbed wire fence.

A pronghorn antelope, Antilocapra americana, crawls under a fence.

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A pronghorn antelope, Antilocapra americana, crawls under a fence.

A pronghorn antelope, Antilocapra americana, crossing under a fence near Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.

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A pronghorn antelope, Antilocapra americana, crossing under a fence near Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.

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A pronghorn antelope, Antilocapra americana, crossing under a fence near Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.

Picture of a herd of bison (Bison bison) running across the prairie on the Triple U Bison Ranch near Fort Pierre, South Dakota.

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A herd of bison (Bison bison) running across the prairie on the Triple U Bison Ranch near Fort Pierre, South Dakota. This ranch has about 2,000 head of bison on over 50,000 acres.

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A herd of bison (Bison bison) running across the prairie on the Triple U Bison Ranch near Fort Pierre, South Dakota. This ranch has about 2,000 head of bison on over 50,000 acres.

A young male California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) that was injured severely in the wild after being entangled in discarded ropes and garbage in the sea.

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A young male California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) that was injured severely in the wild after being entangled in discarded ropes and garbage in the sea.

A musk ox bull (Ovibos moschatus) charges at Joel Sartore, on Nunivak Island, Alaska. These animals descended from stock brought in from Greenland in 1935.

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A musk ox bull (Ovibos moschatus) charges at Joel Sartore, on Nunivak Island, Alaska. These animals descended from stock brought in from Greenland in 1935.

A wire fence keeps elk (Cervus canadensis) on Elk National refuge land and from roaming into the town of Jackson, Wyoming.

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A wire fence keeps elk (Cervus canadensis) on Elk National refuge land and from roaming into the town of Jackson, Wyoming.

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Black skimmers (Rhynchops niger) on a salt pond beside San Diego bay in California.

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In this winter nursery for gray whales (Eschrichtius glaucus), one of the cetaceans swims close to two whale-watching boats, seeking contact with now-friendly humans. Restored to healthy populations, California grays were recently taken off the endangered list. Atlantic grays, however, were long ago hunted into extinction .

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This tiny snail darter (Percina tanasi) stalled the construction of Tellico dam on the Little Tennessee river. Though the dam was built, the Endangered Species Act was henceforth seen in many quarters as an enemy of progress.

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A large herd of bison (Bison bison) running across the prairie on the Triple U Bison Ranch near Fort Pierre, South Dakota. This ranch has about 2,000 head of bison on over 50,000 acres.

Herpetologists look for central newts (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis) at a vernal pool in Bennett Springs State Park near Lebanon, Missouri.

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Herpetologists look for central newts (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis) at a vernal pool in Bennett Springs State Park near Lebanon, Missouri.

Central newts (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis) with southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) eggs, a favorite food source, at Bennett Springs State Park near Lebanon, Missouri.

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Central newts (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis) with southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) eggs, a favorite food source, at Bennett Springs State Park near Lebanon, Missouri.

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Central newts (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis) with southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) eggs, a favorite food source, at Bennett Springs State Park near Lebanon, Missouri.

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Central newts (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis) with southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) eggs, a favorite food source, at Bennett Springs State Park near Lebanon, Missouri.

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A rough green snake (Opheodrys aestivus) along Snake Road in Shawnee National forest in southwest Illinios.

An eastern hognose snake (Heterodon platirhinos) plays dead on the Snake Road, a three-mile stretch of road in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. To prevent herp deaths, this section of road is closed in the spring and fall when snakes are migrating.

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An eastern hognose snake (Heterodon platirhinos) plays dead on the Snake Road, a three-mile stretch of road in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. To prevent herp deaths, this section of road is closed in the spring and fall when snakes are migrating.

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An eastern hognose snake plays dead on the Snake Road, a three-mile stretch of road in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. To prevent herp deaths, this section of road is closed in the spring and fall when snakes are migrating.

Picture of millions of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) roosting on the Sierra Chincua (Chincua mountain) near Angangueo, Mexico.

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Millions of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) roost on the Sierra Chincua (Chincua mountain) near Angangueo, Mexico. This is one of five wintering roosts for monarchs, where the cool mountain climate slows their metabolism enough for them to overwinter before migrating back northward in the spring. Logging threatens this spectacle: already one of the five sites is no longer used by the butterflies due to the forest being cleared.