part of images - Joel Sartore

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A stick insect (Phryganistria heusii yentuensis) from a private collection.

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An Amazon blue bloom tarantula (Xenesthis intermedia) from a private collection.

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A tarantula (Citharacanthus cyaneus) from a private collection.

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An Iraqi spiny-tailed lizard (Saara loricata) at Prague Zoo. This is the male. It can use its thick tail as a form of defense. It spends most of the year underground and is only active during the spring.

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A male Petter’s chameleon (Furcifer petteri) from a private collection in St. Augustine, Florida. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

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A peacock day gecko (Phelsuma quadriocellata) at Petra Aqua.

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A common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) at Petra Aqua.

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A Peters’ banded skink (Scincopus fasciatus) at Petra Aqua.

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Two Balsas splitfins (Ilyodon whitei) at Zoo Plzeň. This species is from Mexico. The larger fish is male, the other female.

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A female African hawk-eagle (Aquila spilogaster) at Zoopark Zajezd.

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A European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) at Zoopark Zajezd.

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Pavona coral (Pavona decussata) from a private collection in Saint Louis. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

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A green star polyps (Pachyclavularia violacea) from a private collection in Saint Louis.

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Lobed brain coral, Lobophyllia hemprichii) from a private collection in Saint Louis.

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Button coral (Palythoa sp.) from a private collection in Saint Louis.

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Green star polyps (Pachyclavularia violacea) from a private collection in Saint Louis.

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Lobed brain coral (Lobophyllia hemprichii) from a private collection in Saint Louis.

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Anchor coral or hammer coral (Euphyllia ancora) from a private collection in Saint Louis.

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Button coral (Palythoa sp.) from a private collection in Saint Louis.

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Ocellated brain coral (Cyphastrea ocellina) from a private collection in Saint Louis.

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A blue rice coral (Montipora flabellata) at California Science Center in Los Angeles, CA. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

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A blue rice coral (Montipora flabellata) at California Science Center in Los Angeles, California. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

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A cauliflower coral (Pocillopora eydouxi) at California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.

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A cauliflower coral (Pocillopora eydouxi) at California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.

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A yellow Fiji leather coral (Sarcophyton elegans) at California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.

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A yellow Fiji leather coral (Sarcophyton elegans) at California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.

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Soft finger coral or flexible leather coral (Sinularia sp.) at California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.

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Soft finger coral or flexible leather coral (Sinularia sp.) at California Science Center in Los Angeles, California.

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BIR049-00121

A Florida grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum floridanus) at White Oak Conservation Center, Yulee, Florida. This adult bird was hatched here last year.

This bird is part of a captive breeding program for this critically endangered species, a few of which still live in the vanishing prairies of central Florida. There are nearly 100 adults, nestlings and hatch year birds here now at White Oak. This is likely more than are left in the wild now.

Picture of a Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) at Tracy Aviary.

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Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) at Tracy Aviary.

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The feet of a male red grouse (Lagopus muticus scotica) at a private collection.

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A male black-throated monitor (Varanus albigularis microstictus) named Vulture, at Cub Creek Science Camp in Rolla, MO. Cub Creek Science Camp is a science summer camp located in central Missouri. Children from all over the world come here to learn about the Earth’s creatures and to gain an appreciation for science and nature.

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A Peru mushroom tongue salamander (Bolitoglossa peruviana) at Centro Jambatu in Quito, Ecuador. This animal is originally from Yasuni, Orellana Province, Ecuador. Built to look like a twig, this animal is arboreal.