Mammals

Roosevelt elk or Cervus canadensis roosevelti

This elk is the the bull of about 30 females and juveniles. They were grazing on the grass near our RV Park (Heart of the Woods RV Park US 101 N, Orick CA 95555. Literally in the heart of the Coastal Redwoods, in-between Fern Canyon & Prairie Creek State Parks) and we couldn't pull into our spot or even safely get out of the car because they were surrounding us. They finally ambled on and we could get out of our of the car and take some pics before we set up our RV.

Yellowstone Shira moose
or alces alces

Was taken 20 yards from my brother's cabin in Island Park, Idaho. After munching for several minutes it bedded down for an afternoon rest for several hours. Its velvet antlers will fully mature then break off in winter.

Yellowstone Shira moose
or alces alces

Ceratotherium simum simum or Southern White Rhino

At the Phoenix zoo

Asian elephant or Elephas Maximus

At the Phoenix zoo

Possibly Papio hamadryas or Baboon female

Phoenix zoo

Possibly Papio hamadryas or Baboon female

It used to be theorized that female Baboons with bigger redder bottoms was a signal for mating. However new findings suggests that bottom swelling isn't a reliable indicator of evolutionary fitness, the researchers said.

The bigger-bottomed baboons didn't attract more males, either, the researchers report in the June issue of the journal Animal Behaviour. Rather, males really seemed to go for females that had gone through more ovulatory cycles since their last pregnancy. Like humans, baboons are not as fertile while nursing infants, so it might behoove males to wait a few cycles to mate.