The Matador photographers’ animal kingdom

1. Somewhere in the Austrian Alps. As we rounded the corner we were confronted by these menacing sheep. They eventually let us pass. Photo: VagabonderZ

2. I took this in Badlands National Park, South Dakota. This was back in 2002. As soon as my classes were done, I hit the road and got the hell out of Iowa - skipping my own college graduation. During my week in Badlands NP, I crawled out of my tent most mornings to see bison scattered around the landscape. It was worth missing my graduation. Photo: Theodore Scott

3. I shot this cow on the back streets of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India. Being sacred to Hindus, cows roam freely everywhere in this country. I like how the shadow plays in the photo, and how this particular cow seems to be "smiling" at the little girl to the left. Photo: Molly McCahan

4. In Kouré Park outside Niamey, Niger, we saw these two male giraffes fighting. Giraffes fight by swinging their necks and hitting the opponent's body with their heads. It's slow and hilarious and if we fought wars like this, everyone would have gone home for tea by now. Photo: ljgolden

5. It's all about the goats I met during Poon Hill trek last September. Photo: theyellowtail

6. I'm not sure if insects count as "wildlife" but this was taken in an amazing butterfly sanctuary on the island of Bohol in the Philippines. Photo: Andrew and Elysia

7. While making our way to Isla de la Plata, aka the "Poor Man's Galapagos," we were lucky enough to come across this breaching humpback. Only 50 km off the Ecuador coast, Isla de la Plata is a great day trip if you can't afford the time or money for the Galapagos. With the exception of tortoises, you'll see all the wildlife of the Galapagos there. Photo: Len Langevin

8. Llamas in Machu Picchu eating and taking a nap, both of which I desperately wanted to do after 4 hours of hiking the ruins. Photo: crfranke

9. Marching through the marsh. Black-winged Stilts in a flooded field at Kin Okinawa, Japan. Photo: Ryuku Mike

10. Guanacos are pretty much the only living thing that occasionally dots the mostly barren landscape in Tierra del Fuego. They're quite shy, but we seem to have caught this small group by surprise. Outside of Ushuaia, Argentina. Photo: bearshapedsphere

11. Pink flamingos of Le Camargue, a marshy area in southern France, where the Rhone and Mediterranean meet. It is Europe's largest river delta. Photo: VagabonderZ

12. An large extended family of coatí live on the mountain above the pueblo of Tepoztlán, Mexico. Hikers come up here to check out a small Aztec pyramid temple -- perhaps the coatí are its guardians. Or maybe they just like tourist food. Photo: halamen

13. These king penguins at Volunteer Point in the Falkland Islands had changed their mind about being in the water, and couldn't wait to get back out. Photo: bearshapedsphere

14. Marine Iguanas are only found on the Galapagos Islands and their colours vary distinctly from island to island. Iguanas feed on seaweed and algae and have the incredible ability to change their size if sufficient food is not available. Photo: m.scott