2007 Animal Behaviour: Mammals - Runner-up
Christian Ziegler (Germany)
Flight of the fishing bat
'This picture was taken in the rainforest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. The multiple images were created by a fast series of flashes. In one frame you see the swoop, the descent of the clawed hind limbs, the catch and the transfer from feet to mouth.' Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight and are most famous for navigating in the dark. The fishing bat species detects fish by echolocation. It rakes its feet through the water to impale prey, then chews in flight. It stores its catch in expandable cheek pouches so it can continue hunting.
Canon EOS 5D + 16-35mm lens at 26mm; 10 secs at f6.4; ISO 800; stroboscope flash; floodlights on boats; tripod attached to a post.
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Adult awards Zebra crossing Anup Shah
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Adult awards Meerkat moment Shem Compion
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Adult awards Night pride Cristobal Serrano Perez
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Adult awards Coyote howl Cathy Illg
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Adult awards Cape fox cubs at play Helmut Niebuhr
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The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition is owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Wildlife Magazine.