Gergely Bíró's Image

A loud commotion in the undergrowth on the bank of the San Carlos River in Costa Rica caught Gergely's attention.

He and his friend quickly paddled their canoe closer, and discovered two male green iguanas, in full breeding colours, locked in a violent battle. These dragon-like reptiles - up to two metres long - fight with razor-sharp teeth and whip-like tails during territorial disputes, and the action now was fierce and fast. Focusing on the twisting, leaping iguanas in low light was a challenge. 'I was trying to hold the camera and the big, heavy telephoto lens in the rocking canoe, as we floated downstream,' says Gergely. 'We were lucky not to capsize and lose our gear.' He added that awaiting them in the river were even bigger reptiles: caimans.