Looking up, Max was astonished to see a tayra peering down at him. He had occasionally encountered these elusive mammals bounding along the forest floor, yet this one was high in a Panama rubber tree, picking fruit with its teeth. Aiming his camera straight up to the clouds, Max captured this rare shot.
Roughly the size of a small dog, tayras are mustelids – a family that includes badgers, wolverines and weasels. Tayras are omnivorous and eat a wide range of food, from small mammals, fruit and invertebrates to reptiles, birds and carrion. They also have a liking for honey.
USA
Based in Seattle, USA, Max leads photography tours in locations with high levels of biodiversity. These always inspire an unforgettable sense of adventure and discovery, but what Max takes most pleasure from is in sharing the experience with others - not only his tour clients, but a wider audience who may only get to learn about the world's amazing nature through photography.
Help us harness the power of photography to advance scientific knowledge, spread awareness of important issues and nurture a global love for nature.
Get a sneak peek at some of the powerful photographs from this year's Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition.
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Go beyond the camera and discover five wildlife photographers who are using their work to celebrate the natural world and those protecting it.
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