Chien C. Lee

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  • A Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus brachyotis) swoops in to select a ripe fig (Ficus fistulosa) growing directly on the trunk of the tree. Rather than eating on the spot, the bat will carry the fig off to a favorite perch where it can dine in safety, thus helping to spread the tree's seeds. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) eating crab. Chocó, Colombia.
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  • Bushy-crested Hornbill (Anorrhinus galeritus), eating fruits on a hanging vine (Adenia macrophylla). Sepilok Forest Reserve, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Pitta-like Ground-roller (Atelornis pittoides) with earthworm. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • The complex ecosystem of the rainforest is filled with such a plethora of tiny hungry creatures that many predators may themselves become victims to something larger. Here, in the humid jungles of southern New Guinea, an unfortunate tree frog is being devoured by a large huntsman spider (family Sparassidae). With leg spans sometimes exceeding 15cm, these spiders spin no webs and instead rely on speed to catch their prey. South Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • This female Madagascar Pygmy Kingfisher (Corythornis madagascariensis) has just been gifted a small lizard (Madascincus melanopleura) by her mate as part of a courtship ritual. Despite their name, these birds are not dependent on water, and typically hunt for insects and small vertebrates on the forest floor. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • A damselfly (Coenagrionidae) feeding on a pygmy grasshopper (Tetrigidae) which it has caught during flight. Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • A Red-bearded Bee-eater (Nyctyornis amictus) living up to its name: here with a large black carpenter bee (Xylocopa sp.) it has caught in mid-air. While most bee-eaters prefer open woodlands and forest edges, this species is unusual in that it is typically found deep within rainforest. Flashy colors in birds are often possessed only by the males and typically function as a means of advertising for a mate. However, in this species both males and females sport a bright red face, which suggests that the coloration may serve a different purpose. One theory is that this may serve to attract flower-feeding insects to venture closer for a look - a convenient way for the bird to catch an easy meal. Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Red-thighed Bromeliad Spider (Cupiennius coccineus), with prey. Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • With highly toxic chemical defenses ranging from benzoquinones to cyanide compounds, millipedes are generally avoided by most predators. However, in nature no matter how well protected you are, everyone has their Achilles' heel. In this case we have the Ectrichodiinid bugs, better known as ' Millipede Assassins'. These specialized hunters feed exclusively on millipedes, stabbing them with a stout proboscis, immobilizing them with venom, and are undeterred by their prey's thick armor and toxins. It is suspected that some species may actually be able to sequester the chemicals of the millipede to incorporate into their own defenses, but this remains to be studied. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Huntsman spider (Sparassidae) preying on a young Madagascar day gecko (Phelsuma parva). Tomasina, Madagascar.
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  • Ant-hunting spider (Mallinella sp.) predating a Giant Forest Ant (Dinomyrmex gigas ssp. borneensis), which it also mimics. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Rufous Mouse Lemur (Microcebus rufus), feeding on katydid. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • In the insect world, even having a vicious sting isn’t enough to always save you from some larger predators. Here, in the dry spiny forest of southern Madagascar, a wasp has fallen prey to a giant robber fly (Microstylum sp.). With fast wings, excellent eyesight, and piercing mouthparts, robber flies catch other insects in mid flight and suck out their insides like a juice pack. Berenty Private Reserve, Amboasary, Madagascar.
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  • The Long-tongued Nectar Bat (Macroglossus minimus) is an important pollinator of many rainforest trees. Here it is feeding on the nectar of banana flowers. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Fruit-piercing moth (Eudocima phalonia) using its stout proboscis to feed on the sweet juice of wild figs (Ficus fistulosa). Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Little Maplet (Chersonesia peraka), feeding on insect remains from spider predation. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • A male flower scarab (Mecynorhina harrisi), prepared to ward off rivals with his formidable horn, guards a female while she feeds on tree sap. Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania.
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  • Marauder Ants (Carebara affinis) attacking a beetle grub. The minor workers are assisted by their larger sisters, the majors and super-majors, which use their powerful mandibles to cut the grub into smaller pieces. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Lesser Bare-backed fruit Bat (Dobsonia minor), feeding on fig. Nimbokrang, Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Brehm's Tiger-parrot (Psittacella brehmii). West Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Sri Lanka Giant Squirrel (Ratufa macroura dandolena). Central Province, Sri Lanka.
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  • Buthid scorpion (Tityus sp.) preying on a smaller scorpion. Yasuní National Park, Orellana, Ecuador.
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  • Huntsman spider preying on camel cricket, with parasitic midge. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Lynx spider (Hamadruas superba) preying on plant bug (Alydidae). Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • A potter wasp (Omicroides singularis) returns to her nest with a paralyzed caterpillar. Each perfectly crafted urn will be filled with a dozen or so caterpillars before she deposits a single egg and seals the entrance. The developing wasp larvae will feed on the caterpillars before pupating and emerging as an adult. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Pelican Spider (Eriauchenius workmani), female with prey. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Marauder Ants (Carebara affinis) attacking a beetle grub. The minor workers are assisted by their larger sisters, the majors and super-majors, which use their powerful mandibles to cut the grub into smaller pieces. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Leaf of Colocasia gigantea with round holes left by feeding Chrysomelid beetle (Aplosonyx ancora). The beetle bites circular leaf trenches to drain the leaf of its toxic latex prior to consumption. Ha Giang, Vietnam.
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  • Huntsman spider (Heteropoda sp.) cannibalizing on another huntsman spider. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Four-clawed Gecko (Gehyra mutilata) attending a lanternfly (Pyrops whiteheadi) for secreted honeydew. Host tree is Pometia pinnata. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • With fewer than a thousand individuals remaining in the wild, the Critically Endangered Golden Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur aureus) holds on to a tenuous existence in the rainforests of Madagascar. It’s discovery in the mid-1980’s was a crucial factor that led to the foundation of the now famous Ranomafana National Park – a reserve that protects over 400 sq. km. of tropical forest. Like other bamboo lemurs, it feeds primarily on bamboo shoots which, due to their high cyanide content, are lethally toxic to most other animals. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Malagasy Green Sunbird (Cinnyris notatus) feeding at flowers of Ravenala grandis. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • A female pompilid wasp (Eragenia congrua) hauls a paralyzed spider (Corinna sp.) towards her nest, after having neatly amputated its legs to make the transport of her victim easier. This will not be food for her, but for her offspring. Her nest consists of a hole in the soft bark of a tree, and once depositing the spider inside she will lay a single egg, which upon hatching into a larva will consume the still-living host. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • A Red-shanked Douc (Pygathrix nemaeus) munches on a handful of young vine leaves it has picked in the forest canopy. Although these endangered monkeys feed on over sixty different species of plants, they select their food carefully and in particular avoid sweet fruits which can upset the balance of bacteria in their guts. Like other leaf-eating colobine monkeys, doucs have large chambered stomachs – making them the only ruminant primates and giving them their characteristic pot-bellied appearance. Son Tra Nature Reserve, Vietnam.
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  • A Maroon Langur (Presbytis rubicunda) pauses for a break while munching on his chosen leaf. Endemic to Borneo and a few offshore islands, these leaf monkeys feed on a wide range of foliage and unripe fruits, traveling in groups of up to a dozen individuals. One theory regarding their distinctive bright orange coloration is that this may help to confuse some predators into mistaking them for a much larger and stronger Orangutan, and thus deter attacks. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Fruit piercing moths (Eudocima phalonia) converge on a cluster of ripe figs (Ficus fistulosa) to feed on the sweet juice. Many moths in this family have similar feeding habits and can be damaging to commercial fruit crops. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps), feeding on sap of Acacia tree. Wasur National Park, South Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • A Harlequin Gliding Frog (Rhacophorus pardalis) struggles futilely as it is being slowly swallowed alive by a Black-Headed Cat Snake (Boiga nigriceps). Stagnant pools of water in the Borneo rainforest serve as important breeding grounds for many tree frogs which gather around in great numbers, a fact that some predators wisely take advantage of. Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • After quickly selecting a ripe fig (Ficus fistulosa), a Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus brachyotis) makes off with her prize to dine some distance away at a safe perch, thereby helping to disperse the tree's seeds that will ultimately lead to fruit for her future generations. Figs reach their pinnacle of diversity in Borneo with at least 150 species and, perhaps more than any other group of plants, are considered keystone species of the rainforest because of the complex interdependences they exhibit with countless animals and insects. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • An infrared camera trap reveals a secretive nocturnal visitor to the giant pitchers of Nepenthes rajah. The Kinabalu Rat (Rattus baluensis) is known only from the upper slopes of Mount Kinabalu in northern Borneo. New research has confirmed that this rodent shares a similar mutualistic relationship with these pitcher plants as the Mountain Treeshrew (Tupaia montana), by obtaining sweet nectar in exchange for their nitrogen-rich droppings. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Rather than being carnivorous, this unusual pitcher plant (Nepenthes lowii) derives its nutrition from the droppings of the Mountain Treeshrew (Tupaia montana). The animals are attracted to the plant's copious nectar secretions, and inevitably leave their scat in the pitchers which are designed like a natural toilet receptacle. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Millipede Assassin Bug (Ectrichodiinae) with prey. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Usambiro Barbet (Trachyphonus darnaudii usambiro), carrying termites back to nest. Serengeti National Park, Tanzania.
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  • Little Green-Pigeon (Treron olax), male feeding on fruits of Glochidion rubrum. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Bird Dropping Crab Spider (Phrynarachne decipiens) preying on cockroach (Ectobiidae). Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Ant assassin bug (Inara flavopicta), nymph with ant carcasses glued to its back for concealment. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Threatened with encroaching cultivation and forest loss, a Southern Purple-Faced Langur (Trachypithecus vetulus vetulus) enters a tea plantation to feed on the fresh young leaves. These endangered monkeys are endemic to Sri Lanka’s southern wet forests, and although once widespread, are now facing severe habitat fragmentation due to roads and settlements. This can lead to human conflicts where the monkeys are inevitably forced to exploit agricultural areas for food. Sinharaja National Park. Sri Lanka.
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  • Tithonus Birdwing (Ornithoptera tithonus), female, feeding at Impatiens flowers. Arfak Mountains, West Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Maroon Langur (Presbytis rubicunda) feeding on leaves of Mikania micrantha, an invasive vine. Danum valley, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • A huntsman spider preying on a damselfly (Vestalis sp.). Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • A Pygmy Loris (Nycticebus pygmaeus) makes a meal of a giant stick insect (Tirachoidea sp.).  Although primarily insectivorous, these nocturnal primates will also feed on fruit, sap, flowers, lizards, and nestling birds.  Captive. Endangered Primate Rescue Centre, Cuc Phuong National Park, Ninh Binh, Vietnam.
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  • Pygmy Longbill (Oedistoma pygmaeum), a nectar-feeding bird showing convergent evolution with sunbirds and honeyeaters, but part of the New Guinean endemic family Melanocharitidae. West Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Like most snail-eating snakes, the Blunt-headed Tree Snake (Aplopeltura boa) is small and slender with an abnormally large head. They posses an asymmetric arrangement of teeth in their lower jaw which enables them to pry snails from their shells (most of which swirl in a clockwise direction) by a process referred to as "mandible walking". Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Sundew (Drosera burmannii) with trapped prey. Bokor National Park, Cambodia.
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  • Unable to fly with a load many times her own weight, a female Thread-waisted Sand Wasp (Ammophila beniniensis) hauls a large caterpillar which she has paralyzed with her sting. She is seeking a burrow she has prepared in advance and, even though it may be a considerable distance away, she shows a remarkable orientation ability even though there may be numerous obstacles in her path. Once placed inside, with the burrow sealed shut by small rocks and its entrance hidden from potential thieves, the ill-fated caterpillar will serve as live food for the single egg the wasp has deposited along with it. Fianarantsoa, Madagascar.
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  • Tug of war: a Giant Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda sp.) struggles to keep a hold on her precious egg sac as a hungry Banded Forest Gecko (Cyrtodactylus consobrinus) attempts to steal it away. With sometimes over 200 eggs within the papery sac, the female spider guards her eggs ferociously, carrying the bundle in her jaws for several weeks until they hatch. Fortunately for the gecko, this spider seems more concerned with maintaining her grip with her mandibles rather than risking a quick release to bite the offending gecko. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Although the blooms of this rare mangrove tree (Pelliciera rhizophorae) are visited by hummingbirds in the day, the flowers remain open at night and exude a strong musty odor to attract an entirely different animal. Captured by an infrared camera trigger, a Leaf-nosed Bat (Glossophaga soricina) approaches an open flower to partake of the rich source of nectar. Nectar-feeding bats are common in the tropics and are responsible for the pollination of a great number of tree species. Choco, Colombia.
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  • This large Huntsman spider (Gnathopalystes sp.) has captured a walking stick (Hermagoras hosei). Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • The Dusky Fruit Bat (Penthetor lucasi) roosts in large colonies in caves, though like most other fruit bats it is not capable of echolocation and relies on its keen eyesight for navigation.  It emerges at night to feed on a variety of fruits, often carrying food back to its roost to eat. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Yellow-headed Poison Frog (Dendrobates leucomelas). As with other dendrobatids these brightly colored amphibians are protected from predators by highly potent toxins within their skin, making them deadly to eat. Bolivar, Venezuela.
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  • Often mistaken for a trail of marauding ants, the lichen-feeding Processional Termites (Hospitalitermes spp.) are quite unlike most of their kin not only in the fact that they don't eat wood, but they also forage in the open, often during daylight. Their wide columns of workers can form an impressive sight as they flow like a stream over a hundred meters in the Bornean rainforest, returning with balls of lichen they have scraped from the bark of branches high in the canopy. How can they afford to venture out in the open whereas most other termites are furtive creatures of darkness and secrecy? The answer lies with their defense: they devote as much as 30% of their ranks to soldiers, which are equipped with chemical-squirting nozzles on their heads to repel ants, their prime enemy. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Mossy masquerade: a young Moss Mimic Katydid (Championica montana) doing what it does best. If you specialize in eating moss it’s a big plus if you look like it as well. In the damp cloud forests of Costa Rica, every surface is covered with dripping wet bryophytes, such as the leaf this katydid is perched on. Although abundant, it’s not the most energy rich food in the world, so these insects conserve their energy by moving slowly while they graze. Faced with a potential threat, they simply lay flat against the mossy substrate and disappear. Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • What could seem more unappetizing to a bird than the prospect of eating its own droppings? The incredible masquerade of bird-dropping crab spiders (Phrynarachne spp.) enables them thus to hide in plain sight, usually perched exposed on the upper surface of a leaf. Not only does the spider itself look (and smell) like dung, but it also skillfully uses its own silk to simulate white stains of the splatter of a bird dropping – at times even crafting ‘drip lines’ down the furrows of a leaf. This disguise not only helps them avoid predators but it also attracts hungry flies which are hoping for a meal. Most spiders usually discard the remains of their prey after consuming them, but Phrynarachne sometimes incorporate the carcasses, as shown here, into convincing extensions of their facade. Kubah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Mantispid (family Mantispidae), also known as a ‘mantidfly’. Looking something like a praying mantis crossed with a lacewing, this tiny predator uses the same raptorial front legs to grab its prey and hold them fast while eating them alive. Contrary to their appearance, they are not closely related to mantids, implying that this effective hunting strategy has evolved on more than one occasion in the insect kingdom. Pulong Tau National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Mantispid (family Mantispidae), also known as a ‘mantidfly’. Looking something like a praying mantis crossed with a lacewing, this tiny predator uses the same raptorial front legs to grab its prey and hold them fast while eating them alive. Contrary to their appearance, they are not closely related to mantids, implying that this effective hunting strategy has evolved on more than one occasion in the insect kingdom. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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