Why wildlife photography?

Watching and learning the behavior of wildlife is something that never gets old. At heart I am a naturalist, having absorbed the same passion from my father. I am happy observing anything from insects, fish, herps, birds or mammals, although I have to say that mammals are my favorite, I have more connection to them – I am one! Being a naturalist and having spent my whole life watching nature I feel it helps me vastly with my wildlife photography by being able to better predict behaviors. However, even species that I have witnessed repeatedly are often prone to surprise – that keeps it exciting. We all must do more than simply try to shoot the perfect portrait. Today there is an urgency to tell the backstory; the habitat loss, range fragmentation, diseases, threats, etc. My wildlife photography has been used to accompany many stories in a host of magazines including National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Ranger Rick and more.

Impala rush to get out of the water as it splashes everywhere. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A lion shakes his mane while standing in tall grass. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A splendid tree frog makes its way up some hanging vegetation. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A brown pelican is silhouetted against the background in the Galapagos Islands. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Sportive lemurs look out from the safety of their hollowed out tree. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Butterflies surround the face of a yellow-spotted river turtle as it sunbathes. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Butterflies surround the face of a yellow-spotted river turtle as it sunbathes. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Dusky-headed Parakeets clings to the edge of a claylick in mass. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A squirrel monkey stands on and takes a look through the lens of a camera. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A pair of Rhesus macaque engage in a cleaning ritual. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
An Andean marsupial tree froglet shows its former stage of metamorphosis with the presence of a tail. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A Galapagos giant tortoise hatches from its egg. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A Galapagos giant tortoise opens its mouth for the camera as it lays in muddy water. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Three cup fungi grow from a tree branch. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Geckos are silhouetted on broken glass windows. Photo by wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
An African elephant gets up close to the camera as it reaches out with its trunk. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Pictured is part of the courtship ritual of Waved Albatross. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A lion sits with his head resting on his crossed paws while looking into the camera. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A lioness clings to the back of a buffalo as it tries to bring its prey down. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A great frigate bird soars above as its red neck pouch hangs below. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Burchell's zebras are shown drinking water. Photo by wildlife photographer and conservation photographer Pete Oxford.
A leopard is shown resting on a tree. Photo by wildlife photographer and conservation photographer Pete Oxford.
A cottonmouth pit viper extends its tongue while resting coiled up partially in water. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
An eastern indigo snake rests by the waters edge with its tail dipping in just a little bit. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A barbary ape family is shown with a baby. Photo by wildlife photographer and conservation photographer Pete Oxford.
A San Lucas marsupial frog perches on a branch. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
An endangered Iberian lynx demonstrates its ability to camouflage and hide as it looks out from behind some tall flowers. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A female glass frog reveals the eggs she has in her are visible through her transparent skin. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A white rhinoceros drinks from the same pond as a black-backed jackal. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A wild black panther makes eye contact from its hiding spot behind a tree. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
An eastern diamondback rattlesnake sticks its tongue out to sense who is around. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A lion looks into the light from his spot in the tall grass. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A group of black-browed albatross sit facing the failing sun. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
The breath of a silhouetted llama guanaco is evident in the cool mountain air. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A ring-tailed lemur looks inquisitively at the camera with Andringitr Massif in the background. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A wild jaguar is visible through leaves in the foreground. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Two African elephants join trunks.Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
The chrysalis of a darius butterfly and its amazing snake-like camouflage. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Congo African parrots are shown taking flight together. Photo by wildlife photographer and conservation photographer Pete Oxford.
A large number of Galapagos giant tortoises converge in a crater. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
An Ecuadorian pitviper is shown resting on a branch. Photo by wildlife photographer and conservation photographer Pete Oxford.
A dead-leaf katydid uses its camouflage to blend in with a collection of dead leaves. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
An African elephant wades through a waterway and is framed by the tunnel made of tall grasses and leafy trees. Photo by wildlife photographer and conservation photographer Pete Oxford.
An endangered Przewalski's horse roams the Mongolian countryside in late day light. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A female puma surveys the grounds around her with her two cubs. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A colony of black-browed albatross sit together amongst a plain of rocks. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A marine iguana swims in the seaweed filled water off the island of Fernandina in the Galapagos Islands. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
The endangered Iberian lynx rests atop some boulders while taking in its surroundings. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A king penguin extends its neck into the air while being silhouetted by the setting sun behind it. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Bothriopsis shlegelli extends from its resting place on a tree branch. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A cheetah family is shown resting together. Photo by wildlife photographer and conservation photographer Pete Oxford.
A green iguana emerges from its nesting site. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A group of king penguins walk together on the beach. Photo by wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A grey mullet fish slowly swims just below the surface of the water. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
Two king penguins stand together. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
An American crocodile waits patiently just below the surface of calm water. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A glass frog rests with all its organs visible through its transparent skin. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A magnificent frigate bird flies over a beach. Photo by wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A caiman rests on the water's shore with a large catfish extending from its mouth. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A lioness and her cubs are show all together. Photo by wildlife photographer and conservation photographer Pete Oxford.
A Bolivar's Katydid clings to a leaf and demonstrates its amazing ability to camouflage. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
An endangered Iberian lynx uses its powerful legs to leap over a fence meant to keep other predators out. Photograph by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A close up picture of an emerald tree boa resting. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A timber rattlesnake camouflages in dry leaves on the forest floor. Photo by wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.
A male jaguar moves into the sunlight on the riverbank from its spot in the shade. Photo by conservation and wildlife photographer Pete Oxford.