International Salon of Photography

Sharron Leppien- Windella
Indri Indri

The female Indri Indri Lemur lives on the East Coast of Madagascar. Lemurs are unique to the island and evolved separately from other primates like monkeys and apes. the name lemur is derived from the ghosts exorcised during the Lemuria Festival in ancient Rome. This cheeky lemur is much cuter than it is scary but is known for its eerie wail which has been described as similar to a whale's song. 

Mike Fidler - Martinsville
Puffin

This photo was taken on an uninhabited Scottish island near Mull. This delightful bird spends most of its life at sea only coming back to nest in the rocky outcrops of the Hebrides once a year.

Like many seabirds, their numbers are dramatically falling due to threatened food sources caused by over fishing.

Mike  Fidler - Martinsville
Vervet Monkey Family

This family of monkeys was taken in the jungle of Botswana in Africa. The Vervet Monkey forms strong kin relationships and siblings will tussle over grooming sessions from their mother. The photographer took this image while on safari and the tour guide could not believe they had not noticed the monkeys themselves.

David Whyte - Lake Macquarie
Pretty in pink

A spectacular flock of flamingos at the Iguassu Falls bird park in Chile. 

The enclosures allow visitors to get close to to these exotic birds and take magnificent photographs in their own habitat.

Sharron Leppien - Windella
Panther Chameleon

The illusive Panther Chameleon is native to the ecologically singular Madagascar. The chameleon is famous for its ability to change colour.

The key to this wonder are two specialised cells under the skin, loaded with microscopic nano-crystals.

Very slow in movements, they use  specialised 'salad tong' like digits to hold tight to branches. They use a sticky tongue to capture insects like ants.

Ian English - Kilaben Bay
Cicada emerging

Taken in the Kilaben Bay bushland near Lake Macquarie, this photograph shows a cicada emerging from its nymph state. Cicadas spend years living underground before emerging in warmer months in order to mate.

At this time the males make a near deafening sound in order to attract the females.

The insect eats a variety of tree saps from the xylem of various species

Mike Fidler - Martinsville
Steller's eagle

Soaring above the Siberian coast this eagle's plumage resembles the white caps of the glaciers it calls home. Much like the puffin, this sturdy bird now struggles to find food as a result of overfishing by humans, as well as lead poisoning.

The bird can grow up to one metre in height, and has a wing span close to two metres

Sharron Leppien - Windella
Bearded dragon

The photographer had to lay on sharp pebbles and burrs to take this elegant photo of a bearded dragon. This reptile hibernates in the cooler months and emerges to feast and find a mate in the spring.

Although this specimen was photographed on Noona Station near Cobar , New South Wales, bearded dragons can be found in most areas of Australia (including Maitland)

Sue Joy - Glendonbrook
Pearson's tree frog

This frog was taken at the photographer's property in Glendonbrook, New South Wales.

Sensitive to environmental changes the frog population around the world has been declining for many years. Frogs play an important role in the food chain and their disappearance affects the entire ecosystem.