Creature Close-Ups

Flach’s persistence paid off. He managed to capture the elusive antelope on camera. But the photos turned out blurry, probably because of the extreme heat. Flach didn’t give up. He returned to the grassland the following winter. This time, luck was on his side. After three days lying on the ground in freezing temperatures, he got the shot he’d hoped for: a close-up of a male saiga gazing directly at the camera. It captures the animal’s unique features in detail, including its big, gentle eyes and the ridged horns that make male saigas a target for hunters.

Flach’s hard work paid off. He caught the antelope on camera. But the photos turned out blurry, probably because of the heat. Flach was disappointed, but he didn’t give up. He returned to the grassland the next winter. This time, he was lucky. For three days, he lay on the ground in freezing temperatures. Finally, he got the shot he wanted. It was a close-up of a male saiga looking directly at the camera. It shows the animal’s unusual features in detail, including its big, gentle eyes and ridged horns. Those horns make male saigas a target for hunters. 

Flach photographs many of his subjects in the wild. But the animals, not the setting, are his main focus. His intimate portraits often resemble studio headshots of people. Flach chose this style because scientists have found that people have a stronger reaction to animals when their characteristics seem more humanlike.

Flach photographs many of his subjects in the wild. But his main focus is the animals, not the setting. His close-ups often look like portraits of people. Flach chose this style because of something scientists have learned: People have a stronger reaction to animals when their traits seem more human.

“Traditional wildlife images capture animals in their environment,” says Flach. “They show a distant, nonhuman world. I focused on capturing the animals’ personality. I wanted to connect them to our world.” Flach hopes that will lead people to care more about the creatures he photographs. The more that people relate to animals, the more they may want to protect them.

Flach recently traveled the world to snap images of polar bears, snow leopards, western lowland gorillas, and other threatened species for his book Endangered. He even visited a 700-acre protected enclosure in Kenya to photograph the world’s last male northern white rhino, which died in March 2018. To create a heroic look, Flach lay on the ground and took a photo aimed upward. The rhino was one of his easier subjects, because it was used to people. “He’d been photographed many times,” says Flach. “You become a bit of a celebrity when you’re the very last of a species.”

“Traditional wildlife images capture animals in their environment,” says Flach. “They show a distant, nonhuman world. I focused on capturing the animals’ personality. I wanted to connect them to our world.” Flach hopes that will make people care more about the animals he photographs. If people connect more to the animals, they may want to protect them.

Recently, Flach traveled the world to snap images for his book Endangered. He photographed polar bears, snow leopards, western lowland gorillas, and other threatened species. He even visited a 700-acre protected area in Kenya. In this enclosed space, he photographed the world’s last male northern white rhino. Flach wanted to make the rhino look like a hero. So Flach lay on the ground and took a photo aimed upward. The rhino was one of his easier subjects because it was used to people. “He’d been photographed many times,” says Flach. “You become a bit of a celebrity when you’re the very last of a species.” The rhino died in March 2018.

Flach’s project comes at a crucial time for many animals. In a recent survey, the International Union for Conservation of Nature found that more than a quarter of species studied are threatened with extinction (see Under Threat). Conservationists are working to protect these plants and animals, but it’s a complicated problem.

One reason so many species are at risk is the loss of their habitat, says John Kanter, a senior wildlife biologist at the National Wildlife Federation in Washington, D.C. Orangutans on Borneo, for example, are rapidly losing their forest homes when people cut down trees to plant crops. In the U.S., millions of acres of prairie have been turned into farmland. Many populations of birds that nest in grasslands, such as the eastern meadowlark, are declining and face an uncertain future.

Flach’s project comes at an important time for many animals. Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature did a survey. It found that more than a quarter of species studied are threatened with extinction (see Under Threat). Conservationists are working to protect these plants and animals. But it’s a tough problem.

Why are so many species at risk? One reason is the loss of their habitat, says John Kanter. He’s a senior wildlife biologist at the National Wildlife Federation in Washington, D.C. For example, orangutans on Borneo are losing their forest homes quickly. That’s because people are cutting down trees to plant crops. In the U.S., millions of acres of grasslands have been turned into farmland. The eastern meadowlark and many other birds nest in grasslands. Their numbers are dropping, and their future is uncertain.

Another major threat is climate change. It’s causing the average global temperature of Earth’s atmosphere to rise. A warmer environment makes it difficult for some animals to survive. Polar bears, for instance, are losing habitat as ice melts in the Arctic. They’re having trouble finding food, and their numbers are decreasing. While the polar bear is one of the best-known examples, many other creatures are feeling the effects of climate change. “More and more we’re hearing about species that can’t adapt to these rapid changes,” says Kanter.

Scientists are also concerned about diseases, which can quickly wipe out large numbers of animals. White-nose syndrome is a disease that has killed millions of bats in North America. It’s caused by a fungus that naturally occurs in caves in Europe and may have been brought to North America by cave explorers. Another fungal disease, chytrid, has wiped out huge populations of frogs and other amphibians Scientists are working to prevent the fungus from spreading further.

Another big threat is climate change. It’s causing Earth’s average global temperature to rise. A warmer environment makes it difficult for some animals to survive. For example, polar bears are losing habitat as ice melts in the Arctic. They’re having trouble finding food, and their numbers are dropping. The polar bear is one of the most familiar examples. But many other animals are affected by climate change. “More and more we’re hearing about species that can’t adapt to these rapid changes,” says Kanter.

Scientists also worry about the spread of new diseases. These can wipe out large numbers of animals quickly. White-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats in North America. This disease is caused by a fungus that’s normally found in caves in Europe. Cave explorers may have carried the fungus to North America. Chytrid is another disease caused by a fungus. It has wiped out huge groups of frogs and other amphibians. Scientists worldwide are working to stop the fungus from spreading more.