Dwarf caiman with butterfly: The subtle juxtaposition of animal fabric makes this otherwise well-balanced portrait exceptional. These small crocodilians frequent the streams and other waterways of Peru and can sometimes be seen basking in the open. When the photographer spotted this Schneider's dwarf caiman sunning near the shore of the Tavara River, he immediately set about making the most of the opportunity. But it was on the arrival of a butterfly, intent an sipping the salty fluid from the eye of the reptile, that the photograph was made. Sadly, the apparent unspoilt serenity of this image may be shattered in man's search for oil. Though the area is recognised by conservationists as being immensely. important, it apparently isn't by the Peruvian government, which has excluded it from the new national parks scheme due to its probable mineral deposits. Photographer: André‚ Bartschi (Liechtenstein). Specially Commended at the BBC Photo Contest 1998
|
16 of 17 
