Your best shot

This issue's featured photo

Pika sitting on rocks with his mouth open.

Ann Zimmerman

I live near the 14,000-foot Mount Evans in Colorado and travel up the mountain several times a summer to enjoy the scenery and watch wildlife. I occasionally see American pikas, but it’s difficult to get a good view of these small and quick animals. Pikas are relatives of rabbits and hares who live at high elevations. They are threatened by our warming climate and many have already disappeared from their former habitats, like Zion National Park in Utah.

I recently discovered a rocky area that appeared to be a pika village. I was very excited—I had been trying to photograph pikas for a while but none of the photos turned out well. I sat on a rock and waited for the noisy guys to come out of hiding. I was rewarded with sightings of pikas scurrying around and collecting their winter stash of grasses and flowers. One perched on a rock and squeaked to warn his neighbors about a nearby weasel. Until I reviewed the photos at home, I had not realized that I’d captured a pika mid-chirp. That was even more exciting!

—Ann Zimmerman, Idaho Springs, Colorado

Submit your best shot

Do you have an inspiring photo of a wild animal, beloved pet or rescued farm animal? We want to see it! Send it to us for possible publication in All Animals magazine, along with an explanation about why it's meaningful to you.

Get Started

Rachael Rodgers

Previously featured photos

Photo of a dog wearing a watermelon bandana sitting on a street in front of colorful houses.

I met Foxy during a trip to Puerto Rico when I was looking for dogs to photograph for my pet photography business. Foxy’s owner, Genesis Jaramillo, reached out to me and I immediately gravitated to the young husky mix’s beautiful aura and her story. She was found after Hurricane Maria hit the city of Toa Alta in 2017 when she was only 2 months old; soon after, she was adopted by her foster family. Photographing Foxy inspired me to create a calendar showcasing the lives of rescued satos (street dogs) in Puerto Rico. Proceeds from the calendar benefit animal shelters on the island. These dogs are a great example of what a street dog can become if given the chance for a better life.

—Carmen Gonzalez, New York / Featured in the Fall 2022 issue

Mother and baby chimps in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania

In 2018, I was lucky enough to go on the trip of a lifetime to Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, where Jane Goodall observed chimpanzees. Our guide got word that Gremlin, one of the oldest living chimpanzees Goodall observed, had been spotted. At 48 years old, she was still a loving mother and a strong matriarchal figure. We trudged through the jungle to where she sat eating with her latest baby, Grendel. I was struck by how patient and gentle she was with Grendel. I could also tell how much the guides loved and cared about her. It was difficult to take photographs because we watched the chimpanzees from a safe distance, but I was able to capture this beautiful moment. It’s a bookmark in life I will never forget.

—Valerie Howell, Florida / Featured in the Summer 2022 issue

During a trip to Iceland in June of 2016, I visited the remote Látrabjarg sea cliffs—home to millions of birds, including northern gannets, white-tailed eagles and razorbills. But what I most wanted to see were Atlantic puffins, remarkable animals who can dive to depths of 200 feet and steer themselves underwater with their webbed feet. After about an hour of wandering around the cliffs, I began to feel discouraged. Then I saw this beautiful puffin perched on a 1,400-foot cliff overlooking the pounding ocean. As I began photographing him, I was close to tears with feelings of joy and appreciation. I was grateful to be able to see a wild puffin firsthand. Atlantic puffins are vulnerable to extinction and are rare in many areas where they were once abundant.

—Sue Kirchoff, Minnesota / Featured in the Spring 2022 issue

Closeup of an outdoor cat being petted by a man.

We have always called my dad the cat whisperer because every cat he meets loves him. Our trip to Athens, Greece, in 2019 was no different. There were so many cats wandering the streets; on this day, we saw a cat sitting on a bench waiting for people to pet her. My dad went up to pet her and she was so happy and affectionate! She had a soft coat, was a healthy weight and even had an ear-tip signifying that she had been spayed. She hung around for a few minutes, clearly enjoying the pets from my dad, before moving on.

—Sage Swanson, Washington / Featured in the Winter 2022 issue

Your best shot

This issue's featured photo

Previously featured photos

Want more content like this?