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Federica Cerruti

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  • Federica Cerruti

    nature photography

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    Who am I

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    I am an Italian photographer based in Paris, with a deep passion for nature in all its forms and the science of ethology. My work is driven by a pursuit of authenticity, which I find most profoundly in the natural world. Nature exists beyond the boundaries of good and evil; even in its rawest and most ruthless moments, there is an undeniable magic.

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    “The other king of the Arctic” The Svalbard r “The other king of the Arctic”

The Svalbard reindeer is a unique, small subspecies of reindeer, endemic in Svalbard and fully wild, and compared to other reindeers, they are short-legged and with a thicker fur in winter, contributing to their chubby (and lovely) appearance. The Svalbard reindeer is a shy presence in the Arctic landscape, typically undecided between running away from humans or coming closer. Encountering these creatures in very remote areas of Svalbard, shedding its thick winter coat for a lighter summer one, was a moment of intimate beauty. In that moment, I saw not just a reindeer, but another true king of the Arctic.

#wildlifephotography #arcticwildlife #reindeer @natgeoyourshot @poliarctici
    “I’ll scratch your back, if you scratch mine”

Mutualism is a relationship where two species benefit each other, and observing this in nature is fascinating— it can be both highly beneficial and surprisingly complex. A well-known example in the wild is the relationship between oxpeckers and large animals like giraffes, rhinos, and buffalo. Oxpeckers eat parasites like fleas and ticks from these animals, gaining a meal while their hosts get cleaner. However, as blood-feeding birds, when parasites are scarce, oxpeckers may feed on their host’s wounds instead. It’s a win-win situation…at least while there are parasites around.

#mutualism #wildlifephotography #buffalo #wildlifeconservation @natgeoyourshot
    “Herbivore vs. Tree” Seeing the height of a g “Herbivore vs. Tree”

Seeing the height of a giraffe up close is impressive, as is realising the size and sharpness of the thorns of acacia trees (up to 10 cm long). 

Having experienced the hard way the defensive mechanism of these plants, I’m even more fascinated to observe how the giraffes have evolved to deal with its sharp thorns: it comes in the form of a large 45 cm tongue, able to grasp the branches and pull the leaves off around the thorns, hardened palettes and thickened lips. 

But…the acacia trees learned how to outsmart the giraffes, developing another defence system: the trees release tannins, which taste terrible to giraffe, so they stop eating them. And this system is so effective that trees in the vicinity react to the trees tannin release and they too start to release their own tannin which forces the giraffe to move somewhere else to look for food.

#funfactsoftheday #giraffe #acaciatree #etoshanationalpark #wildlifephotography #wildlifeconservation @natgeoyourshot
    “After the storm” During my time at @leo_afri “After the storm”

During my time at @leo_africa , I helped monitor a number of cheetahs, including this female, reintroduced to a reserve that until 20 years ago was largely exploited as pasture for livestock. By following and observing them, I got the sense that it was the cheetahs themselves that allowed me to peek into their most intimate moments, like this one, where she sought shelter in the dense vegetation during a thunderstorm. 
When spending time with wildlife day after day, you develop a deep sense of connection, respect and devotion. But with cheetahs, it’s more than that—there’s an ever-present mix of concern and hope, so tangible is the precariousness of their survival.

#wildlifephotography #wildlifeconservation #preservebiodiversity @natgeoyourshot @leo_africa
    “Going solo” In Etosha National Park, I cross “Going solo”

In Etosha National Park, I crossed paths with this bull elephant roaming the endless arid grasslands of Namibia. Bull elephants become solitary beings in adulthood, leaving their families at 12-15 years old. There’s something almost spiritual in being in their presence: behind those small eyes and towering grey form lies an ancient, powerful and delicate force that commands the same silence and reverence we offer to nature’s greatest wonders, like mountains peaks and the ocean. 

#wildlifephotography #wildlifeconservation #elephants #etoshanationalpark #niffeature #namibia #ethology #wildernessculture @natgeoyourshot @bbcwildlifemagazine
    What emotions does this dive evoke in you? #epicn What emotions does this dive evoke in you?

#epicnaturecaptures #oceanlife #wildlifephotography #whaletales #diveintothemoment
    “Into the abyss” As I watched this sperm whal “Into the abyss”

As I watched this sperm whale lift its massive tail, ready to dive, I couldn’t hold back the tears — overwhelmed by the emotion of witnessing such a fleeting and powerful moment. I knew that once the tail slipped beneath the surface, the whale would be gone for over 1h, descending into the abyss (up to 3000m depth) where it would hunt for its favorite prey, giant squids. The thought that, somewhere beneath our boat, a giant squid might be lurking was surreal. When the tail disappeared, a journey began into a hidden world we can only imagine.

#wildlifephotography #spermwhale #sealife #niffeature #arcticcircle @natgeoyourshot @bbcearth
    It has been suggested to me that I should give a f It has been suggested to me that I should give a face to the person behind the camera, although I prefer to let my photographs speak for me. However, I think a bit of context can enrich our connection.

I’m Federica, 32yo, and I’ve always been deeply in love with nature and animals, starting with my dogs and my hamster, whom I consider my masters of kindness and purity. Nature, for me, is a place where I feel part of something bigger and wonderful. Observing it for me is an almost spiritual act that at the same time awakens a maniacal scientific curiosity for whatever creatures are around me, from insects to mice to elephants and whales (much to the dismay of my boyfriend).

For me, photographing nature and animals is like opening a window to a magical world, where there are still so many unanswered questions, starting with the mystery of animals’ emotions, rationality and consciousness. Observing nature pushes me to ask new questions and the search for answers forces me to change my perspective: this quest for knowledge gives me a deep sense of pleasure and enjoyment.

I hope that through my photos you can feel the same wonder and curiosity that drive me to explore and narrate the natural world. Thank you for being here and accompanying me on this journey. 🌿✨
    “Sweet pest” This little vervet monkey (about “Sweet pest”

This little vervet monkey (about 2 months old and just over a span tall) caught my attention, so much so that he managed to distract me from lunch, with a very familiar playfulness, curiosity and sociability. Human babies are like that. These primates have social dynamics and behaviour so incredibly similar to humans that observing them both shocks and amazes. It is these moments of wild interaction that remind me how close we are to our animal counterparts. 

But there is one ‘colourful’ characteristic that clearly distinguishes them from us humans: adult male vervet monkeys sport ‘family jewels’ of brilliant turquoise blue! 🐒💙

The more intense the blue, the more aggressive and bullying the male vervet monkey is prone to be with young males.

#wildlifephotography #wildlifeconservation #vervetmonkey #primates #ethology #niffeature @natgeoyourshot @bbcearth
    What do lions mean to us? Lions are important cu What do lions mean to us? 

Lions are important cultural symbols in many countries, signifying leadership and strength. 
In the wild they play a crucial role, keeping herbivores population under control and preventing overgrazing. 

But lions population is severely under threat: they are targeted by poachers for bones and body parts to use in traditional medicine and their food sources are under threat due to over hunting and snaring. 

Thanks to the efforts and hard conservation work of volunteer projects like @leo_africa a difference can be made and lions can be protected for future generations. 
Protecting lions means protecting a whole ecosystem. 

#worldlionday #wildlifeconservation #natureconservation #natgeowild #natgeoyourshot
    “Like a brushstroke” There are creatures who “Like a brushstroke” 

There are creatures whose incredible beauty can sometimes only be fully appreciated under magnification. 

This flamboyant bird is a Little Bee-Eater, master of aerial hunting with his long sharp beak. Just as the name suggests, small bee-eaters predominantly eat bees, wasps and hornets, which they catch in the air while perched on low branches. 

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the bee-eater’s way of feeding is that, before eating, bee-eaters repeatedly slam the insect down on the branch to get rid of its sting and toxins. With their specific diet, bee-eaters help control insect populations in their territory. 

#wildlifephotography #naturephotography #niffeature #birdphotography #ethology #birds_captures #birdsofinstagram @natgeoyourshot
    Beautiful, brutal and fragile as only Arctic glaci Beautiful, brutal and fragile as only Arctic glaciers can be. 
In the glaciers of Svalbard there is the story of the changing climate. The Arctic is warming much faster than the rest of the planet. While the average global warming is about 1-1.5°C every decade, in Svalbard the warming is about 3-4°C. Together with the loss of large ice masses, the climate information contained within them is also being erased, compromising research into the effects of climate change over time.

#svalbard #glacier #polarsummer
    “The invisible” Leopards are the “invisible “The invisible”

Leopards are the “invisible” creatures of the savannah, although they are the most common big cats in sub-Saharan Africa: they are solitary and elusive animal in the bush, and ultra-silent and ferocious nocturnal predators, so they are extremely difficult to trace and locate in the wild. As the locals explain, if you are in an area inhabited by leopards, “you won’t see them, but be sure that they know where you are and they are watching you”. 
Their grace equals their ferocity. 

#wildlifephotography #leopard #raw_africa_ #bigcats #niffeature @natgeoyourshot
    “Safe place” Elephants are well-known for the “Safe place”

Elephants are well-known for their intelligence, close family ties and social complexity.

When baby elephants are born, they remain close to their mothers for several months. Because herds are matriarchal, calves have ‘aunts’, who help raise the calves, protecting both the baby and the new mother. Aunts, sisters and cousins all play a role in raising a baby elephant: they pass on life experiences, teaching them everything from how to use the trunk to how to avoid predators. 

The proximity of elephant behaviour to human behaviour is so mind-blowing that it begs the question: is there any humanity in animals or does such a clear separation between ‘us’ and ‘them’ not exist?

#wildlifephotography #wildlifeconservation #etosha #niffeature #raw_africa_ #elephantbaby #elephants @natgeoyourshot
    I see you 👁️ #wildlifephotography #naturepho I see you 👁️

#wildlifephotography #naturephotography #natureafrica #tamronitalia #natureshots
    “Against the mainstream” Nature often offers “Against the mainstream” 

Nature often offers us scenes that are powerful metaphors for our human reality. Like the moment when this giraffe was heading alone towards a waterhole, walking through what appears to be an opposing current of springboks. A purely random occurrence in nature that I could not help but “read” with human eyes and see the greatness of those who can go against the mainstream. 

#wildlifephotography #NiFFeature #naturephotography #natureafrica #tamronitalia #tamronglobal #raw_africa_ #natureshots #natureisart @natgeoyourshot @bbcwildlifemagazine @bbcearth
    Observing wildlife in their natural habitat is to Observing wildlife in their natural habitat is to discover ancient wisdom. It is to realize that we belong to something greater than ourselves. Being part of wildlife conservation is to learn and pass on that ancient wisdom. 

#wildlifeconservation #wildanimals #africa #volunteer #southafrica #protectwildlife
    Order among chaos Scavengers often get a bad rep Order among chaos 

Scavengers often get a bad reputation – portrayed as thieving, greedy creatures who feast on the misfortunes of other animals. 

But in nature there are no good or bad animals, as animals simply fulfil their biological destiny. ☯️

The role of the hyenas and vultures is to keep the environment clean 🧹 and healthy: by eating carcasses, these scavengers  prevent the build-up of rotting bodies in the savannah and the spread of bacteria and other pathogens that would infect the whole ecosystem.

💥Incredibly, these animals can eat carcasses without getting sick because their stomach acids are capable of digesting bones and bacteria and they have very strong immune systems. 

Did you know that hyenas and vultures are keystone species crucial to their environment?

#wildlifephotography #NiFFeature #naturephotography #natureafrica #tamronitalia #tamronglobal #raw_africa_ #natureshots #krugernationalpark #spottedhyena #vulture 
@natgeoyourshot @bbcwildlifemagazine
    The encounter with elephants is more than a soulfu The encounter with elephants is more than a soulful experience, it is a complete submission to the wilderness

#elephant #wildlifeencounters #wildlifephotography #wildlifeconservation #natureconservation
    “Maiestas” What does it mean to do nature and “Maiestas”

What does it mean to do nature and wildlife conservation? 

I realized that you cannot fully understand it until you go into the field. Volunteering at @leo_africa , I realized that it is hard work beyond imagination, often frustrating, a constant struggle against poaching, lack of education about the concept of ecosystems and sustainable coexistence with other species. 

Anyone on the front lines of nature and wildlife conservation is not doing a job, but a mission, which they know will produce no personal glory, but they have the privilege, at the end of the day, of knowing that their efforts will benefit future generations. In my time-limited contribution to @leo_africa mission, I have felt useful, like few times in my life.

And I learned that in love for the environment around us, in kindness to its creatures, we can find hope, in nature we can find freedom.

#natureconservation #wildlifeconservation #wildlifephotography #lion #raw_africa_ #southafrica #wildportraitpic #tamronitalia #tamronglobal 
@natgeoyourshot @bbcearth
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