Community’s Choice: The Three Best FotoFauna Photos of Summer 2021

With autumn’s cooler temperatures rolling into the Sky Island region, let’s pause and look back at the warmer months of 2021: the monsoon storms, the greening trees and shrubs, the flowers and butterflies, and the wildlife who were, after years of drought, able to enjoy an abundance of water and renewed habitat.

Last month, we asked you — the Sky Island FotoFauna community — to share your favorite summer photos with us. And you delivered! Out of 45 submissions, we selected 15 finalist photos of mountain lion, coyote, turkey vulture, javelina, Gila monster, and other species that depicted the range of wildlife biodiversity in this region.

Then, you made a choice. Over 350 people from the U.S. and Mexico cast a vote and helped us select three winners from the final fifteen. What an incredible turnout! And now, you can find the winners of our summer 2021 contest below.

Thank you to all who participated, and we’ll see you in a few months for a “Best of 2021” photo celebration!

[Want to join the FotoFauna community? Click here.]

1st Place & “Best of Summer 2021” — Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) by Aide Villaescusa:

 

2nd Place — Arizona gray squirrel (Sciurus arizonensis) by Gabriela Smith:

 

3rd Place — Coyote (Canis latrans) by Patrick Cicero:

 

Can’t get enough of these FotoFauna photos? We totally understand!

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