Guest Blog by Jeny Fernanda Ramos Rascón
This blog was made possible thanks to a camera donation during SIA’s 2023 Sonora gear drive. Denia Valencia, Jeny Fernanda Ramos Rascón, and Estefani Moyers Medina are biology students at the Universidad de la Sierra in Moctezuma, Sonora, as well as participants in our FotoFauna program.
Every corner in nature offers a unique and wonderful spectacle. But capturing the essence of this wild beauty can be challenging, especially when dealing with elusive species or remote environments. That’s where a professional camera becomes invaluable, unlocking a world that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Thanks to a generous gift to the lending library at SIA’s Sonora office in Moctezuma, I recently had the opportunity to experience this in action during a UniSierra biology class road trip. Together, we embarked on a journey full of discovery with stops at Puerto Peñasco’s beach and CEDO (Center for the Study of Deserts and Oceans), as well as El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve.
One of the first wonders we came across were bees — those tireless pollinators that, with their frenetic activity, maintain the balance of numerous ecosystems. Their small size and speed make them difficult to photograph. But thanks to the power and focusing ability of the camera, I was able to capture details of their work.
Several coastal birds also became protagonists in our trip, with their elegant flight patterns and striking colors. We saw majestic ospreys and graceful herons, oystercasters and seagulls. The camera’s zoom allowed us to observe even the smallest details of their plumages and behaviors, giving us a new appreciation for the diversity of our planet.
In the Gran Desierto de Altar, among the burning dunes and prickly cacti, we saw reptiles such as rattlesnakes and horned lizards. I was able to capture stunning images of these creatures in their natural habitat, revealing their intricate adaptation to life in extreme conditions.
We also saw many unique plants, from delicate flowers like this desert lily to towering saguaro cacti, and were able to capture their exquisite complexity.
Ultimately, this camera not only brought us closer to nature, but immersed us in it in a way we had never experienced before. In a world where conservation and appreciation for nature are more important than ever, this technology gives us a powerful tool to inspire in others an awareness of and admiration for the natural world that sustains us.