Our first Fortnight Focus challenge of the year – Fine Dining – saw the community send in a ton of entries. From sunbirds sipping nectar to baboons tearing into gazelles, there were some gorgeous entries!
Scroll down to see our top picks.
The winner takes home a Shutterbug Pro camera bag from Wildcraft and exclusive goodies from NiF.
A big shout-out to everyone who contributed, and a definitive invitation to those who haven't yet to join in for the next.
Prakash Ramakrishnan – Winner
A Violent Death
In nature, where survival is dictated by one's ability to hunt, violence is merely routine. The tigress stalked its kill for almost half an hour before successfully hunting it down. The image shows the cat drag her kill to safety as she keeps a cautious eye out for other predators, whilst the dead boar's eyes almost wear an expression of bliss, one that comes only with death.
Sanjeev Giridhar
Simba & Nala
Two awfully adorable lion cubs take charge of the kill as one sits on top of the dead boar and the other just in front. However, don't be fooled by their cuteness, they mean business!
Mohit Verma
Happy Meal
A Golden Jackal grabs an easy meal from a village nearby where its residents maintain livestock, at the Gir National Park in Gujarat.
Mainak Ray
A Mother's Love
An everyday scene from Nagarahole National Park, a suckling chital fawn and its mother.
Vijay Ram Harinathan
Berry Yoga
A Malabar Giant Squirrel is seen hanging upside down from a branch as it finishes up on some berries.
Swayamsiddha Mohapatra
Stretches & Twigs
A juvenile Black-and-White Colobus monkey is seen feeding on twigs in the remote forests of Isunga in Uganda.
Neelu Pilania
Mr Sushi Lovin'
A Smooth-coated Otter finishes up on a fishy morning meal.
Ganesh Jayaraman
Honey, Let Me Feed You!
Red-necked Falcons have an interesting courtship ritual where the female suspends hunting completely, only for the male to provide her with food. The female then de-feathers the kill and has her fill before feeding the leftovers to the male.
Susmita Datta
Today's Crab Day
A Brown-winged Kingfisher rests on a low branch, post a crab-successful dive.
Sambath Subbaiah
Oyster Catching in Chennai
A pair of Oystercatchers are seen with their morning catch in a coastal area near Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Bhavik Thaker
Eye To Eye
A Painted Stork is pictured with a fish in its beak as it prepares to toss it in the air for a quick gulp down.
Sarbajit Ghosh
Mr & Mrs Rufous-Neck
Prior to mating, male and female Rufous-necked Hornbills make courtship by gifting fruits to each other.
Rajkumar Lahiri
Fishing For Frog
A White-breasted Kingfisher holds a frog in its beak as it oozes blood.
Ritwick Bhattacharya
Like A Hummingbird!
A male Crimson Sunbird hovers over a bunch of hanging flowers as he sips nectar from it with his long downward-curved bill.
Ritesh Pendse
The Millepede Carnival
A colony of ants make quick work of a dying millipede; it was all gone in a matter of minutes.
Pratik Pradhan
Slurp Slurp!
A frog guzzles a much larger earthworm with surprising ease, pictured at the Matheran hill station in Maharashtra.
Pushpal Goswami
A Mouthful!
A Twin-spotted Wolf Snake opens its mouth wider than its body as it swallows a skink whole.
Agniswar Ghosal
In the Arms of Death
A macro shot of a Green Lynx Spider with a Ladybird beetle in its deathgrip.
Trikansh Sharma
The Dirty Little Secret of Butterflies
Butterflies regularly hover over piles of mud, dung or even decaying flesh. Known as puddling, it is a common behaviour amongst butterflies and moths by which they seek out nutrients such as salts and amino acids.
