Behold, the most colorful duck in the world: Mandarin Duck

Check out the Telegraph’s terrific gallery of Walruses up close: Steve Kazlowski photographs the giant Arctic mammals for more close encounters.

Beautiful wildlife photography from Tanzania and Botswana by Justin Carrasquillo.

Octopus is a limited edition bronze sculpture by Kirk McGuire

McGuire on his project:

There are hundreds of cephalopod species around the world. This is my interpretation of the largest species known: Pacific Giant Octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini). Recordings show it reaches 600 lbs. At least 100 of the cephalopod species have three hearts. They are all amazing and as fluid as the oceans in which they live. They are intelligent with a highly developed brain and acute vision, and are masters of camouflage.

Some wonderful wildlife illustration from Jonathan Woodward.

Animal anatomy by Christy Langer 

Photographer Hengki Koentjoro is driven by “the desire to explore the mystical beauty of nature”. Here he looks for it in the skeletons of sea creatures. 

Avaritia by Jud Turner 

Turner on his work:

The name is taken from the Latin term for ‘greed’ and the bait this mechanized angler fish is using is a coin from 1799. Heightening my enjoyment of the subject (greed) it’s a commission for a German financier!

Animal Inside Out is an exhibit currently running through Sept. 16 at the Natural History Museum in London.

About the exhibit:

Animal Inside Out goes more than skin deep, allowing visitors to strip away the flesh and travel on an anatomical safari of the natural world.

Adapted from Gunther von Hagens’ Body Worlds, our UK premiere of this exhibition features nearly 100 plastinated animals and capillary specimens displaying the intricate insides and inner workings of some of the world’s most spectacular creatures, from goats and giraffes to octopuses and ostriches.

Some fantastic minimalist animal posters by Mark Brooks

Dark Zoo by Nicolas Evariste 

Selected works by Brad Woodfin

From his 2011 exhibition Northern Lights:

Once described as “James Audubon’s older, more complex brother” Woodfin paints animals. Influenced by Italian and Dutch painters, Woodfin’s paintings are styled predominantly in a classic Chiaroscuro tradition. The absence and presence of light touches on themes of dichotomy, illumination and darkness. Many of the animals seem to sense that they are having their portrait painted, and from each individual expression, we get a sense of personality that we can’t help but relate to human emotion. Does the animal have feelings? Or is that expression he wears purely our human interpretation? Each painting draws us in with questions, humour and insight into what it means to subjectify and interpret the emotive expressions of creatures.

And the winners of the 2011 National Geographic Photo Contest are…

Street artist ROA may have brought his art indoors for some recent gallery work, but that doesn’t mean he’s painting on ordinary canvas. 

This video shows his work in all its complexity of form and has the the added benefit of the artist’s commentary on his recent work which explores the subjects of urban animals and decay:

ROA - White Walls from Colin M Day on Vimeo.

National Geographic has put together a great gallery of ocean images. They’re definitely worth a look.