Author | Lightnews

Actual Ape

Actual Ape

@anthroprof.bsky.social

1.8K followers 1.4K following 770 posts

Cultural anthropologist, nature lover, Scuba enthusiast, pro LGBTQIA+ rights, justice, democracy, Ukraine. Research focus: Post-Soviet Russia. Formerly at Post. Politically engaged but will mostly post photos.

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Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · 22h

Yes, I had never seen so many together in one place! It was a remarkable experience!

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · 18d

No, they kept their distance, which I was fine with!

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · 19d

Thank you!

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · 19d

Yay!!!!!! Celebrating with you!!

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · 21d

Just a couple of shots to give a sense of what it was like swimming into the thermocline. Everything looks a bit rippled. You can see this by looking at the edge of the shark's body - it's especially clear on the top front portion of the shark in the left photo. #MarineLife #scuba

Whitetip shark in thermocline. There is sand below and a school of fish and the back end of another shark in the background. When you look at the edges of the sharks body, you can see they are rippled rather than sharp

A white tip shark swimming above the sand in the thermocline. The thermocline gives it a rippled somewhat blurred look.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · 21d

I won't lie - I was a bit nervous when we went down to see the bull sharks, but my curiosity won out! A little fear is healthy, but it's worth it to see the amazing underwater creatures. I'm glad that you enjoy the photos and videos! I enjoy going through them and reliving the experiences at home.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · 21d

After seeing the bullsharks, the whitetips seemed pretty tame. We kept our distance, and they basically ignored us, but they were still cool to see.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · 21d

Into the thermocline with some whitetip sharks. This trip was my first real thermocline experience, and it was wild to be able to see the water change. I felt like I was entering a portal into a different reality. #MarineLife #scuba #sharks

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · 21d

Off to school with the Grunts and Spade Fish in Costa Rica. #MarineLife

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · 28d

Goldenrod by the sea. Nature at the edge of the city. #Brooklyn #flowers #nature #photography

Goldenrod with a bee down by the ocean with light reflecting on the water in the background.

Goldenrod with the ocean water in the background

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Oct 3

At least they’re cute! This one I’m afraid is going to lose its home soon. They’re developing the area into some sort of business hub.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Oct 3

A visit to the sea via Industry City. #birds #nature #pigeons #fierce #ready to take on the world. Places to gol

A pigeon ready to go places.

Steadfastly holding his home. I hope they do not destroy it as they gentrify the area. He or she has lived there for years.

Geese out flying together before the big plunge.

fierce seagull in a hurry

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Sep 29

Glad to see some turtle love. Not sure they look incredibly happy, but hopefully it'll be a fruitful turtle season in Costa Rica! #MarineLife #Turtles #photography

Two turtles making new turtles in Costa Rica

Two turtles making more turtles in Costa Rica. I believe they are Ridley sea turtles.

Two turtles in love.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Sep 29

Yes! There were a lot of them out this weekend.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Sep 28

Thank you!

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Sep 27

Pollinators in the urban meadow of Green-Wood Cemetery. #nature #Brooklyn #photography

A bumble bee on small purple and yellow flowers.

A yellow beetle with black spots tucked into the petals of light purple flowers

A monarch butterfly sitting on a cluster of purple and yellow flowers.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Sep 16

Oh no! I'm so sorry! Sending positive vibes your way ❤️

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Sep 9

Masters of disguise. A juvenile scorpionfish hiding in plain sight on the bottom of the sea in Costa Rica. #MarineLife #scuba #photography

The head of a young scorpion fish on the bottom of the ocean. It's eye is peaking out. It's had and body are brownish with lace like blue scales all over. It blends in with the brownish red of the rocks below.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Sep 9

It was super exciting to see! Someone with better eyes than me spotted it on the last dive of our trip. It was especially nice because the dive shop said they hadn't seen any in a while, and this was a new one to them.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Sep 7

You have no idea how excited I was! I've only ever seen 4 in the wild.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Sep 7

Sometimes you get extra lucky and a seahorse brightens your day! #MarineLife #scuba #CostaRica #photography #nature

A red seahorse with white stripes and spots hanging attached to some growth on a rock on the sea floor.

A red seahorse with white lines and spots attached to something growing on or around a rock on the sea floor.

A reddish-orange seahorse with a large belly hanging on to rope like growths on the sea floor. Tiny red creature to its right - looks like a flower. Perhaps it's a sea anemone?

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Sep 6

When you're diving and you don't know where to look because there are so many eagle rays! #MarineLife #scuba

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Aug 31

The ocean floor in Costa Rica is more rocky than what I usually see in the Caribbean, but there were quite a few beautiful corals with vibrant colors and intricately shaped polyps that the macro lens helps reveal. #MarineLife #scuba #photography

Macro photo of white star shaped coral polyps.

Close up of white star shaped coral polyps on red-ish orange coral

Close up of white star shaped polyps on brownish-orange coral

Orange cup coral amidst the green algae.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Aug 31

These beauties were not very cooperative models, but you can catch a glimpse here of their striking colors. Juvenile King Angelfish in Costa Rica. #MarineLife #scuba #photography

A colorful juvenile King angelfish looking up and hovering over the pinkish rocks and next to a sea urchin.

The face of a juvenile king angelfish - with bright blues and yellows, yellow around its eyes and yellow fins. It's swimming above the algae covered rocks.

Actual Ape @anthroprof.bsky.social · Aug 31

This youngster hesitantly peered out at the world beyond its tiny cave before testing out its wings. They work and even seem to glow! #birds #photography #Brooklyn

A young black and white speckled pigeon pokes its head hesitantly out of a hole in a white wall.

A young black and white pigeon testing its wings while standing on a railing after flying over from its pigeon hole in the wall nearby. Its wings are glowing in the sunlight.