Dwarf Beggar Bear

This shot is of the rare and elusive dwarf beggar bear. Taken at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, these critters rarely pose for photos so you can imagine my delight when the opportunity presented itself. Due to their small size and the fact that they normally hibernate 3-4 days a week, these bears are not a common sight. They get their name from their tendency to try and cadge food from humans and their small stature in comparison to other bear species. While they may look cute and cuddly, they're quite ticklish and will attack humans and even inanimate objects with little provocation. The only reason I was able to get this shot was because they're rather vain and it was distracted by its reflection in my camera lens. If you ever encounter one in the wild, your best bet is to give it chocolate and cigarettes, that usually will placate them briefly.

f/11, 1/125s

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Just in case you're wondering, they're actually called golden-mantled ground squirrels but I've already wrote about them a couple times and felt like having some fun.