Travyn Rhall, Fragile Giants of Ecuador (ANIMALS 2026)

Andean, or spectacled, bears slip silently through the dense foliage of the cloud forest, their presence more often sensed than seen. Listed as vulnerable as human activity steadily claims more of their ancestral land, they are wary and fleeting subjects. These images were made in a steep canyon where the bears are observed from above; when they rise into the trees, a careful descent down the canyon walls, followed by a scramble to their tree, becomes the only chance to witness—and preserve—a moment of their fragile existence in the wild. Zac, Yoya, and an unnamed male made every scramble worthwhile.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.