2019 BIODIVERSITY PHOTO CONTEST FINALISTS | Freeport-McMoRan

2019 BIODIVERSITY PHOTO CONTEST FINALISTS

	Short-eared Owl Manuel Gómez Cristóbal \| Atlantic Copper, Huelva, Spain A Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) surveys its surroundings from a perch near Freeport-McMoRan’s Atlantic Copper facility in Huelva, Spain. The Short-eared Owl has a widespread distribution and is found on all continents except Antarctica and Australia. The “ears” for which it is named are short tufts of feathers that are typically concealed. This owl can be seen hunting in open grassland habitats and will eat small mammals, birds and insects, depending on the season and food availability. They are therefore a welcome resident on farms and ranches because owls will prey on rodents that are considered agricultural crop pests.
	Cooper’s Hawk Jeff Ladderud \| Oro Valley, AZ, USA A Cooper’s Hawk grasps a nestling firmly in its talons as it flies past Freeport-McMoRan’s Resource Management offices in Oro Valley, Arizona. Cooper’s Hawks capture prey from vegetation cover, relying on the element of surprise. They feed almost exclusively on small birds and are known to rob nests. Cooper’s Hawks are distributed throughout much of the United States, southern Canada and northern Mexico and occupy a wide variety of natural and human-influenced habitats. Adults like this one are a steely blue-gray above with warm reddish barring on the chest and belly and thick dark bands across the tail.
	Puna Flamingo Felipe Cristian Morales Metzer \| El Abra, Chile A mating pair of Puna Flamingos (Phoenicoparrus jamesi) photographed at the Salar de Ascotán in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Puna Flamingos are monogamous, and a bonded pair will remain together until one dies. These flamingos are native to saline lakes and salt pans of the high Andes and are considered among the rarest flamingos in the world. The freshwater springs in the Salar are managed and recharged by Freeport-McMoRan’s El Abra mine. Biologists at El Abra also carry out a biannual population survey at the Salar as part of a larger effort to monitor populations of all three flamingo species found in Chile.
	Bighorn Sheep Jose Pulido \| Safford, Arizona, USA A herd of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis canadensis) forages by the Lone Star expansion near Freeport-McMoRan’s Safford mine. Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep are a subspecies of bighorn sheep, which occur from Arizona to British Columbia. Bighorn sheep are herbivorous, opportunistically feeding on grasses or shrubs. Both males and females have true horns that they retain throughout their lives. Males use their horns in impressive shows of dominance, rearing up and charging at rivals at up to 20 mph. The resounding clash of horns can be heard from miles away.
	Guanaco Felipe Cristian Morales Metzer \| El Abra, Chile A female guanaco (Lama guanicoe) and her young photographed near Freeport-McMoRan’s El Abra Operations in Chile. The guanaco is native to the arid, mountainous regions of South America and the Andean forests of Tierra del Fuego. As a relative of vicuñas, alpacas and other camelids, guanacos have the ability to conserve water and obtain moisture from the plants they consume. Guanacos live in herds composed of one territorial male with several females and their young. Bachelor males form separate herds that can number up to 50 individuals. In the past century, guanaco numbers have precipitously declined due to hunting, habitat degradation and competition with livestock.
	Western Desert Tarantula Ryan Taylor \| Bagdad, New Mexico, USA A male western desert tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes) explores its surroundings at Freeport-McMoRan’s Bagdad mine. Another common name for this species, “desert blonde tarantula,” refers to the coloration of the females, which are densely covered in pale blonde hairs. This species is restricted to low desert habitats in the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico. Desert tarantulas are reclusive, nocturnal spiders that emerge at twilight to actively seek mates or search for prey. This species consumes a range of insects and small reptiles such as crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, cicadas and lizards.
	Common Bottlenose Dolphin Camila Jose Ortiz Palacios \| El Abra, Chile A common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) skims the shallow waters at Caleta Viuda, Chile, near the site of El Abra’s projected desalination plant. Common bottlenose dolphins might be one of the most well-known species of dolphins due to the wide exposure they receive in captivity and in popular media. Like other dolphins, the common bottlenose dolphin is highly intelligent and sociable and commonly demonstrates empathic, cooperative and altruistic behaviors. Pod membership is fluid and dynamic, with dolphins moving freely between groups. Pod numbers range from 2-30, but when food is abundant, pods can merge into “superpods,” with up to 1,000 members.
	Harris’ Antelope Squirrel Joseph Nochera \| Norwich, CT, USA A Harris’ antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus harrisii) treads gingerly through a hedgehog cactus in search of food. This species is a common sight in the low desert habitats of the Southwestern U.S. and Mexico. Harris’ antelope squirrels feed on a variety of fruits and seeds from desert plants, including barrel cactus, cholla and prickly pear. Being well-adapted to the desert, this species remains active throughout the day, even in the height of summer. In order to protect themselves from overheating, Harris’ antelope squirrels exhibit a behavior known as “heat dumping,” by moving into cooler, shaded locations and sprawling out flat against the ground. Individuals also will carry their tails over their bodies like parasols to shade themselves.
	Gambel’s Quail Sonya Archuleta \| Safford, AZ, USA A male Gambel’s Quail (Callipepla gambelii) scans its surroundings from a log perch near Freeport-McMoRan’s Safford mine. Gambel’s Quails are an iconic bird of the Southwest U.S. and can be found in desert and semi-open scrub habitats, grasslands, riparian areas and higher elevation woodlands. Coveys of birds – typically family groups – can be seen foraging in the desert underbrush for berries, leaves and buds. While this species is considered socially monogamous, females may desert their family group to take a new mate and lay another clutch of eggs and leave her original partner to raise the first brood of chicks on his own.
	Red-legged Cormorant Felipe Cristian Morales Metzer \| El Abra, Chile This nesting pair of Red-legged Cormorants (Phalacrocorax gaimardi) was photographed along the coast of Caleta Viuda, Chile, near the site of El Abra’s projected desalination plant. With plastic debris becoming increasingly prevalent in the marine environment, seabirds such as these have started incorporating trash into their nests. As Red-legged Cormorants spend most of their time on the surface of the ocean, hunting for fish and foraging for nest materials, they are at risk of becoming entangled with floating debris such as discarded nets and fishing lines. Mortality also can occur when nestlings ingest or get caught in the plastics that are incorporated into nests.