Igor Shpilenok / Velikan (or "Giant") Geyser, the largest geyser on Kamchatka, periodically shooting to a height of a nine-story building and releasing 30 tons of water per minute. Colonies of thermophilic bacteria co...

Igor Shpilenok / Red fox {Vulpes vulpes} beside water with Kronotsky volacano in the background, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / First snow on the smoking Karymsky volcano and lake in October, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) fishing for salmon in the Kronotskaya River at the foot of the Kronotsky Volcano, covered with a fresh coat of snow in September, Kronotsky Zapovednik,...

Igor Shpilenok / Steller's sea eagles {Haliaeetus pelagicus} gather beside Kuril Lake with Ilinsky volcano in the background, Kamchatka, Far East Russia, winter 2007

Igor Shpilenok / Steller's sea eagle {Haliaeetus pelagicus} about to pick up Sockeye salmon prey in its claws, Kuril Lake, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) at the "Stained glass window" in the Valley of the Geysers, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) on slope, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) at the Malachite Grotto, Valley of the Geysers, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) male sniffing the tracks of a female in snow, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) at the 'Stained glass window', Valley of the Geysers, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) enjoys hot steam from a geyser in Valley of the Geysers, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) near photographer's wooden cabin, Valley of the Geysers, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / A hot spring ringed by thermophilic bacteria in the vast caldera of the Uzon Volcano, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia .

Igor Shpilenok / Snow-covered Kronotsky Volcano rises above wetland forest and river, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Black smoke belching from the Karymsky volcano, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Aerial view of the Zhupanov river and surrounding wetlands just south of the Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Karymsky volcano, one of the most active volcanoes on Kamchatka, it is constantly belching smoke and sometimes lava and ash, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) chasing each other beside water, Kronotsky Nature Reserve, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Snow-covered Kronotsky and Krashennikov volcanoes in April, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Looking down into the crater lake of the Maly Semyachik Volcano with ice at the rim and azure blue colouring caused by the acidic water, July.

Igor Shpilenok / Steaming fissures and geysers in the caldera of Uzon Volcano, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) catching Sockeye salmon prey in water, Kronotsky Nature Reserve, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Steller's sea eagle {haliaeetus pelagicus} flying through heavy snow storm, Kuril Lake, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / The cold waters of the Pacific ocean wash the shores of Kamchatka, above which fiery volcanic ridges rise, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Two Steller's sea eagles {Haliaeetus pelagicus} and a Golden eagle {Aquila chrysaetos} Kuril Lake, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Panoramic view of Kronotsky River and Kronotsky Volcano with Kamchatka brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) fishing in the river, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Water flowing over rapids in the Geyser River, Kronotsky Zapovednik, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Steller's sea eagle {Haliaeetus pelagicus} in flight carrying Sockeye salmon in claws, Kuril Lake, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Red fox {Vulpes vulpes} sitting in snow, Kronotsky Nature Reserve, Kamchatka, Far East Russia

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka Brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) peering into Igor's cabin, Valley of the Geysers Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Kamchatka, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Boiling red clay mud pots with steam, caused by underground volcanic activity, Valley of the Geysers, Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Taunshitz Volcano covered in snow, Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka Brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) skirting a steaming thermal field, Valley of the Geysers, Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Kamchatka, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Aerial view of Karymskoye Lake with Karymsky, the most active volcano on Kamchatka, smoking in background, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Female Kamchatka Brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) crossing stream, Valley of the Geysers, Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Kamchatka, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Kronotsky Volcano with reflection in Kronotsky Lake, Zapovednik Reserve, Kamchatka, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Kluchevskoy Volcano, the highest volcano in Eurasia, flanked by volcanos Plosky (flat) Tolbachik and Ostry (sharp) Tolbachik. Kluchevskoy Nature Reserve, Central Kamchatka. .

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka Brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) walking along the Valley of the Geysers, Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Kamchatka, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Red fox {Vulpes vulpes} stretching on volcanic sand, Kamchatka's Pacific coast, Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Kamchatka, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / The 'Fireplace' rock formation, Geyser River, Valley of the Geysers, Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka Brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) leaping for Calico salmon during spawning season, Kronotsky River, Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Kamchatka, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Dalney (Far) Lake covered with ice, Uzon Caldera, Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Spring in the caldera of the Uzon Volcano, Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Brown bear {Ursus arctos} young male follows female in mating season, Kronotsky Zapovednik Reserve, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Desman {Desmana moschata} standing on hind legs, Bryansky Les Zapovednik, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Portrait of a Saiga {Saiga tatarica} male Cherniye Zemly Zapovednik, Russia. Captive

Igor Shpilenok / Saiga {Saiga tatarica} antelope graze near farm, Russia. Cherniye Zemly Zapovednik, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Desman {Desmana moschata} hunting underwater, Bryansky Les Zapovednik, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Kamchatka Brown bear (Ursus arctos beringianus) footprint in mud, Koryaksky Zapovednik, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Female Demoiselle crane defends nest from Saiga, Cherniye Zemly Zapovednik, Russia

Igor Shpilenok / The Malaya / Lesser Laba river, Great Caucasus Range, Kurilsky Zapovednik, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Tyatya Volcano, northern Kurilsky Zapovednik, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Basalt pegs at Stolbchaty (Column) Cape, Kurilsky Zapovednik Kunashir Island,

Igor Shpilenok / Pink salmon {Oncorhynchus gorbuscha} Tyatinka River, Kurilsky Zapovednik Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Ancient stones indicating burial grounds from the Karasouk civilization, Khakassky, Russia.

Igor Shpilenok / Nerussa river beginning to freeze, Bryansky Les Zapovednik, Russia.