Tony Phelps / Cape cobra (Naja nivea) spreading its hood, retreats into hole, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, January.

Tony Phelps / Cape cobra (Naja nivea) emerging from a Cape gerbil (Gerbilliscus afra) burrow, hunting and smelling with its tongue, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, January.

Tony Phelps / Cape cobra (Naja nivea) hunting, chasing a Cape gerbil (Gerbilliscus afra), De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, December.

Tony Phelps / Puff adder (Bitis arietans) moving into ambush position under a bush, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, January.

Tony Phelps / Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) troop exiting den, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, June.

Tony Phelps / Parachute daisies (Ursinia anthemoides) Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa.

Tony Phelps / Parachute daisies (Ursinia anthemoides) flowering, Vergelegen, Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Chacma baboon (Papio hamadryas ursinus) portrait of adult male. deHoop Nature reserve. Western Cape, South Africa.

Tony Phelps / Cape Cobra (Naja nivea) female snake emerging from burrow. The snake often lives in abandoned mammal nests. deHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa.

Tony Phelps / Boomslang (Dispholidus typus) Immature male hunting in thorn bush above deHoop Vlei, Western Cape, South Africa, December

Tony Phelps / Southern Dwarf Adder (Bitis armata) climbing in dune thicket. De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, January.

Tony Phelps / Rhombic Egg-eating Snake (Dasypeltis scabra) in nest of Cape Weaver bird (Poceus capensis). Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, January.

Tony Phelps / Scorpion (Uroplectes lineatus / carinatus) female carrying hatchlings on its back; a rare example of parental care in invertebrates. De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, January.

Tony Phelps / Green-grooved Dung Beetle (Scarabaeus rugosus) male with dung ball. deHoop NR, Western Cape, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Rhombic skaapsteker (Psammophylax rhombeatus) adult basking on burnt restio amid spring flowers, dehoop Nature reserve, Western Cape, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Male Cape cobra snake (Naja nivea) dark speckled variety, De Hoop Nature reserve, Western Cape, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Puff adder (Bitis arietans) juvenile amongst succulent plants in karoo habitat, Little Karoo, South Africa

Tony Phelps / White-Lipped palm viper {Trimeresurus / Cryptelytrops albolabris} captive, from SE Asia

Tony Phelps / Adder (Vipera berus) female with newborn baby, Surrey UK, April 2008

Tony Phelps / Adder (Vipera berus) female and new born baby, Surrey UK, April 2008

Tony Phelps / Adder (Vipera berus) adult female with new born baby, Surrey, UK, April 2008

Tony Phelps / Oman saw-scaled / carpet Viper (Echis omanensis) in habitat, Al Wadi Bih, Musundam Plateau, Oman. April 2008

Tony Phelps / Arabian Horned Viper (Cerastes gasperetti) in desert, Sharjah, UAE

Tony Phelps / Cape Cobra (Naja nivea) juvenile defensive hooding, Little Karoo, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Grass snake {Natrix natrix} male with eyes glazed prior to moulting, Surrey, UK

Tony Phelps / Mountain fynbos vegetation, Swartberg Mountains foothills, Little Karoo, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Boomslang snake {Dispholidus ypus} female in bush, Western Cape, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Boomslang snake {Dispholidus ypus} male head raised, Western Cape, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Roe deer male in summer {Capreolus capreolus} Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Marbled reed frog on reed {Hyperolius marmoratus} Mapumalanga, South Africa

Tony Phelps / Adder male guarding female in courtship {Vipera berus} Purbeck, Dorset, UK.

Tony Phelps / Grass snake feigning death {Natrix natrix} Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / White lipped palm viper in tree {Trimeresurus albolabris} Thailand

Tony Phelps / Female Adder tasting the air with tongue {Vipera berus} Purbeck Dorset UK 2000

Tony Phelps / Adder {Vipera berus} melanic / black form female with normal morph young. Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snakes mating, Dorset UK

Tony Phelps / Male Adders 'dancing' in rivalry at beginning of breeding season, England, UK.

Tony Phelps / Yellow bellied toad {Bombina variegata} warning display Europe

Tony Phelps / Grass snake female feigning death - defensive behaviour, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snake giving birth, Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Smooth snakes mating, Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Newborn Adder still in membrane {Vipera berus} Dorset, UK

Tony Phelps / Extracting venom from Puff adder {Bitis arietans} at Liverpool school of tropical medicine, UK

Tony Phelps / Cape cobra (Naja nivea) yawning, emerging from a burrow, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, May.

Tony Phelps / Cape weavers (Ploceus capensis) drinking, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, April.

Tony Phelps / Female Chacma baboon (Papio hamadryas ursinus) feeding on grass, with a baby on its back, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, April.

Tony Phelps / Male Ostrich (Struthio camelus) displaying, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, October.

Tony Phelps / Yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) returning to its den at sunset, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, May.

Tony Phelps / Yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) hiding as a Chacma baboon (Papio hamadryas ursinus) passes, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, June.

Tony Phelps / Timelapse clip of Yellow mongooses (Cynictis penicillata) running towards the camera, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Family group of Yellow mongooses (Cynictis penicillata) at a den, with a male and juvenile leaving, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, May.

Tony Phelps / Yellow mongoose (Cynictis penicillata) standing up, alert, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, November.

Tony Phelps / Herd of Eland (Tragelaphus oryx) walking and grazing, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, November.

Tony Phelps / Puff adder (Bitis arietans) entering a hole in a wall, seen from inside, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, November.

Tony Phelps / Two Cape cobras (Naja nivea) courting, with hoods spread, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, October.

Tony Phelps / Two male Cape cobras (Naja nivea) interacting, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, October.

Tony Phelps / Cape cobra (Naja nivea) entering a Cape gerbil (Gerbilliscus afra) burrow, hunting, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, October.

Tony Phelps / Two male Cape cobras (Naja nivea) competing for basking space De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, September.

Tony Phelps / Cape cobra (Naja nivea) entering a hole in a wall, seen from inside, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, October.

Tony Phelps / Chacma baboon (Papio hamadryas ursinus) resting, with Cape weavers (Ploceus capensis) drinking in the foreground, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, April.

Tony Phelps / Puff adder (Bitis arietans) entering a hole in a wall, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, September.

Tony Phelps / Family group of Chacma baboons (Papio hamadryas ursinus), with juveniles suckling and playing, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, December.

Tony Phelps / Chacma baboon (Papio hamadryas ursinus) feeding on grass, De Hoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, April.

Tony Phelps / Adolescent Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) swimming and palying in a waterhole, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, April.

Tony Phelps / Female Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) grooming a male, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, September.

Tony Phelps / Group of Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) grooming, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, September.

Tony Phelps / Female Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) grooming a male, with infant playing nearby, male grabs hold of infant, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, September.

Tony Phelps / Alpha male Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) with female and infant, grooming, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, September.

Tony Phelps / Male Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) scratching, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, September.

Tony Phelps / Female Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) in oestrus, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, September.

Tony Phelps / Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) troop exiting den, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, June.

Tony Phelps / Female Chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) grooming an alpha male, with infant nearby, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, September.

Tony Phelps / Struthiola sp. in flower, Postberg, West Coast, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Bobbejaantjie (Babiana ambigua) flowers, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Male Limestone conebush (Leucadendron meridianum) flower, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Male Limestone conebush (Leucadendron meridianum) in flower in protea fynbos mosaic, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Male Limestone conebush (Leucadendron meridianum) in flower in protea fynbos mosaic, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Arid / Strawberry pincushion (Leucospermum calligerum) in protea fynbos, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Cape rain daisies (Dimorphotheca pluvialis) in flower, Little karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Bitter aloes (Aloe ferox) Little karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Bitter aloes (Aloe ferox) flowering, Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Bitter aloe (Aloe ferox) in flower, Little karoo, Western Cape. South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Cape speckled aloe (Aloe microstigma) flowers, Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Cape speckled aloe (Aloe microstigma) in flower, Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Parachute daisies (Ursinia anthemoides) in flower, Vergelegen, Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Two Parachute daisies (Ursinia anthemoides) in flower, Vergelegen, Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Parachute daisy (Ursinia anthemoides) flower, Vergelegen, Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Parachute daisy (Ursinia anthemoides) flowers, Vergelegen, Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Parachute daisy (Ursinia anthemoides) in flower, Vergalegen, Little Karoo, western Cape, South Africa, July.

Tony Phelps / Female Chacma baboon (Papio hamadryas ursinus) grooming young daughter, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Female Chacma baboon (Papio hamadryas ursinus) feeding with infant (one day) clinging to leg, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Female Chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) feeding infant (one day), DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Stallion Cape mountain zebra (Equus zebra zebra) portrait, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August, Vulnerable species.

Tony Phelps / Eland (Tragelaphus oryx) herd lying down, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Young Common / Grey rhebok (Pelea capreolus) ram, Dehoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August.

Tony Phelps / Early spring flowers and sand dunes, Dehoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa, August.