Our Most Popular Facebook Photos of 2013

Dani Tinker | December 26, 2013

It’s no secret that photos are a critical part of communicating the beauty and importance of nature, and this pertains to National Wildlife Federation’s Facebook page as well. Within seconds, a photo can catch someone’s attention and evoke strong emotions. We use photos every day to “inspire a love of wildlife and desire to protect it.” We wanted to share with you some of the photos our Facebook community loved enough to share with their family and friends. It’s a high compliment when our community gets behind our work and these are the photos our Facebook community liked best in 2013.

#11: May 22, 2013

World Biodiversity Day – enough said. The focus was on the importance of water for all life on Earth. We offered our community these tips to cultivate diversity in your backyard with native plants.

Anna's Hummingbird in Arizona by Jim Burns

Anna’s Hummingbird in Arizona by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Jim Burns

#10: December 14, 2013

As the weather started to get chilly, we posted a blog about 8 animals that don’t care that it’s freezing outside. It explains their unique strategies to cope with the snow & ice. We also invited people to share photos of wildlife in the snow for our community album.

Great Gray Owl by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Robert Palmer

#9: November 4, 2013

This post was to call attention to plans in New England that would pump 300,000 barrels per day of toxic tar sands through critical moose habitat. We hoped to inspire supporters to send a message to the U.S. State Department, urging them to stop the Northeast tar sands pipeline.

Moose in Gaspesie National Park. Quebec. Canada by Philippe Henry

Moose in Gaspesie National Park. Quebec. Canada by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Philippe Henry

#8: July 24, 2013

This post came the morning after a natural gas drilling rig known as Hercules 265 exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. At the time, the rig was partially collapsed and burning out of control, too dangerous for firefighters to approach.

The U.S. Coast Guard photo of an explosion and fire on the Hercules 265 Rig, a natural gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico.

#7: October 31, 2013

This photo was to wish everyone a happy and safe Halloween.

Squirrel in Pumpkin by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Lois Pflueger

#6: December 21, 2013

We wished everyone a happy first day of winter with these gorgeous photos of winter wonderlands.

Winter Sunset over El Capitan by Ira Estin

Winter Sunset over El Capitan by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Ira Estin

#5: May 23, 2013

This post was on World Turtle Day. We offered our community tips on how to make your backyard turtle friendly.

Box Turtle in Pennsylvania by Gary DeBerry

Box Turtle in Pennsylvania by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Gary DeBerry

#4: December 20, 2013

This post read, “‘Tis the season for cardinals in the snow. Merry Friday.”

A cardinal perched on an ice-covered branch in Kentucky. Photo by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Valerie Begley.

#3: December 4, 2013

We posted this cascade red fox photo following the Thanksgiving weekend. It was spotted at Mount Rainier National Park, sporting this unique coat. The mixed charcoal and reddish coloration is typical of the red fox population in the park. We asked our supporters to share their fox photos on our Timeline for our “Fox Tales” community album.

Cascade Red Fox at Mt. Rainier National Park by Dani Tinker

#2: July 16, 2013

This was one of our wildlife photos of the week, titled “Zen Grizzly.”

Zen Grizzly Bear fishing for Salmon in Alaska by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Cesar Aristeiguieta

#1: April 16, 2013

Following a tough day for our country, we asked our community to remember in the midst of tragedy to seek peace and balance in the beauty of the natural world.

Grand Teton National Park by Dawn Wilson.

Grand Teton National Park by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Dawn Wilson.

Most Popular Community Album: Wildlife in Trees

This past year, we’ve had a number of fantastic community albums on Facebook. We ask our community to share specific types of photos on our Timeline, and then we compile them into an album. Our Facebook community enjoyed our “Wildlife in Trees” album for National Wildlife Week the best. There are nearly 300 photos in the album from our supporters!

Raccoon in a Tree by National Wildlife Photo Contest entrant Michele Rosencrans

This is Amazing, How Do I Get More?

Funny you should ask. First, we’d love to have you join our Facebook community. You can post photos and articles on our Timeline to share & connect with others who care about the well-being of wildlife. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and more to stay up to date on the latest news and for more brilliant wildlife photos.

If you’re looking to be more connected and informed, we’d love to have you become a member. You’ll receive the award-winning National Wildlife magazine and a monthly newsletter. And, of course, your contribution will help us protect wildlife.