Nature Science

WILD REST

Darren Swim. Sleeping Caribbean Flamingo at the Metro Toronto Zoo

Today we gathered the most beautiful portraits of wild animals at rest. The contrast of unbridled power, powering down -- the peacefulness of a creature who has stopped its hunt and surrendered its guard -- the trust in the moment that that for now, it is safe to sleep -- all beautiful images to inspire us to take a pause, and take a beautiful rest ourselves.

Photo: Eric Veland. Koala Meditating

Photo: Angel Eowan. Sleeping Sea Lion

Photo: Dave Jackson. Sleeping Animals (Scimitar-horned Oryx)

Photo: Tambako The Jaguar. Sleeping Striped Owl

Photo: oRestArt. “Sleeping King.”

Photo: Tambako The Jaguar. Red Panda Sleeping at the Zoo of Zurich

Photo: B Smith. Rainbow Boa

Photo: Sanshoot. “Big Bat, grot vieermuis”

Photo: Frank Starmer. Sleeping Butterfly

Enjoy a week of beautiful rest this week on BeautifulNow, with fresh posts every day, including new ideas about rest in Arts/Design, Food/Drink, Mind/Body, Place/Time, Nature/Science, and Soul Impact.

And enter this week’s creative competition. Our theme: Beautiful Rest (Deadline: 9/01/13). Send in the photos that capture it best.

SEE MORE BEAUTIFUL STORIES