SURROUNDED BY COCKATOOS READY FOR THEIR CLOSE-UP WITH PIX AND VID By Shuk Yee Tsang A wildlife photographer found herself unexpectedly surrounded by curious cockatoos after quietly settling in to photograph them. The playful moment was captured by Dafna Ben Nun, a wildlife photographer, while filming in Australia. Dafna is used to spending long periods sitting or lying still, allowing animals time to relax and behave naturally in her presence. Her usual approach is to remain calm, keep her distance, and let wildlife decide how close to come. But this encounter took an unexpected turn, as the cockatoos surprised her by hopping up and perching on her for the first time. After initially keeping their distance, the cockatoos quickly grew confident. Within minutes, they began flying all around her and her camera, turning the shoot into an up-close encounter she never anticipated. She explained that she usually photographs mammals, making this experience entirely new. The cockatoos were first spotted about 10 metres away. Dafna expected it would take at least an hour for them to feel comfortable. Instead, after just 10 minutes, they edged closer and closer until they showed no fear at all. Throughout the interaction, Dafna remained completely still and avoided making sudden movements. She also made a point of not touching the birds. The result was a joyful and unexpected moment that left viewers laughing and reminded many just how bold and curious cockatoos can be. Dafna Ben Nu said: “I was actually planning to film a video explaining how I wait for parrots to feel relaxed and not fly away. “Imagine my surprise when they did the exact opposite. "I made sure not to touch them whatsoever. It is not allowed to touch wildlife. “I let them come and go as they pleased, without forcing the interaction. “ People know I photograph crazy things like endangered animals around the world, but in this case, I think they just had a big laugh." ENDS
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