Tim Cota of Mesa is among 12 photographers whose work is included in the full-size 2026 Arizona Game and Fish Department's wildlife calendar.
“As a child, my grandfather was a photographer, and we spent many trips in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County where I discovered my true home in nature with any small animals that I could set my eyes on,” Cota said.
“I was handed a small hand-me-down point-and-shoot camera when I was in high school, which I carried everywhere until I could afford my first DSLR. My first photos were of spiders, lizards, and landscapes on occasion.
"Over time, I developed a large interest in reptiles and large mammals.”
The 12 winning images are published in Arizona Wildlife Views’ full-size 2026 wildlife calendar.
Meet Dan Dan McCarthy joined Independent Newsmedia as web content editor after a 40-plus year career as a reporter and editor in New Jersey and Arizona. During his time in Arizona, he has been an editor of daily and weekly papers in Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, Ahwatukee, Sun City, Sun City West, Surprise, Peoria and Glendale. Prior to moving to Arizona in 1984, when he was hired to be assistant city editor at the Tempe Daily News, he covered regional police/fire news, municipal, county and state governments in New Jersey, the latter as bureau chief at the state Capitol.
Community: He has served on several boards over the years, including the Tempe Community Action Agency and the Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Governors. He is a graduate of the Tempe Leadership and Scottsdale Leadership programs, serving as media adviser for subsequent classes of Tempe Leadership.
Education: Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism.
Random Fact: Set winter/summer track records in the 60-, 100- and 220-yard dashes at his high school in New Jersey.
Hobbies: Tai chi, cooking, dining at his must-eat-once places around the U.S. and the Cincinnati Reds, his favorite team since 1961.
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