If I had to choose, my personal favourite type would be close environmental
While the animal is still the main subject of the photo, now we want to show some context that show the animal's surroundings and / or the context of what it is doing.
With environmental wildlife photos, wide angles start getting into play. Of course it is all relative tp the size of the subject and its distance from the photographer.
I love this type of wildlife photography. I have a gazillion of such photos that I like. I like that you can tell a story with those photos. But this type of photography is very much based on luck... and patience :) The animal should really be in an interesting pose or doing some type of interesting action. The environment should be "picturesque" and the light needs to be good. When these elements do not work together, I try to switch to the other types of wildlife photography. This is a difficult type of photography in a zoo. Definitely more suitable for the wilderness.
Some examples below:
Young African elephant bull charging us, Timbavati reserve, Kruger Park, South Africa
Cheetah, Kruger Park, South Africa
Mating lions, Masai Mara, Kenya
African elephants herd, Samburu Preserve, Kenya
Giraffes doing a ritual neck fight, Kruger Park, South Africa (with cheesy film roll photoshop trick)
Giraffe calf, Timbavati reserve, Kruger Park, South Africa
Sunbird in Cape Town
Heron flying over lake Tambopapa, Amazon jungle, Peru
Amur tiger hiding in the vegetation (zoo)
