Swimsuit

10 Captivating Photos of SI Swimsuit Models Posing with Exotic Wildlife

Irina Shayk, Kate Upton, Heidi Klum and more have cozied up with creatures all around the world.

Ananya Panchal

Nina Agdal.

Nina Agdal.

SI Swimsuit models are used to getting out of their comfort zone and doing “anything for the shot.” Remember when Kate Upton was photographed in zero gravity? Or when she posed in a teeny tiny bikini in freezing cold Antarctica? 

With SI Swimsuit photo shoots happening all across the globe by some of the most talented photographers in the world, it’s no surprise we’ve captured some pretty amazing moments.

Below are 10 of our favorite photos of models over the years with furry friends, reptiles, sea creatures and more.

Chanel Iman

MTY5MjQzMTk1OTcwMjk5MTY5

The three-time SI Swimsuit model said posing with a python in Zanzibar in 2016 was an “instant yes.”

Michelle Vawer

MTY5MjQzMTk2MjU5NTA5NTM3

Model-actress Vawer posed with a wombat during her 2012 photo shoot in Australia.

Kate Bock

MTk1NjExMTE5MDMxNzU2MTcz

The 10-time SI Swimsuit model mastered the art of posing with iguanas during her 2017 photo shoot in Mexico.

Nina Agdal

The six-time SI Swimsuit Issue model posed with a curious group of turtles in 2016 at a turtle sanctuary in northern Zanzibar. 

Erin Heatherton

MTk0MzAxOTU1MDE3ODExNjMz

This famous photo of Heatherton and the “diva monkey” were captured during her 2016 photo shoot in Zanzibar.

Hailey Clauson

MTk1Mzk3NTE5ODM5MTQyOTM1

The 2016 magazine cover star posed in front of a herd of water buffalo on Sumba Island, Indonesia, in ’17.

Kate Upton

The three-time magazine cover star made friends with a koala during her 2012 photo shoot in Australia.

Genevieve Morton

MTY5MjQzNDU4NDk2ODk4MzM3

Morton, who once admitted that she is scared of birds, pushed her fears aside and posed with lions in Zambia in 2012.

Heidi Klum

2000-heidi-klum-elephant-001230483jpg

The supermodel was captured on an elephant during her 2000 photo shoot in Malaysia. She has also famously been photographed with a massive snake and monkey.

Irina Shayk

MTY5MjQzMzYxMDU0MDQxNTYz

The 10-time SI Swimsuit model strutted alongside a cheetah in Zambia in 2012. She also famously posed in the midst of sharks and stingrays in Tahiti in ’16.

Make sure to follow SI Swimsuit on YouTube!

Published
Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. When she is not writing or doom-scrolling on social media, Panchal can be found playing sudoku, rewatching One Tree Hill or trying new restaurants. She's also a coffee and chocolate (separately) enthusiast. Panchal has a bachelor’s in communications and journalism from Boston University.

Home/SwimNews