Man on a Mission:
Building the Photo Ark

Book Joel To Speak Explore the Photo Ark

I’m Joel Sartore.

Ever wonder about those wildlife photographers who risk life and limb to get the perfect shot? That’s me. I’ve spent 25 years with National Geographic—and I’ve got the stories and scars to prove it. These days my focus is on the Photo Ark, the world’s largest collection of animal studio portraits. My goal is simple: to get the public to care and save species from extinction.

12,476 species photographed for the Photo Ark
A modern-day Noah

—NBC Nightly News
1 porcupine named Piper on the cover of
National Geographic
4 times chased by grizzlies
300 talks given worldwide
2 spitting cobras found in camera gear

Speaking Engagements

“Joel never fails to dazzle.”
Known for his sense of humor and incredible stories from the field, Joel is a popular speaker with conservation, corporate, and civic groups.

Hire him to entertain and inspire your audience.

Book Joel to Speak

Recent Talks

Picture of a critically endangered Kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) at Zealandia, in Wellington, New Zealand.

Photo: A Equatorial spitting cobra (Naja sumatrana miolepis) at the Avilon Zoo.

Geoffroy's tufted-ear marmoset (Callithrix geoffroyi) at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

A red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) at the Sutton Avian Research Center.

An endangered Malayan tiger, Panthera tigris jacksoni, at the Omaha Zoo.

Picture of an American bison (Bison bison) at the Oklahoma City Zoo.

Picture of a vulnerable Syrian brown bear (Ursus arctos syriacus) at the Budapest Zoo.

Crowned iguana (Laemanctus serratus) from the Omaha Zoo.

Picture of an endangered golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) at the Dallas World Aquarium.

Joel is the founder of the Photo Ark, a 25-year effort to photograph every species in human care around the globe.

Explore the Photo Ark

Picture of an endangered western red panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens) at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.

Photo: A Barbary lion (Panthera leo leo) at the Plzen Zoo in the Czech Republic.

Photo: An Indian roller (Coracias benghalensis affinis) at the Santa Barbara Zoo.

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) at the Omaha Zoo.

Oblong-winged katydids (Amblycorypha oblongifolia) at the Insectarium in New Orleans. These color variants are found in nature, though anything but green is usually eaten by predators immediately. The Insectarium has been a leader in breeding these color variants for display in the zoo community.

Photo: Eastern grass owl (Tyto longimembris amauronota) at Avilon Zoo.

Photo: Gelada baboons (Theropithecus gelada) at Parco Natura Viva in Bussolengo, Italy.

Critically endangered (IUCN) Sulawesi macaques (Macaca nigra) at the Omaha Zoo.

Photo: A female giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, AK.

Photo: An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa) at the Vrendenberg Lab.

Photo: Baby aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) named Tonks, 16 days old, at the Denver Zoo.

Picture of a Plain pigeon (Patagioenas inornata) at the Parque Zoologico Nacional in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Picture of an Ord's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ordii) at the Fort Worth Zoo.

A male African lion (Panthera leo krugeri) named Mr. Big at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

Photo: Edward's fig parrot (Psittaculirostris edwardsii) at Loro Parque Fundacion.

Photo: A naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.

A picture of a critically endangered and federally endangered, female South China tiger, Panthera tigris amoyensis, at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

A critically endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) at the Miller Park Zoo.

Photo: Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) at the MK Nature Center in Boise, Idaho.

A sunbittern (Eurypyga helias ) at the Cincinnati Zoo.

A St. Andrew beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus peninsularis), a federally endangered rodent, in Panama City, FL. This and several other beach mice subspecies are imperiled due to beach development. (US: Endangered)

Photo: A proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) at the Singapore Zoo.

Photo: A vulnerable dwarf pea pufferfish (Carinotetraodon travancoricus) at a private collection in Gainesville, Florida.

Joel Sartore News

Photo Ark exhibit visits Lincoln Children’s Zoo

The Photo Ark is going back to where it all started — literally. From now until June 20th the Lincoln Children’s Zoo will be hosting a Photo Ark gallery, inviting guests to get up close and personal with images from the Ark. Over 15 years ago the Photo Ark began at the Lincoln…

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