RARE: Creatures of the Photo Ark

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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.

7,885 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
250 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 rusty-spotted genet or Central African large-spotted genet (Genetta maculata) at the Miller Park Zoo.

Picture of a federally threatened, Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) named Yukon at Point Defiance Zoo.

Picture of a vulnerable adult female white bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) with her baby, part of Pangolin Conservation, a non-profit organization in Saint Augustine, Florida.

A spectacled owl (Pulsatrix perspicillata).

An Inca tern (Larosterna inca) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Picture of a federally endangered jaguar (Panthera onca) at the Omaha Zoo.

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

A male okapi (Okapia johnstoni) at White Oak Conservation Center.

Picture of an endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered, male Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica) at the Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden in Ahmedabad, India.

Photo: An endangered mint morph of the terrible poison dart frog (Phyllobates terriblis) from a private collection.

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally endangered young, female Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana) at the Omaha Zoo.

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

A red fan parrot (Deroptyus accipitrinus accipitrinus) at the Houston Zoo.

Picture of a flock of scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber) at the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas.

Kindu, a Schmidt's red-tailed guenon (Cercopithecus ascanius schmidti). Kindu was hand raised at the Houston Zoo. During bottle feedings, Kindu was given a surrogate stuffed animal that he still loves.

Columbia spotted frog (Rana luteiventris) from the Toiyabe subpopulation near Austin, NV. (Candidate for listing under the US Endangered Species Act.)

A half-day-old hatchling leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) from the wild in Bioko. This species is listed as critically endangered by IUCN, and federally endangered (US).

Photo: Hibernating Arctic ground squirrels (Spermopilus parryii) at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks.

An ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego, California.

A porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) at the Great Plains Zoo.

Photo: An alligator at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.

Picture of a flock of American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber) feeding.

A federally endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) named Lucy at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo.

A western harris' hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus superior) named Hudson at The Living Desert.

Red-fronted macaw (Ara rubrogenys) at the Miller Park Zoo. This species of macaw is highly endangered with an estimated 150 birds left in the wild.

A vulnerable male African lion (Panthera leo krugeri) named Mr. Big at the Omaha Zoo.

A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally-endangered clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) at the Houston Zoo. The population trend of the clouded leopard is decreasing with less than 10,000 in the wild.

Endangered Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo.

An Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis). Also known as harlequin ladybird, multicolored Asian lady beetle and halloween lady beetle.

Desert cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus audubonii) at the Omaha Zoo.

An endangered female crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus) at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

Nicobar pigeon, Caloenas nicobarica, at the Omaha Zoo.

A critically endangered harlequin frog (Atelopes varius) at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo. This species, from Panama, is now thought to be extinct in the wild. With only 300 or so in captivity, it is thought to be one of the rarest amphibians in the world.

Joel Sartore News

USA Today Publishes Story About 12 Days of Photo Ark

On December 12th, 2017, USA Today published a story documenting the Photo Ark’s 12 Days of Christmas social media campaign. The Photo Ark project, which aims to document every species living in the world’s zoos and other protected areas before they’re extinct, is releasing one photo a day for 12 days on social media. From koalas to…

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