Joel Sartore Joel Sartore

National Geographic Photographer and Speaker

Keyword: rarest

The critically-endangered orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) at the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary. This is one of the rarest birds in the world with fewer than 50 left in the wild.

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The critically-endangered orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) at the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary. This is one of the rarest birds in the world with fewer than 50 left in the wild.

Photo: Rowi kiwi egg candling at the West Coast Wildlife Centre in Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand.

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Rowi kiwi egg candling at the West Coast Wildlife Centre in Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand. This is the rarest of all the kiwi species with fewer than 400 animals remaining. This center is the place where they incubate eggs that are brought in from nests in the wild, increasing the chance of chick survival from 5% in the wild to 75% if the chick is raised captivity then released.

Photo: A flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) on Fernandina Island in Galapagos National Park.

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A flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) on Fernandina Island in Galapagos National Park. With only 1500 estimated individuals, it is one of the world’s rarest birds and is the subject of an active conservation program.

A critically endangered orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) at the Healesville Sanctuary in Healesville, Victoria, Australia. This is one of the rarest birds in the world with fewer than 50 left in the wild.

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A critically endangered orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) at the Healesville Sanctuary in Healesville, Victoria, Australia. This is one of the rarest birds in the world with fewer than 50 left in the wild.

The critically-endangered orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) at the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary. This is one of the rarest birds in the world with fewer than 50 left in the wild.

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BIR037-00149

The critically-endangered orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) at the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary. This is one of the rarest birds in the world with fewer than 50 left in the wild.

Photo: A Lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island in the town of Puerto Ayora.

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A Lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island in the town of Puerto Ayora. Lava gulls are one of the rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 300. The bird is only found in the Galapagos Islands.

Photo: Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: Lava birds (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on San Cristobal Island (formerly known as Chatham Island). Lava gulls are one of the rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 300.

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Lava birds (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on San Cristobal Island (formerly known as Chatham Island). Lava gulls are one of the rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 300. The bird is only found in the Galapagos Islands.

Photo: Lava birds (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on San Cristobal Island (formerly known as Chatham Island). Lava gulls are one of the rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 300.

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Lava birds (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on San Cristobal Island (formerly known as Chatham Island). Lava gulls are one of the rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 300. The bird is only found in the Galapagos Islands.

Photo: Lava birds (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on San Cristobal Island (formerly known as Chatham Island). Lava gulls are one of the rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 300.

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Lava birds (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on San Cristobal Island (formerly known as Chatham Island). Lava gulls are one of the rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 300. The bird is only found in the Galapagos Islands.

Photo: Lava birds (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on San Cristobal Island (formerly known as Chatham Island). Lava gulls are one of the rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 300.

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Lava birds (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on San Cristobal Island (formerly known as Chatham Island). Lava gulls are one of the rarest birds in the world with a population of less than 300. The bird is only found in the Galapagos Islands.

Photo: Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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Lonesome George, the very last of the Pinta Island tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra abingdoni) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

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One of the rarest birds in the world, the lava gull (Leucophaeus fuliginosus) on Santa Cruz Island, on the edge of Galapagos National Park.

Photo: Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) on Fernandina Island in Galapagos National Park.

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Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) on Fernandina Island in Galapagos National Park. With only 1500 estimated individuals, it is one of the world’s rarest birds and is the subject of an active conservation program.

Photo: Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) on Fernandina Island in Galapagos National Park.

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Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) on Fernandina Island in Galapagos National Park. With only 1500 estimated individuals, it is one of the world’s rarest birds and is the subject of an active conservation program.

Photo: Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) on Fernandina Island in Galapagos National Park.

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Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) on Fernandina Island in Galapagos National Park. With only 1500 estimated individuals, it is one of the world’s rarest birds and is the subject of an active conservation program.

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

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An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

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ANI072-00045

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

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ANI072-00040

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

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ANI072-00041

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

Photo

ANI072-00042

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

Photo

ANI072-00043

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

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ANI072-00039

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mount Graham red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus grahamensis. This animal, named Lizzie, is one of only two captive animals of this species. She was brought in to the museum as an orphan along with a male squirrel, by USFWS, in 2004. There are now fewer than 100 MGRS living in the wild, making this one of the rarest mammals in North America.

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