Joel Sartore Joel Sartore

National Geographic Photographer and Speaker

Keyword: softshell turtle

Photo: A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo

ANI104-00304

A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo: A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo

ANI104-00303

A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo: A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo

ANI104-00302

A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo: A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo

ANI104-00301

A Gulf Coast spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera aspera) at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas.

Photo: A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove.

Photo

ANI104-00290

A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

Photo: A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove.

Photo

ANI104-00289

A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

Photo: A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove.

Photo

ANI104-00288

A Senegal flapshell turtle (Cyclanorbis senegalensis) at Safari Park Dvur Kralove. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

Photo: Aubry’s flapshell turtle (Cycloderma aubryi) at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa.

Photo

ANI080-00166

Aubry’s flapshell turtle (Cycloderma aubryi) at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque, Iowa.

Picture of an endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo

ANI080-00500

An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Picture of an endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo

ANI080-00501

An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo: An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo

ANI080-00502

An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo: An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo

ANI080-00503

An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo: An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo

ANI080-00504

An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo: An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Photo

ANI080-00505

An endangered Indian narrow-headed softshell turtle (Chitra indica) at the Kukrail Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in Lucknow, India.

Picture of a vulnerable Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center.

Photo

ANI080-00506

An Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center. This is a vulnerable species.

Picture of a vulnerable Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center.

Photo

ANI080-00507

An Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center. This is a vulnerable species.

Picture of a vulnerable Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center.

Photo

ANI080-00508

An Indian peacock softshell turtle (Nilssonia hurum) at the Gharial and Turtle Rehabilitation Center. This is a vulnerable species.

Picture of a male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00420

A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00421

A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

A picture of a male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00422

A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is released into an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00423

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is released into an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is released into an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00424

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is released into an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) inside an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00425

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) inside an enclosure at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00415

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00416

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00417

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00418

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Picture of a female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00419

A female, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00404

A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is stimulated at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00405

A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is stimulated at the Suzhou Zoo in China. The hope was that he would produce sperm to artificially inseminate the female, unfortunately, he produced none. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is stimulated at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00406

A male, critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is stimulated at the Suzhou Zoo in China. The hope was that he would produce sperm to artificially inseminate the female, unfortunately, he produced none. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00407

A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00408

A critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) has a check up at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: A crowd watches a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00409

A crowd watches a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: Zookeepers search an enclosure for a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00410

Zookeepers search an enclosure for a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: Media crowds around a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China.

Photo

ANI080-00411

Media crowds around a critically endangered Yangtze giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) at the Suzhou Zoo in China. Both Yangtze turtles held at this facility are over 100 years old, if biologist can’t get this species to breed soon, the species will become extinct.

Photo: Julie Jensen Director of Marketing | WVC O: 866.800.7326 | D: 702.443.9249 | E: j.jensen@wvc.org

Speaking Engagements

Joel is a popular keynote speaker with conservation, corporate, and civic groups.

Hire him to entertain and inspire your audience.

Book Joel To Speak

The Photo Ark

Joel is the founder of the Photo Ark, a groundbreaking effort to document every species in captivity before it’s too late.

Explore the Photo Ark

Visit Our Store

Every purchase goes directly to support our mission: getting the public to care and helping to save species from extinction.

Help Us Build the Ark