Photo Ark Reaches 4,000 Species
Dwarf or pygmy squid (Lolliguncula brevis) at Gulf Specimen Marine Lab and Aquarium. There’s an isopod on his back.
The Photo Ark has reached an important milestone! This pygmy squid from Gulf Specimen Marine Lab in Panacea, FL, became the 4,000th species to be photographed by Joel Sartore.
A long-time National Geographic contributor, Joel began this project in 2006 to document every captive species on Earth. He travels to zoos, aquariums, private breeders and other wildlife centers to reveal the world’s magnificent and fragile biodiversity.
This pygmy squid (and the isopod riding on its back) are virtually unknown to the public. Through the Photo Ark, Joel hopes to show people “a world worth saving”. Without better awareness and stewardship, half of the planet’s species could be lost to extinction by the turn of the century.
