Man on a Mission:
Building 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.

15,325 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 brown-throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus) at the PanAmerican Conservation Association in Gamboa, Panama.

Two koala joeys (Phascolarctos cinereus) cling to each other, waiting to be placed with human caregivers at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital in Queensland. Once they're old enough, they'll be released into the wild.

Photo: Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) at the Newport Aquarium.

A female, vulnerable African elephant (Loxodonta africana) at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Photo: An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered mountain yellow-legged frog (Rana muscosa) at the Vredenburg Lab of San Francisco State University in San Francisco, California.

Uno, a federally endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) at the Naples Zoo. A gunshot wound caused Uno to go blind in 2014.

An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas) at Taman Safari.

A yellow-streaked lory (Chalcopsitta scintillata rubrifrons) at the Cleveland Metroparks 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 picture of an endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Barbary lion (Panthera leo leo) at the Plzen Zoo in the Czech Republic.

Photo: Mediterranean jelly or fried egg jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata) at Loro Parque's aquarium in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain

Photo: A grizzled tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus inustus) at a private collection in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Picture of a 10-week-old fennec fox kit (Vulpes zerda) at the Saint Louis Zoo.

A veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) at the Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure in Salina, Kansas.

Photo: Mindanao squirrel (Sundasciurus mindanensis) at the Avilon Zoo.

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

A picture of a federally endangered ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Nebraska.

A critically endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) at the Phoenix Zoo.

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

A picture of an endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered, female South China tiger, Panthera tigris amoyensis, at the Suzhou Zoo in China. This is a species that may be gone from the wild now, and as of 2015, there are only 100 in captivity.

A picture of two critically endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered red-shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix nemaeus) from the Endangered Primate Rescue Center in Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam.

Picture of near threatened silvery langur (Trachypithecus cristatus) at the Lowry Park Zoo.

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

A picture of a four-year-old male Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis sumatrensis) named Harapan at White Oak Conservation Center.

A picture of a three-month-old caracal (Caracal caracal caracal) at the Columbus Zoo.

Picture of a golden silk spider (Nephila clavipes) at the St. Louis Zoo.

Picture of a diablito, also known as a little devil poison frog (Oophaga sylvatica) Bilsa, Ecuador locality, from a private collection.

Picture of a male Mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Picture of American flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber ruber) at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.

Photo: Augustine, a mother koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) with her young ones Gus and Rupert (one is adopted and one is her own offspring) at the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital.

Photo: D.J. is an 11-month-old Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and Dirgahayu “Ayu” is an 11-month-old federally endangered Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus). Unfortunately, both species are listed as critically endangered by IUCN, in large part due to the palm oil crisis.

The talons of a South American great horned owl (Bubo virginianus nacurutu) at Parque Jaime Duque near Bogota, Colombia.

Joel Sartore News

Spring Sale 2024

Spring is finally upon us, and that means we’re bound to see some new feathered friends, furry neighbors and gardens abuzz with life. With the arrival of the new season comes a breath of fresh air, and our spring print sale! All traditional prints are 25% off, so be sure to use…

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