Joel Sartore Joel Sartore

National Geographic Photographer and Speaker

I'm Joel Sartore.

Man on a Mission:
Building the Photo Ark

Book Joel To SpeakExplore the Photo Ark

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
    I'm Joel Sartore.

  • A modern-day Noah

    —NBC Nightly News

  • 1 porcupine named Piper on the cover of

    National Geographic
    Photo: *Brazilian porcupine (Coendou quichua) at the Saint Louis Zoo.
  • 4 times chased by grizzlies
    Picture of a grizzly bear, Ursus arctos horribilis, at Sedgewick County Zoo.
  • 300 talks given worldwide
    I'm Joel Sartore.
  • 2 spitting cobras found in camera gear
    Picture of a red spitting cobra (Naja pallida) at the St. Louis Zoo.

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

  • I'm Joel Sartore.
  • I'm Joel Sartore.
  • I'm Joel Sartore.
  • I'm Joel Sartore.
  • I'm Joel Sartore.
  • A picture of an endangered juvenile and mother white bellied tree pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) at the Pangolin Conservation in St. Augustine, FL. This juvenile is only 70 days old. She is the first of her species to be bred in captivity. Frustratingly, traditional Chinese medicine falsely believes the unique protective keratin scales (the same material as your fingernails) have curative properties. This has resulted in massive illegal taking of pangolins from the wild. With the four species of Asian pangolins becoming endangered, smugglers are now turning their attention to the four found in Africa, including this species.
  • 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: Caterpillar of orange lacewing (Cethosia penthesilea) at Melbourne Zoo.
  • A picture of an endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) at the Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington, Illinois.
  • Picture of a Texas coral snake (Micrurus tener tener) at the Fort Worth Zoo.
  • A picture of an endangered baby white-bellied pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis) clings to her mother's back at a facility in Florida. At just 70 days old, this captive-born baby was a first in captivity! This species, like many other pangolin species, is illegally taken from the wild. Unfortunately, it is falsely believed that the protective keratin scales have curative properties.
  • Picture of a nautilus (Nautilus pompilius) at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
  • A picture of a federally endangered snow leopard (Panthera uncia) at the Denver Zoo. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.
  • Major Mitchell's Cockatoo (Cacatua leadbeateri) also known as Leadbeater's cockatoo or pink cockatoo, at Parrots in Paradise, a bird attraction in Glass House Mountains, Queensland.
  • 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 twin federally endangered giant panda cubs (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) named Mei Lun and Mei Huan at Zoo Atlanta. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.
  • Picture of an Arctic fox, Vulpes lagopus, at the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo in Great Bend, Kansas.

    • Photo Ark logo

    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

  • Picture of a vulnerable male Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) at Pure Aquariums.
  • Photo: A killer whale also called an orca whale, Orcinus orca, named Kayla at SeaWorld in Orlando, FL. Kayla is 27 years old, weighs 5,600 pounds and is 19 feet long.
  • Photo: Mindanao squirrel (Sundasciurus mindanensis) at the Avilon Zoo.
  • A picture of a four-year-old male Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis sumatrensis) named Harapan at White Oak Conservation Center.
  • Picture of a Peruvian giant yellow-leg centipede or Amazonian giant centipede (Scolopendra gigantea) at the National Aviary of Colombia.
  • A picture of a federally endangered New Zealand pigeon (Hemiphaga novaeseelandiae novaeseelandiae) at The Animal Sanctuary, an animal rehab center in Warkworth, New Zealand.
  • A picture of blue waxbills (Uraeginthus angolensis niassensis) (awake or dozing off) are a common sight in Gorongosa's dry, bushy grasslands.
  • Photo: An endangered, female Visayan tarictic hornbill (Penelopides panini panini) at Negros Forest Park.
  • Photo: Green grass lizard (Takydromus smaragdinus) at Wroclaw Zoo.
  • Picture of an endangered western red panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens) at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.
  • 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.
  • Budgett's frog (Lepidobatrachus laevis) at the Baltimore Aquarium.
  • A picture of an endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) at the Dallas World Aquarium.
  • 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 a brown-throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus) at the PanAmerican Conservation Association in Gamboa, Panama.
  • Photo: Negros scops owl (Otus nigrorum) at Negros Forest Park in Bacolod City, Negros Island, the Philippines.
  • A critically endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered four-year-old male Sumatran rhino (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis sumatrensis) named Harapan at White Oak Conservation Center.
  • A picture of an endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Barbary lion (Panthera leo leo) at the Plzen Zoo in the Czech Republic.
  • Photo: Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) at the Newport Aquarium.
  • A critically endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered red wolf (Canis rufus gregoryi) at the Great Plains Zoo.
  • A picture of a red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus lineatus) at the Sutton Avian Research Center.

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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