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

Vulnerable (IUCN) and federally endangered mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, TX.

A picture of a Nicobar pigeon, Caloenas nicobarica nicobarica, at the Omaha Zoo.

Picture of an Arctic fox, Vulpes lagopus, at the Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo in Great Bend, Kansas.

A picture of a critically endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) at the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary.

Photo: A vulnerable Siamese fighting fish or betta (Betta splendens) in Lincoln, Nebraska.

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 Barbary lion (Panthera leo leo) at the Plzen Zoo in the Czech Republic.

A picture of a critically endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) at Zealandia, in Wellington, New Zealand.

Picture of a Peruvian giant yellow-leg centipede or Amazonian giant centipede (Scolopendra gigantea) at the National Aviary of Colombia.

A bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) named Bensar at the George M. Sutton Avian Research Center.

A picture of a red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus lineatus) at the Sutton Avian Research Center.

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 a critically endangered sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) at the Carnivore and Pangolin Conservation Center in Cuc Phuong National Park, Vietnam.

A picture of a federally endangered oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus pardinoides) at Parque Jaime Duque near Bogota, Colombia. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

Photo: Negros scops owl (Otus nigrorum) at Negros Forest Park in Bacolod City, Negros Island, the Philippines.

A Philippine warty pig (Sus philippensis philippensis) at the Avilon Zoo in Rizal, Philippines. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

A group of endangered California monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus plexippus) at the Sierra Chincua mountain range in Mexico.

Picture of an endangered western red panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens) at the Lincoln Children's 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.

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

Photo: A male Lesser Egyptian jerboa (Jaculus jaculus) named Osiris at the Philadelphia Zoo.

Photo: A naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.

A male, critically endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Mindoro dwarf buffalo (Bubalus mindorensis) named Kalibasib at Tamaraw Gene Pool Farm on Mindoro Island in the Philippines.

A picture of a federally endangered Atlantic loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) at Riverbanks Zoo. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.

Photo: A tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) at the Sunset Zoo in Manhattan, Kansas.

A picture of an endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) at the Singapore Zoo.

Photo: Pacific lamprey (Entosphenus tridentatus) at the MK Nature Center in Boise, Idaho.

Photo: Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta syrichta) at Avilon Zoo. This animal has the second largest eyes in the world compared to brain size.

A captive, five-month-old mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. IUCN: Vulnerable

Picture of an Ord's kangaroo rat (Dipodomys ordii) at the Fort Worth Zoo.

D.J. is an 11-month-old Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and Dirgahayu “Ayu” is an 11-month-old Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus). Unfortunately, both species are critically endangered, in large part due to the palm oil crisis. Both of these juvenile primates are cared for by the Taman Safari in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia.

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

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.

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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