Gallery: One Man's Quest to Photograph 12,000 Species Before They Disappear

  • Image may contain Animal Mammal Wolf Wildlife Lion Coyote Canine and Red Wolf
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    01

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    A Mexican gray wolf (*Canis lupus baileyi*) at the Wild Canid Survival and Research Center.
  • Image may contain Animal Wildlife Amphibian Frog Reptile and Lizard
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    02

    Blue poison dart frogs (Dendrobates azureus) at Reptile Gardens.

    Blue poison dart frogs (*Dendrobates azureus*) at Reptile Gardens.
  • Image may contain Animal Wildlife Rhino and Mammal
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    03

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    An endangered Indian rhinoceros female with calf (*Rhinoceros unicornis*) at the Fort Worth Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal Wildlife Mammal Cougar Dog Pet and Canine
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    04

    A Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo.

    A Florida panther (*Puma concolor coryi*) at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo.
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    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    05

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    An endangered, booming Attwater's Prairie Chicken (*Tympanuchus cupido attwateri*) at the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas.
  • Image may contain Animal Mammal Wildlife Bear and Lesser Panda
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    06

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    Twin three-month-old red pandas (*Ailurus fulgens fulgens*) at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal Wildlife Mammal Monkey and Baboon
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    07

    De Brazza's monkey (Cercopithecus neglectus)at the Omaha Zoo.

    De Brazza's monkey (*Cercopithecus neglectus*) at the Omaha Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal Bird King Penguin and Penguin
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    08

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    South Georgia king penguins (*Aptenodytes patagonicus*) at the Indianapolis Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal Mammal and Pig
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    09

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    Royal Antelope (*Neotraus pygmaeus*) at the LA Zoo. This species weighs 9-10 pounds making it the smallest of all antelopes.
  • Image may contain Animal Wildlife Panther Jaguar Mammal and Leopard
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    10

    Houston Zoo

    Clouded leopard (*Neofelis nebulosa*) at the Houston Zoo.
  • Image may contain Bird Animal Eagle and Bald Eagle
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    11

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    A bald eagle (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) named Bensar at the George M. Sutton Avian Research Center.
  • Image may contain Animal Wildlife Ape Mammal L. C. Ulmer Human and Person
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    12

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    Gladys, a six-week-old western lowland gorilla (*Gorilla gorilla gorilla*) at the Cincinnati Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal Reptile Lizard Iguana and Green Lizard
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    13

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    A West Usambara two-horned chameleon (*Kinyongia multituberculata*) at the Houston Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal Mammal Rodent Rat and Mole
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    14

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    Damaraland mole rats (*Cryptomys damarensis*) at the Houston Zoo. These burrowing rodents from sub-Saharan Africa are one of only two known eusocial mammals.
  • Image may contain Tiger Animal Wildlife and Mammal
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    15

    An endangered Malayan tiger (Panthera tigris jacksoni) at the Omaha Zoo.

    An endangered Malayan tiger (*Panthera tigris jacksoni*) at the Omaha Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal Porcupine Rodent Mammal Hedgehog and Bird
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    16

    An Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) at the Omaha Zoo.

    An Indian crested porcupine (*Hystrix indica*) at the Omaha Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal Cat Abyssinian Mammal and Pet
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    17

    Omaha Zoo's Wildlife Safari Park.

    An African wild cat (*Felis silvestris lybica*) at Omaha Zoo's Wildlife Safari Park.
  • Image may contain Bird Animal Beak and Fish
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    18

    A male wrinkled hornbill (Aceros corrugatus) at the Houston Zoo.

    A male wrinkled hornbill (*Aceros corrugatus*) at the Houston Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal Wildlife Mammal and Orangutan
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    19

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    An endangered baby Bornean orangutan (*Pongo pygmaeus*) named Aurora, with her adoptive mother, Cheyenne, a Bornean/Sumatran cross (*Pongo pygmaeus x abelii*) at the Houston Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal Wildlife Mammal and Elephant
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    20

    Indianapolis Zoo

    African elephant (*Loxodonta africana*) at the Indianapolis Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal and Bird
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    21

    A flock of scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber) at the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas.

    A flock of scarlet ibis (*Eudocimus ruber*) at the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas.
  • Image may contain Animal Wildlife Mammal Monkey Baboon and Bird
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    22

    Mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, TX.

    Mandrills (*Mandrillus sphinx*) at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, TX.
  • Image may contain Animal Reptile Lizard and Iguana
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    23

    A frilled lizard (Chlamydosaurus kingii) at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.

    A frilled lizard (*Chlamydosaurus kingii*) at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.
  • Image may contain Animal Wildlife Mammal and Rhino
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    24

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    Harapan, a four-year-old male Sumatran rhino (*Dicerorhinus sumatrensis*), at White Oak Conservation Center.
  • Image may contain Animal Wildlife Mammal Fox Kit Fox Canine and Red Fox
    Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark
    25

    A red fox (Vulpes vulpes).

    A red fox (*Vulpes vulpes*).
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