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.
  • The talons of a South American great horned owl (Bubo virginianus nacurutu) at Parque Jaime Duque near Bogota, Colombia.
  • A vulnerable (IUCN) and federally endangered clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa nebulosa) at the Houston Zoo.
  • Picture of a vulnerable male Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) at Pure Aquariums.
  • Photo: Green grass lizard (Takydromus smaragdinus) at Wroclaw Zoo.
  • Photo: An endangered, female Visayan tarictic hornbill (Penelopides panini panini) at Negros Forest Park.
  • Photo: An ankole-watusi (Bos taurus watusi) at the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa.
  • A picture of an endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered golden-headed lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) at the Dallas World Aquarium.
  • Picture of an albino porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum bruneri) named Halsey at the Nebraska Wildlife Rehab in Louisville, NE.
  • Two critically endangered Celebes crested macaques (Macaca nigra) at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Nebraska.
  • 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.
  • Photo: A female giant Pacific octopus (Enteroctopus dofleini) at the Alaska SeaLife Center.
  • Picture of a federally endangered mother and son jaguar (Panthera onca) at the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, FL.

    • 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

  • 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.
  • 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 nautilus (Nautilus pompilius) at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
  • A male common genet (Genetta genetta), named Little Guy at the Conservators center.
  • A veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) at the Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure in Salina, Kansas.
  • 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.
  • Photo: Palawan stink badger (Mydaus marchei) at Avilon Zoo.
  • Photo: Philippine tarsier (Tarsius syrichta syrichta) at Avilon Zoo. This animal has the second largest eyes in the world compared to brain size.
  • Photo: An endangered Peruvian woolly monkey (Lagothrix cana) at Cetas-IBAMA, a wildlife rehab center in Manaus, Brazil.
  • Photo: Visayan leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis rabori) at the Avilon Zoo.
  • Photo: Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) at the Newport Aquarium.
  • Picture of near threatened silvery langur (Trachypithecus cristatus) at the Lowry Park Zoo.
  • A northern red fan parrot (Deroptyus accipitrinus accipitrinus) at the Houston Zoo.
  • Geoffroy's tufted-ear marmoset (Callithrix geoffroyi) at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.
  • Picture of a golden silk spider (Nephila clavipes) at the St. Louis Zoo.
  • Photo: Caterpillar of orange lacewing (Cethosia penthesilea) at Melbourne Zoo.
  • Picture of a four-eyed fish (Anableps anableps) at the Oklahoma City Zoo.
  • Photo: Mediterranean jelly or fried egg jellyfish (Cotylorhiza tuberculata) at Loro Parque's aquarium in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
  • Picture of a 10-week-old fennec fox kit (Vulpes zerda) at the Saint Louis Zoo.
  • A male okapi (Okapia johnstoni) at White Oak Conservation Center.
  • 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.

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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