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

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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.

  • 17,347 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.
I'm Joel Sartore.

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 a copper-headed trinket snake, Coelognathus radiatus, at the Assam State Zoo in Guwahati, Assam, India
  • A vulnerable Colombian night monkey (Aotus griseimembra) named “Cheeky” at the Houston Zoo.
  • Picture of twin three month old endangered western red pandas (Ailurus fulgens fulgens) at the Lincoln Children's Zoo.
  • Photo: A male Philippine robin (Copsychus mindanensis) on Semirara Island in the Philippines.
  • Picture of a twenty eight parrot or Australian ringneck parrot (Barnardius zonarius semitorquatus) at Parrots in Paradise, a bird attraction in Glass House Mountains, Queensland.
  • Photo: A male red-rumped parrot (Psephotus haematonotus) at Loro Park in Tenerife, Spain.
  • Photo: An elephant nose fish (Gnathonemus petersii) at the Medicine Park Aquarium and Natural Sciences Center in Oklahoma.
  • A picture of a northern lynx (Lynx lynx lynx) at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Powell, Ohio.
  • Photo: A juvenile little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis ruficollis) at Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue.
  • Picture of a four-eyed fish (Anableps anableps) at the Oklahoma City Zoo.

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    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 blessed dart frog (Ranitomeya benedicta), Pampa Hermosa, Satipo, Peru locality at the LA Zoo.
  • Photo: A female Japanese giant katydid (Mecopoda nipponensis) at Tama Zoological Park in Hino, Japan.
  • Photo: A common lancehead (Bothrops atrox) at the Kentucky Reptile Zoo in Slade, Kentucky.
  • A small Indian civet (Viverricula indica baptistae) at the Assam State Zoo cum Botanical Garden in Assam, India.
  • A critically endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) at the XCaret Resort in Mexico.
  • Photo: A jararacussu (Bothrops jararacussu) at Reptile Lagoon in Hamer, South Carolina.
  • Photo: Greater-arid plains katydid (Neobarrettia spinosa) at the Insectarium in New Orleans.
  • Photo: A Palawan binturong (Arctictis binturong whitei) at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere in Nashville, Tennessee.
  • An endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas) at Taman Safari.
  • Photo: A jendaya conure (Aratinga jandaya) at the Rolling Hills Zoo.
  • Photo: A juvenile little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis ruficollis) at Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue.
  • Photo: An electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) at the Oklahoma Aquarium.
  • A critically endangered Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni) at the Houston Zoo.
  • Portraits of 'Orange', the last dusky seaside sparrow (Ammospiza maritima nigrescens).
  • A male endangered okapi (Okapia johnstoni) at White Oak Conservation in Yulee, Florida.
  • Uno, a federally endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) at the Naples Zoo. A gunshot wound caused Uno to go blind in 2014.
  • A picture of an endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus) at the Singapore Zoo.
  • Yellow-knobbed curassow (Crax daubentoni) at the Houston Zoo. This bird is over 20 years old and has fathered many offspring. The whistle of this species sounds like a bomb dropping in a cartoon.
  • Picture of a antennata lionfish (Pterois antennata) at the Dallas Children's Aquarium.
  • A picture of a male endangered (IUCN) and federally endangered white Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) named Rajah at Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo.
  • Photo: A Formosan masked palm civet (Paguma larvata taivana) at the Taipei Zoo in Taipei City, Taiwan.
  • Photo: A Japanese grass lizard (Takydromus tachydromoides) at the Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo, Japan.
  • Photo: Bronze featherback (Notopterus notopterus) at Zoo Negara.

Joel Sartore News

The 17,000th Milestone Species: Birds-of-Paradise

Brilliant Birds-of-Paradise Join the National Geographic Photo Ark as the 17,000th Species National Geographic Photo Ark reaches a new milestone, bringing into focus a vibrant family of birds facing threats to its habitat in Indo-Pacific rainforests.   JULY 8, 2025 — The birds-of-paradise — distinctly known for their mesmerizing colors across the rainbow, intricate mating…

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