Joel Sartore Photographs 18,000th Species for National Geographic Photo Ark
On August 3, 2026, the National Geographic Society revealed that photographer Joel Sartore had documented his 18,000th species for the Photo Ark, specifically the critically endangered red handfish, at the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. The Photo Ark initiative was launched on August 9, 2006, following Sartore's wife Kathy's breast cancer diagnosis in late 2005. Sartore's goal is to photograph every animal species visible to the naked eye, bringing attention to extinct species like the Guam kingfisher. In 2023, the project granted its first Species Impact Initiative award to George Gann for the Pine Rocklands in Florida. Sartore's son Cole is set to take over, as Sartore aims to capture images of all 25,000 species in human care.
Key facts
- Joel Sartore photographed his 18,000th species for the Photo Ark on August 3, 2026.
- The 18,000th species is the critically endangered red handfish.
- The red handfish was photographed at the University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies.
- The Photo Ark began on August 9, 2006, with a naked mole-rat at Lincoln Children's Zoo.
- Sartore's wife Kathy was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2005, inspiring the project.
- The Photo Ark is sponsored by the National Geographic Society.
- In 2023, the Photo Ark awarded its inaugural Species Impact Initiative grant to George Gann.
- The Jambatu Center for Amphibian Research and Conservation is a 2025 grantee.
- Sartore's son Cole will take over the project when Sartore retires.
- Sartore aims to photograph all 25,000 species in human care worldwide.
Entities
Artists
- Joel Sartore
- Cole Sartore
- George Gann
- Luis A. Coloma
- Kathy Sartore
Institutions
- National Geographic Society
- National Geographic
- Lincoln Children's Zoo
- University of Tasmania's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies
- Jambatu Center for Amphibian Research and Conservation
- Institute for Regional Conservation
- Houston Zoo
- Dallas World Aquarium
- Auckland Zoo
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Great Plains Zoo
- Columbus Zoo
- Lowry Park Zoo
- San Francisco State University
- Raptor Recovery Nebraska
- Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
- Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo
- Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital
Locations
- Nebraska
- Lincoln Children's Zoo
- Tasmania
- Australia
- Ecuador
- Quito
- Florida
- Pine Rocklands
- Minnesota
- Texas
- Houston
- Dallas
- New Zealand
- Auckland
- California
- San Francisco
- South Dakota
- Ohio
- Kansas
- Tampa
- Monterey Bay