Defenders of Wildlife Blog

Joel Sartore, National Geographic photographer, Defenders board member, and concered Nebraskan.

Defenders of Wildlife has been fortunate enough to welcome Joel Sartore (www.joelsartore.com) to our Board of Directors this year.  His passion for wildlife conservation takes him all over the world and is prominently reflected in his photographs, which show the vast array of wildlife that are threatened with extinction and the beauty and uniqueness of each creature in a way that words never could.

Recently one of Joel’s ongoing endeavors called the Biodiversity Project was recently featured on NBC’s nightly news. Using his photography Joel hopes to make people understand that for many of Earth’s creatures, time is running out. Half of the world’s plant and animal species will soon be threatened with extinction.

The goal of the Biodiversity Project is simple: to show what’s at stake, and to get people to care, while there’s still time to save them.

A healthy eastern hellbender at San Francisco State University. (www.joelsartore.com)

Last Monday we posted the first of Joel Sartore’s blog series detailing his visits to zoos all over the country as he uses his unique brand of photography to bring attention to the at risk animals living there for his Biodiversity Project. The goal of the Biodiversity Project is simple: to show what’s at stake and to get people to care while there’s still time to save these species.

Dispatch #9 – Phase Out

Excerpt: It’s a gray, cloudy day at the Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington, Illinois. It’s early, with no cars in the parking lot. They won’t open for another hour or so. Even then they’ll have few visitors. The place is as quiet as a church at midnight. And though you’d never know it, they’re keeping quite a sad secret here.

When any animal in the world zoo population slips below 50 individuals, tough choices—life and death choices—have to be made. Can we get more of the species from the wild to bolster the genetics going forward? If so, is this a showy enough species that the public will pay to come and see it?

For three species in this building, the answer is no.

Dispatch #10 – On to Baltimore

Dispatch #11 – Meet Mr. Big

Dispatch #12 – The Rehabbers

Dispatch #13 – Coming Home

Photo Gallery

An American crocodile (Crocodilus acutus) at the Omaha Zoo. (www.joelsartore.com)

Joel Sartore: The Biodiversity Project

For many of Earth’s creatures, time is running out. Half of the world’s plant and animal species will soon be threatened with extinction. The goal of the Biodiversity Project is simple: to show what’s at stake, and to get people to care, while there’s still time to save them.  More than 1,800 species have been photographed to date, with more to come. Follow along with Joel as he and his son travel to different zoos all across the country to photograph these at risk animals.

Red wolf (Canis rufus gregoryi) at the Great Plains Zoo. The species is highly endangered but once ranged throughout the southeastern US. www.joelsartore.com

Joel Sartore (www.joelsartore.com) is a renowned photographer for National Geographic and Defenders of Wildlife has been fortunate enough to welcome him to our Board of Directors this year.  His passion for wildlife conservation takes him all over the world and is prominently reflected in his photographs, which show the vast array of wildlife that are threatened with extinction and the beauty and uniqueness of each creature in a way that words never could.

An Atlantic loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) at the Riverbanks Zoo. www.joelsartore.com

Joel is currently writing a multipart series of blogs about trips he has taken to zoos all over the country for National Geographic as part of his Biodiversity Project. Joel and National Geographic have been generous enough to share his photos and words chronicling his experience with us.  We will be posting his blog series every Monday along with his stunning photographs and even some videos so we hope you will check back each week and follow along on his adventures.

Famed wildlife photographer Joel Sartore — who is covering the Gulf oil disaster for National Geographic — talks with Defenders of Wildlife about the true cost of the Gulf oil disaster and our continued reliance on oil.