Photo Ark is a multiyear National Geographic project with a simple goal: to create portraits of the world’s species before they disappear and to inspire people to care. Each image is a visual connection between the animals and people who can help protect them. National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore has captured portraits of more than 6000 creatures to date, with a goal of creating these important records of existence for an estimated 12,000 species in captivity.

This exhibition features approximately 30 of the photographer’s images and allows visitors to follow Sartore around the world on this project. The San Diego Natural History Museum is the first venue in the world outside of the National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C., to present the exhibition. Photo Ark is organized and traveled by the National Geographic Society and runs December 17 to April 30.

Joel Sartore is a photographer, speaker, author, teacher, conservationist, 24-year contributor to National Geographic magazine, and a National Geographic Fellow. He has traveled to every continent and specializes in documenting endangered species and landscapes. Simply put, he is on a mission to document endangered species in order to show a world worth saving. “Every year I see more habitat loss, more species consumed for food, medicine or simply decoration,” says Sartore. “The Photo Ark was born out of desperation to halt, or at least slow, the loss of global biodiversity.”