Joel Sartore has been called a modern Noah for his work on the Photo Ark, a photography project with a simple mission: Get people to care that we could lose half of all species by the turn of the next century. He photographs animals on simple backgrounds, highlighting their power, their beauty, and often their cuteness. But while quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic, he turned to the animals in his own backyard: creepy, crawly bugs. Can his photography save them too?

For more information on this episode, visit nationalgeographic.com/overheard. 

Want more? 

Peruse the 11,000 photos (and counting!) that Joel has taken for his Photo Ark on his website. 

You can also flip through the entire Book of Monsters online.

Also explore: 

Joel has two new books out next month. The first is Wonders, and it features the most eye-catching animals he’s photographed over the years. The other is a book for kids, and it goes through the ABC’s, with poetry by Debbie Levy. 

And for paid subscribers: 

Back in 2018, Rachel Hartigan wrote a magazine feature profiling Joel and his ambitious project. 

If you like what you hear and want to support more content like this, please consider a National Geographic subscription. Go to natgeo.com/exploremore to subscribe today. 

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