Topeka Zoo welcomes renowned photographer and conservationist Joel Sartore

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Topeka Zoo is inviting the community to an event with a renowned National Geographic photographer and conservationist.

Joel Sartore’s career has taken him around the world, but his focus now lies solely on documenting every animal he can in captivity.

His career started in Kansas with The Wichita Eagle.

“A lot of it was just I really loved photography and I love telling stories with pictures and trying to get people to think about the world in a little bit different way, maybe looking...in their own towns in terms of trying to make the world better. I think photography can make the world better,” said Sartore.

He has photographed over 17,000 animals in the service of making the world better, through the National Geographic Photo Ark.

“Our whole mission is to get these animals in front of the public enough so that they start to fall in love with them and want to save them. And that means saving habitats: big intact areas of ocean and prairies and forests, leaving nature standing in about 1/3 of the earth so that our climate stays stable.”

Joel takes care to truly put the animals in focus.

“There’s no size comparison possible, so it’s a great equalizer, and the mouse is every bit as big as an elephant. A tiger beetle is the same size as a tiger, so it gives all animals an equal voice, and most of the animals that we’re trying to get the public to care about are small. They’re not big and charismatic.

Making the world a better place starts with your actions, whatever you want to do. That’s what Sartore believes

“You know, it could be convincing your county or city not to mow in the spring when ground-nesting birds need that grass to pull off their young. It could be helping out with your local animal shelter, or helping with homelessness, or food insecurity for people. Just do something with your life that makes the world better.”

‘An Afternoon with Joel Sartore’ is Saturday, June 14, 4-5 p.m. at White Concert Hall on the campus of Washburn University. The zoo will close at 3 p.m. on June 14 for the event. You can learn more about the event and purchase tickets here.