ENDANGERED SPECIES

Supported by

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

TAKE THE CHALLENGE: ENDANGERED SPECIES

The Issue:

The interaction of animals with their environments is the engine that keeps the planet healthy for all of us. But for many species, time is running out as a result of risks due to habitat loss, illegal poaching, global warming and other threats.

National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore is on a mission to save species by documenting our planet’s biodiversity and finding innovative solutions to help save threatened species and protect their critical habitats. To date, he has documented over 8000 species, creating a visual archive of life on earth in an attempt to get people to care. His mission is to use photography to inspire people to take real-world action and help save species from extinction.

 

The Game Design Prompt:

Think of ways that humans can protect the endangered species in their communities. What can we do to reverse the effects of the extinction crisis? How can we use media (like photographs and games) to spread awareness about endangered species and incite people to take action? Create a game that focuses on preserving wildlife for the future and address the issue of endangered species.

KEY FACTS

Species are disappearing at an alarming rate around the world.

Some of the biggest threats to endangered species include habitat loss and degradation, overexploitation (hunting and poaching), invasive species, pollution and climate change.

You can help save species by recycling, quitting plastic, planting a pollinator garden, insisting on using sustainable energy, supporting your local zoos, and more!

Photo Ark is a groundbreaking effort to photograph every species in captivity before they disappear, and inciting people to take action before it is too late.

National Geographic photographer Joel Satore has photographed over 8,000 of the 12,000 animals in captivity for Photo Ark.

ABOUT THE THEME

THEME RESOURCES

Photo Ark Gallery
Use of Photo Ark Photos:
Students are welcome to include the below selection of Photo Ark images in their game projects as long as they meet the below guidelines:
  • Photos cannot be modified in any shape, way or form.
  • Photos must be properly credited to National Geographic and Joel Satore by bearing the following copyright notice somewhere within the game or game credits:

© Photo by Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark

The National Geographic Photo Ark is a multiyear effort that aims to photograph every species living in the world’s zoos and wildlife sanctuaries, inspire action through education, and help save wildlife by supporting on-the-ground conservation projects.

National Geographic Photo Ark Website
National Geographic Photo Ark Website

Joel Sartore started the Photo Ark in his hometown of Lincoln, Nebraska, over a decade ago. Since then, Sartore, a world-renowned photographer, has visited 40 countries in his quest to create a photo archive of global biodiversity, which will feature portraits of an estimated 12,000 species of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Once completed, the Photo Ark will serve as an important record of each animal’s existence and a powerful testament to the importance of saving them.

To date, Joel has completed portraits of more than 8,000 species. No matter its size, each animal is treated with the same amount of affection and respect. The results are portraits that are not just stunningly beautiful, but intimate and moving. “It’s the eye contact that moves people,” Sartore explains. “It engages their feelings of compassion and a desire to help.”

Website: Joel Sartore
Website: Joel Sartore
Gallery: The Photo Ark
Gallery: The Photo Ark
Gallery: Conservation Stories
Gallery: Conservation Stories

On Saturday, August 1st, 2015, Photo Ark images illuminated the Empire State Building in a first-of-its kind live video projection that showed beautiful, inspiring imagery of endangered species to the world as never seen before.

For the first time in New York City history, this stand-alone, architectural projection art event featured towering images of endangered species—more than 350 feet tall and 186 feet wide, and covering 33 floors—on the south façade of The Empire State Building in an art event meant to draw attention to the creatures’ plight against mass extinction.

Using 40 stacked, 20,000-lumen projectors on the roof of a building on West 31st Street, illuminated the night with live video projections, including (an 8 minute environmentally-focused tableau, combined with iconic imagery of endangered species, that made each 15 minute cycle running throughout the night a unique experience).

Video: Projections of the Photo Ark (2 min)

The National Geographic Photo Ark harnesses the power of photography to document species, inspire action, and help save wildlife by supporting on-the-ground conservation efforts. You too can make an impact in your own backyard!

Here are some ways you can take action today:

  • Know your impact: What is your carbon footprint? Find out and learn how you can lessen your impact on the planet.
  • Be pollinator-friendly. You can help save butterflies, bees, birds, and other pollinators by planting local plants and milkweed in your garden at home and encouraging your neighborhood to do the same.
  • Explore volunteer opportunities with local wildlife rehabilitation centers in your community.
  • Learn as much as you can about your favorite animal so that you can form an educated opinion about the issues, and brainstorm how we can all coexist. Learn more.
  • Spread the Word. Help raise awareness through social media by using the hashtag #SaveTogether.
  • Make a donation. Donate to Photo Ark here.

TEACHER RESOURCES

The National Geographic Photo Ark is a powerful tool to teach people of all ages about our planet’s amazing biodiversity and foster a real connection to Earth’s wildlife. The project engages students in the classroom through free educational materials and activities, and inspires the public through special exhibitions, books, TV specials, features in National Geographic magazine, and events around the world. An interactive digital experience allows people to engage with Photo Ark content on our website, explore animals in the collection, and share information about endangered species with their social networks.

Photo Ark Education Website
Photo Ark Education Website

The National Geographic Photo Ark is a powerful tool to teach people of all ages about our planet’s amazing biodiversity and foster a real connection to Earth’s wildlife. The project engages students in the classroom through free educational materials and activities, and inspires the public through special exhibitions, books, TV specials, features in National Geographic magazine, and events around the world. An interactive digital experience allows people to engage with Photo Ark content on our website, explore animals in the collection, and share information about endangered species with their social networks.

 

Activity: The Power of Images in Storytelling

1. Activate background knowledge about the purpose of storytelling.

Ask: What is storytelling and why do people tell stories? Have students turn and talk to a neighbor about the questions you posed. After a couple minutes, invite students to share their ideas with the class. During the discussion, ask:

  • How do people tell stories? (Storytellers use not only written and spoken words but also visuals, like drawings and photographs.)

Have students turn and talk again after you ask:

  • What method of storytelling might a storyteller use if he or she wants the audience to do or feel something? (Answers will vary. Possible answers: Storytellers might use visuals, real-life examples, personal anecdotes, or ask listeners to put themselves in the story.)

2. View video clips of Joel Sartore speaking about photographing animals.

Introduce the video clip “Grizzlies, Wolves, and Koalas: Conservation Photography” by explaining that Joel Sartore is a storyteller and photographer for National Geographic. Ask students to think about the following focus questions as they watch the video:

  • How do good photographs help conservation efforts? (Photographs are engaging, make people ask questions, and lead people to care. They also help people make a personal connection with the animals.)
  • Why does Joel Sartore use photographs to tell stories? (He believes that photographs motivate people to care and hopefully make positive changes, like the Australian government passing legislation to protect koalas.)

After viewing the video clip, have students talk to a neighbor about their ideas on the focus questions.

Introduce the second video clip, “Saving Animals Through Photography,” by telling students that Joel Sartore is working on a project called the Photo Ark. He is taking photographs of animals in captivity. Ask students to consider the following focus questions while watching the clip:

  • What is Joel Sartore’s goal in creating the Photo Ark? (He is taking photos of all animal species in captivity as a way to document them, especially endangered ones, for future generations and to encourage people to care about them and take action now, before it’s too late.)
  • What techniques does he use to get people to care about the animals, and why does he want them to care? (He photographs the animals on black or white backgrounds so they are viewed equally and without any distractions, such as natural backgrounds. He wants to bring people’s attention to the animal extinction crisis.)

After viewing the clip, facilitate a short class discussion about the focus questions. Have students discuss the role of Sartore’s photographs in the stories he tells.

3. Invite students to interact with Sartore’s photos during a gallery walk.

Tell students they will walk around the room and observe several of Sartore’s photographs from the Photo Ark. Give each student several sticky notes. Ask students to pause at each photo and write or draw how the photo makes them feel. Encourage them to document their reactions, emotions, and questions and leave the sticky note next to the photo. After they have looked at all the photos, invite students to share what they felt and what themes they noticed in the sticky notes left by their classmates.

4. Ask students to write essays in response to a Photo Ark photo.

Tell students to choose a photo with which they feel a strong connection. Ask students to write a short personal essay in response to the following questions.

  • Why does this photo interest you?
  • What story does this photo express to you? Why? How?
  • The goal of Photo Ark is to get people to care about species and want to protect them. In what ways does this photo inspire those feelings in you?

Activity: Park Scavenger Hunt

The wild status of all animals in The Photo Ark (and at the Zoo) is designated by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This list evaluates the wild populations of every known animal and determines population risks.

Use the below ‘Scavenger Hunt Worksheet’ to identify a Photo Ark animal that falls within each category of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species; identify the animals, the threats they face and how we can help.

The wild status of all animals in The Photo Ark (and at the Zoo) is designated by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This list evaluates the wild populations of every known animal and determines population risks.

Use the below ‘Scavenger Hunt Worksheet’ to identify a Photo Ark animal that falls within each category of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species; identify the animals, the threats they face and how we can help.

RedList