The National Geographic Photo Ark is a travelling exhibition of photographer Joel Sartore’s quest to create a photo archive of biodiversity around the world. So far, Sartore has captured studio portraits of more than 6,000 species – a number that he hopes to double. On 1 July, the ark will open at Melbourne zoo – the first time it has been exhibited in the southern hemisphere. More than 50 portraits will be on display, including many of Australian endangered animals being protected by programs at the zoo itself. These captions have been edited from text supplied by Melbourne zoo. Here: Barking owl. (Photo by Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark/The Guardian)

Several hundred swimmers took a sunrise dip in the North Sea at Portobello Beach, for the International Women’s Day Swimrise on March 08, 2022 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Women from all backgrounds, abilities and ages come together in aid of Edinburgh Women’s Aid, Edinburgh Rape Crisis and Held in Our Hearts. (Photo by Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images)

A student takes part in Tamil New Year and Vishu celebrations in Chennai on April 13, 2022. (Photo by Arun Sankar/AFP Photo)

A boy wearing a World War II guerrilla cap with the five-point star attends the Victory Day ceremony in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, May 9, 2022. People are marking the 77th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in WWII. (Photo by Darko Vojinovic/AP Photo)

A married Hindu woman performs rituals around a banyan tree at Vat Savitri festival in Ahmedabad, India, Tuesday, June 14, 2022. Vat Savitri is celebrated on a full moon day where women pray for the longevity of their husbands. (Photo by Ajit Solanki/AP Photo)

Fire performer, Polly from Broken Theatre, at the launch of the Púca Festival Halloween 2022 programme at Dublin Castle on September 13, 2022. Returning to Co. Meath from Friday 28th to Monday 31st October 2022 across festival hubs Trim and Athboy, Púca is an authentic, immersive and otherworldly festival that celebrates Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween. (Photo by Julien Behal/The Irish Times)

A young Iraqi shepherdess cools down buffaloes in wastewater filling the dried-up Diyala river which was a tributary of the Tigris, in the Al-Fadiliyah district east of Baghdad, on June 26, 2022. (Photo by Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP Photo)

Wild Thang, a Pekingese competing in the 2023 World’s Ugliest Dog Contest sits in the waiting kennel before the start of the annual World's Ugliest Dog contest at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California, on June 23, 2023. Scooter was the winner of the 2023 World’s Ugliest Dog Competition. (Photo by Philip Pacheco/AFP Photo)