A boy poses for a picture amid clashes between supporters of Shiite Muslim cleric Moqtada and Iraqi security forces in Tahrir Square in the centre of Iraq's capital Baghdad on September 28, 2022, during a parliament session in the nearby high-security Green Zone across the Tigris river. Three rockets were fired at Baghdad's Green Zone, wounding seven security force personnel as parliament was holding its first session in two months, Iraq's security forces said. The parliament, at the centre of a months-long political paralysis, met for the first since deadly unrest in August to vote on the resignation of its speaker. (Photo by Ahmad Al-Rubaye/AFP Photo)

A devoteetakes a holy dip in the River Ganges on Ganga Dussehra festival in Prayagraj, India, Tuesday, May 30, 2023. Hindus across the country celebrate Ganga Dussehra by worshiping the River Ganges, which is considered as the most sacred and the holiest river. (Photo by Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP Photo)

A veterinarian takes a sample from a cat at an animal shelter in Yeoju, southeast of Seoul, South Korea, 01 August 2023, after cats were found to have been infected with a highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza strain at shelters in Seoul on 25 and 29 July, marking the first infections of the virus in mammals since 2016. (Photo by Yonhap/EPA)

A participant wearing costumes takes part in the Pride Parade in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, June 1, 2024. Thailand is kicking off its celebration for the LGBTQ+ community's Pride Month with a parade on Saturday, as the country is on the course to become the first nation in Southeast Asia to legalize marriage equality. (Photo by Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo)

A resident gestures about the loss of his home following an overnight fire at the Addition Hills area in suburban Mandaluyong city east Manila, Philippines, Monday, November 14, 2016. Fire officials say the overnight fire destroyed hundreds of homes, rendered more than 5,000 people homeless and resulted in the death of two residents. (Photo by Bullit Marquez/AP Photo)

Gray whale feeding at the surface and showing it's baleen. (Photo by Christopher Swann/Biosphoto)

A tourist struggles in the water, before standing up and wading away, after a wave strengthened by the influence of Typhoon Dujuan hit a river bank in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province September 29, 2015. (Photo by Reuters/China Daily)

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)