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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. So-named because its call sounds like a barking dog, these birds are native to Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. In Victoria they are listed as an endangered species, and in 2003 there were estimated to be fewer than 50 breeding pairs. The main threat to the species in Victoria is loss of habitat, especially large trees with hollows in which they can nest and on which many of their prey depend. Apart from a bark, they may utter a chilling scream when they feel threatened. (Photo by Joel Sartore/National Geographic Photo Ark/The Guardian)
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