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)

A Palestinian fisherman cleans up his fishing net after the Israeli decision to close Gaza's fishing zone, on the beach in Gaza City, Tuesday, August 18, 2020. (Photo by Khalil Hamra/AP Photo)

A protester in an Elmo mask dances during the Justice for George Floyd Philadelphia Protest on Saturday, May 30, 2020. Demonstrators took to the streets across the United States to protest the death of Floyd, a black man who was killed in police custody in Minneapolis on May 25. (Photo by Matt Rourke/AP Photo)

Students on their way home from school play in a river which has risen due to recent seasonal rains, in a remote village in Panca, Aceh province on January 22, 2021. (Photo by Chaideer Mahyuddin/AFP Photo)

A child dressed as Hindu God Shiva begs for alms from devotees at the Sangam, the confluence of three rivers – the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati, on the Makar Sankranti festival during the annual traditional fair of Magh Mela in Prayagraj, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Sunday, January 14, 2024. Hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims are expected to take dips in the confluence, hoping to wash away sins during the month-long festival. (Photo by Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP Photo)

Palestinian children, with empty containers, wait in a line for food, distributed by charity organizations, since Palestinians are unable to obtain basic food supplies due to the embargo imposed by Israeli forces in Rafah, Gaza on February 25, 2024. (Photo by Abed Zagout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

A horse trainer takes his horse into the water at Pebble Beach on June 28, 2024 in Bridgetown, Barbados. The swimming horses of Barbados offer a unique and remarkable experience at Pebbles Beach, where racehorses from the nearby Garrison Savannah enjoy their morning swim almost daily between 5:30 am and 7 am. During this ritual, horses swim out surprisingly far to the moored boats before returning to shore, with some staying longer in the water if recovering from injury or soreness after a race. Visitors can observe the horses' individual personalities as they swim and interact with the water, but are advised to respect the guidance of the grooms and maintain a safe distance, as horses can behave unpredictably, especially if frightened. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Nessie, a California sea lion pup recently born at Blair Drummond Safari and Adventure Park, near Stirling, UK. Picture date: Thursday July 11, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images)