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 young boy plugs his ears as his sister (C) and nanny (L) watch from Gravelly Point Park as planes land at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia on June 29, 2017. President Donald Trump' s travel ban on people from six mostly Muslim countries will come into force late Thursday, as controversy swirls over who qualifies for an exemption based on family ties. (Photo by Jim Watson/AFP Photo)

A drunk student is sick on the street watched by a police officer following a night of heavy drinking during freshers week in United Kingdom on November 28, 2007. (Photo by Matthew Horwood/Alamy Stock Photo)

Drag queen Courtney Act (real name Shane Jenek) attends the Celebrity Big Brother male contestants launch night at Elstree Studios on January 5, 2018 in Borehamwood, England. The drag queen was left over-exposed on last show after her outfit apparently fell off. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage)

People react as a Canadian man wearing only a pair of shorts orders a drink from a fast food outlet in Gangneung Curling Centre on day 10 of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games on February 19, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

Performers Roni, Liv and Becky behind the scenes at Great Yarmouth Hippodrome Circus, England. (Photo by Nick Warner/The Guardian)

A hippopotamus performs during a show at the circus in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Russia, July 7, 2016. (Photo by Ilya Naymushin/Reuters)

2016 Rio Olympics, Gymnastics training, Rio Olympic Arena, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on August 4, 2016. Close up of the feet of Rebecca Downie (GBR) of United Kingdom as she trains on the beam. (Photo by Dylan Martinez/Reuters)