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)

Andrew Parkinson, animal behaviour category winner: Crepuscular Contentment, Derbyshire. “In 15 years of working with badgers I’ve never seen a badger sit out in the open to have a scratch. I was sat concealed behind a tree and downwind so it was especially nice that the badger had his back to me, demonstrating just how inconspicuous and inconsequential my presence was”. (Photo by Andrew Parkinson/British Wildlife Photography Awards 2017)

Model Abbey Clancy attends The BRIT Awards 2018 held at The O2 Arena on February 21, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by MagicMoments UK)

A young man performs a wheelie on his bicycle during a stunt show in the Petare neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, on Sunday, October 31, 2021. (Photo by Pedro Ramses Mattey/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A printed photograph taken on September 28, 2017 shows people bathing on the highway after Hurricane Maria destroyed people's homes, held up at the same spot of the highway where motorcyclists ride past in Naranjito, Puerto Rico, May 27, 2018. Thanks to the owners of the land alongside the highway, creek water was piped to the side of the road for people without water to use for bathing, washing clothes and dishes. (Photo by Ramon Espinosa/AP Photo)

A helicopter flies in front of the Wolf Moon as it rises over London, England on January 20, 2019. The Wolf Moon, the Full Moon on January 20-21, 2019, is a Supermoon, making it look bigger and brighter than usual during the total lunar eclipse. (Photo by Dinendra Haria/Rex Features/Shutterstock)

Participants dance at the City of West Hollywood's Pride Parade on June 05, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images)

Belgium fan wears a devil mask attends the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group F football match between Croatia and Belgium at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha on December 1, 2022. (Photo by Stephane Mahe/Reuters)