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 pregnant woman poses on June 19, 2018 in Vertou, western France. France had an estimated population of 68.4 million by January 1, 2024, representing a further year-on-year increase of 0.3 percent, limited by a marked drop in the birth rate, the INSEE national statistics bureau of France reported on January 16, 2024. In 2023, 678,000 babies were born in France, 6.6 percent fewer than the previous year, the lowest number of births in any year since 1946. Over the same period, there were 631,000 deaths, down 6.5 percent on 2022, a year marked by the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and episodes of extreme heat. (Photo by Loic Venance/AFP Photo)

“I was born in 1977 in Warsaw, Poland. I had graduated from the High School of Art in Warsaw. My journey into the world of photography began in the early 90's, but at that time my biggest passion was painting. Painting helped me develop vision that was hard to create. Unfortunately I had to leave the paintbrush and canvas. A few years ago, I opened “the door” to my own world with help of a different key”... – Michal Karcz. Photo: “Last Outpost”. (Photo by Michal Karcz)

Jewels Lewis poses as the first customer to purchase the new Apple iPad 2 at Apple Store, Regent Street on March 25, 2011 in London, England. The latest iPad went on sale in the UK at 5:00pm.

Actor Jack Black attends the New York premiere of “Kung Fu Panda 2” at Ziegfeld Theatre on May 24, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

American Song Contest winner, American singer, dancer and actress based in South Korea AleXa arrives to the 2022 Billboard Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 15, 2022. (Photo by Steve Marcus/Reuters)

WeHo Pride's Grand Marshal Icon rapper Janelle Monáe rides in the city of West Hollywood's Pride Parade on June 05, 2022 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by APEX/The Mega Agency)

French actress Pom Klementieff (L), Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman (C) and US actress Tessa Thompson pose on the red carpet on arrival to attend the UK Gala Screening of the film “Thor: Love and Thunder”, at the Odeon Luxe in London on July 5, 2022. (Photo by Daniel Leal/AFP Photo)