Photographer Builds A 'Photo Ark' For 6,500 Animal Species And Counting

"National Geographic contributing photographer Joel Sartore is 11 years into a 25-year endeavor to document every captive animal species in the world using studio lighting and black-and-white backgrounds. So far, he's photographed 6,500 different species, which leaves approximately 6,000 to go."

"Sartore tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross that presenting the animals in the studio, rather than in nature, gives them equal importance in the eye of the viewer. 'A mouse is every bit as glorious as an elephant, and a tiger beetle is every bit as big and important as a tiger,' he says. 'It's a great equalizer.'"

"Sartore chronicles his project in the new photography book, The Photo Ark. The ultimate goal of his project is to help ensure that the future existence of his subjects, many of which are either endangered or on the verge of extinction."