Dynamic focus on the most endangered species. ( )

stunning collection of photos and stories of the animals represented ( )

The Photo Ark: Vanishing is a stunning photo collection that shares portraits of the most endangered animals in the world, some who might even be the last of their kind. These amazing images stand out, Joel Sartore has captured the soul of each animal on a simple black or white background, forcing the reader to look into the eyes of many of the animals that our actions are helping to decimate.
From the foreword, where Elizabeth Kolbert states that E.O. Wilson has dubbed this era the Eremozoic, the age of lonliness, I knew that this would be a difficult book to look at. Joel Sartore's introduction, where he recalls photographing Nabire, one of the last northern white rhinoceros' and then later visiting her body, echoes this sentiment. The biodiversity of Earth's fauna graces the pages: snails, corals, fish, frog, lizard, deer, tigers and the chimpanzee's that share 99% of our DNA, showing that the environmental impact of human actions does not discriminate. A few lines of text accompany each photo and state the animal name, classification level through the International Union of Conservation, the amount of the species that are left and what actions have led to their decrease. These few lines serve as a powerful reminder of how small actions we complete everyday impact other animals. Beautifully done, this book will spark viewers into action to save the animals that grace the pages.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )

This book is both beautiful and heart rending. All of the animals in it are either already extinct in the wild or heading towards extinction. Just think about that. The man taking all of these magnificent pictures wants to at least make a record of each one’s existence before it falls from the earth.

Mr. Sartore takes such evocative photos. Even this spider hater could marvel at a two page, oversized arachnid. It almost seems from the looks in the eyes of some of the animals that they knew their fate. It is almost overwhelming to page through at times when you stop to consider the book’s purpose but I think it’s something we really must do as it’s man’s fault that these animals are losing their habitat.

It’s a powerful book with a very powerful message. I keep picking it up to marvel at the photography and celebrate the people who have kept some species alive through dedicated efforts in sanctuaries and preserves. There is also a profound sense of loss for those animals that will never be seen again. ( )