These animals are on the verge of distinction, a National Geographic photographer is warning in 500 Photo Ark portraitures of endangered wildlife that will be displayed at Novotown (Hengqin Laisun Creative Culture City) from July 21 to Aug 31.

Photo Ark was initiated by Joel Sartore, an American whose goal is to freeze-frame his most beautiful images of endangered animals before they become extinct, and to motivate people to stop that from happening.

The Hengqin exhibition area covers more than 1,000 sqm (a quarter acre) and is divided into themes of low-attention, vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered species. The more visitors experience the exhibit, the more striking it becomes, Sartore says. Some of these creatures may be a first-time viewing for the audience, while others may become extinct. 

Photo Ark exhibition in Novotown [Photo courtesy Nanfangplus]

Moreover, visitors can listen to the original sounds of the animals, have a VR experience in primeval forests and tropical deserts, or read books made of ice, which will melt in one's hands just as the melting polar regions reportedly are due to global warming.

Prior to its Zhuhai debut, National Geographic Photo Ark was displayed in a dozen countries including the US, Italy, Spain, and South Korea, and is said to have received warm response.

Complementing the exhibition, related activities have been rolled out at Novotown's Lionsgate Entertainment World and National Geographic Ultimate Explorer for the summer vacation. Family-friendly rooms are offered at Hyatt Regency Hengqin.

Over the past dozen years, Sartore visited more than 200 zoos and aquariums across the world. He photographed more than 9,000 species of animals, varying from 6-mm creatures to the 3-m (10-ft) African elephant, in a quest to create a photo archive of global biodiversity and inspire people to help save species at risk.

Unlike the animal photos he usually takes for National Geographic, which come with vibrant images of untouched mountains, rivers, and forests, backgrounds in the Photo Ark are in black and white. The photos focus purely on the colorful animals, which stare back at the viewers in the pictures, Sartore said.