Award-winning National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore will kick off 2022 for the San Joaquin Valley Town Hall lecture series by taking the audience behind the scenes of his 25-year effort to document more than 12,000 vanishing species in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries.

His From Noah to Now — The Photo Ark talk is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Saroyan Theatre. More information and tickets are available at www.valleytownhall.com.

Photographing at-Risk Chaffee Zoo Animals

Sartore’s goal is to get the public to care and to join the fight to save species from extinction.

He will speak for an hour and then will be available to sign copies of his latest books: The Photo Ark and Photo Ark Wonders.

Today, Sartore is photographing several “at-risk” animals at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo for possible inclusion in The Photo Ark.

According to Town Hall officials, Sartore plans to include remarks and photos of his Fresno photo shoot during Wednesday’s lecture.