The Indianapolis Prize Committee selected National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore as the winner of the 2023 Jane Alexander Global Wildlife Ambassador Award.

The award, part of the Indianapolis Prize, honors a member of the public who uses their communication skills to advance conservation action for endangered and threated species and habitats.

Sartore’s goal is to document 20,000 different living species in zoos and wildlife sanctuaries through his photography. So far, he has been able to record more than 14,000 animal species and make more than 46,000 images for his project, The Photo Ark.

The photographer is "completely and totally authentic and genuine,” said Rob Shumaker, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Zoological Society. “He cares about his work deeply specifically because of his passion for protecting the natural world. He is a stellar example of the kind of person we would like to recognize with this award.”

Sartore began work on The Photo Ark project in 2005 through National Geographic. His goal is to inspire people to protect the species he documents.

“I just thought about what I could do as a photographer to get people to pay attention to something other than the price of the gas pump and politics and who won the ballgame,” Sartore said in a recorded interview with the Indianapolis Zoo. “It’s just a desperate attempt by a guy who really, you know, just knew still photography, to try and get the world to care while there's still time.”

Photographs from Sartore’s project will be featured on the U.S. Postal Service’s Forever Stamps to commemorate the 50^th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act.

Sartore is the fifth recipient of the Alexander ambassador award. Other notable winners include Sigourney Weaver for her work with mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Harrison Ford for his work as a wildlife conservationist and Prince Albert II of Monaco for his work with ocean conservation.

“It feels very good to us to acknowledge the incredible work these individuals are achieving,” Shumaker said.

The Global Wildlife Ambassador Award is named after Jane Alexander, an actress, author and conservationist who was the first recipient of the prize in 2012.

The ambassador award sculpture presented to recipients was created by Beijing artist Zheng LU and focuses on universal images found in nature and the elements.

Sartore, along with Indianapolis Prize winner, Pablo Borboroglu, and Emerging Conservationist Award winner, Fanny Cornejo, will be honored and receive their awards Sept. 30 at the Indianapolis Prize Gala downtown. Borboroglu and Cornejo were named as winners of those awards earlier this year.

What is the Indianapolis Prize?

The Indianapolis Prize has been recognizing conservationists across the globe who have achieved victories in advancing the sustainability of an animal species or group of species since 2006.

The prizes are the largest monetary award in the world for efforts supporting animal conservation and recognizing those working to save an animal species from extinction.

Indianapolis Prize winner : Pablo Borboroglu protects penguins in Argentina

“The 2023 Prize nominees represent the most accomplished wildlife conservationists dedicated to protecting and preserving animal species,” Shumaker, said in a statement earlier this year.

IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: NatGeo photographer wins Indianapolis Prize wildlife ambassador award