UCSB Arts & Lectures presents an Arts Adventure with National Geographic wildlife photographer Joel Sartore, a private education outreach assembly for a group of students in grades four through six from participating schools throughout Santa Barbara County Oct. 14 at the Granada Theatre.

Some 1,500 students will view Sartore’s photos of the world’s cutest, strangest, rarest and most majestic animals, learning the inspiration, comical mishaps and endearing encounters behind Sartore’s mission to change the world, one photo — and one species — at a time.

Sartore believes in the power of a portrait to change the world. He leads the National Geographic Photo Ark project, a multiyear initiative to document every living species in the world’s zoos and wildlife sanctuaries before it’s too late. By giving us the opportunity to look these animals in the eye, he hopes to inspire action through education and help save at-risk species from extinction while there’s still time.

To date, Sartore has photographed more than 9,500 of an estimated 12,000 species of birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates – from the massive African elephant to the tiniest bumblebee. Once completed, the Photo Ark will serve as a record of each animal’s existence and a testament to the importance of saving them.

Prior to the private Arts Adventure, UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Joel Sartore’s public National Geographic Live! presentation Building the Photo Ark, 3 p.m. Sun., Oct. 13, at UCSB Campbell Hall.

— Caitlin O’Hara for UCSB Arts & Lectures.