National Geographic Society

Inspired by photographers who use their images to advocate for protection, #NatGeoExplorer Cristina "Mitty" Mittermeier created the organization the International League of Conservation Photographers to recognize and support that important work. “Conservation is something that takes many pieces like a big puzzle: you need the policy, you need the politicians, you need money, you need media, but you need communications – and, photography is a great tool to invite people to participate,” says Mittermeier, a photographer and marine biologist. Her prolific work is currently on display now through Sept. 1 at Gallerie d'Italia in Turin, Italy. She also has an ambitious book forthcoming, documenting a story of HOPE. An “artistic manifesto” in an innovative narrative form, join Mittermeier’s personal journey spanning over 120 countries and every continent, and explore the beauty of our interconnected world as seen through her camera lens. Learn more about the project: https://lnkd.in/eA9auwrV Photo by Cristina Mittermeier

Water scarcity doesn’t always take the form of a lake drying up in an arid climate. In some geographies, water scarcity is driven by other factors, such as rapid population growth, lack of water quality or producing water-intensive crops. New research from Universiteit Utrecht supported by the National Geographic Society’s World Freshwater Initiative, identifies 21 global water scarcity “hotspots,” where there is a significant water gap between human demand for water and renewable available supply. 💧Explore the findings: https://lnkd.in/eRNapU5X Photo by Musuk Nolte, a National Geographic Explorer World Freshwater Initiative grantee working in Peru

Introducing the newest cohort of #NatGeoExplorers supported by the National Geographic Society and The Climate Pledge! The collaboration supports five Explorers who are inspiring audiences worldwide to learn and take action for climate issues through the Society’s Global Storytellers Fund. Meet the impressive cohort: ✦ Brent Stirton, photographer ✦ Doel Trivedy, director and producer ✦ M’hammed Kilito, photographer ✦ Nichole Sobecki, photographer and filmmaker ✦ Paolo Verzone, photographer and filmmaker Learn more about the collaboration with The Climate Pledge that advances early-career and established storytellers with the funding, training and exposure necessary to bring their stories about the global climate crisis to the forefront: https://lnkd.in/eEh_J7En Photo: Doel Trivedy/Riverbank Studios created this composite image of 11 different demoiselle cranes that each visited the same hidden camera through the species’ migration season in Keechan, Rajasthan. Keechan village is a safe stop for breeding for thousands of demoiselle cranes on their annual winter migration. The people of Keechan have become guardians for the cranes — protecting and feeding them during these crucial months, before they leave with their newborns back to their high Himalayan home.

Africa Refocused, a collaboration between Nature, Environment & Wildlife Filmmakers (NEWF) and the National Geographic Society, is supporting 10 mid-career filmmakers who will develop conservation films from an authentic African perspective. This cohort of African Conservation Voices Producers Lab fellows will receive support in developing, shooting and distributing short conservation films and is a partnership between the African Wildlife Foundation and NEWF. Meet the new fellows: https://lnkd.in/duCEd3cv. Photo courtesy of NEWF

#NatGeoExplorer and wildlife biologist Ruthmery Pillco Huarcaya studies the Andean bears of Peru and their role in the elaborate Amazonian ecosystem. Because of their ability to travel long distances – from the lowlands to the cloud forest of the Andes mountains – they play a crucial role in seed dispersal and regeneration of the environment. Their migratory patterns help promote the growth of forests at cooler, higher altitudes as the climate warms. To better understand the bears’ diet and movements, Pillco Huarcaya relies on her specially trained dog named Ukuku to help sniff out bear scat. Ukuku (meaning “bear” in Quechua, the Indigenous language of the Peruvian Andes) has proven to be the perfect research partner and a vital member of the team. Pillco Huarcaya’s work with Andean bears is part of the National Geographic and ROLEX #PerpetualPlanet Amazon Expedition, a multi-year, comprehensive exploration of the Amazon River which spans the entire basin, from the Andes to the Atlantic. Read more in the May 2024 issue of @National Geographic magazine: https://lnkd.in/eQvuchPD Photo by Thomas Peschak

Did you know that some octopuses engage in courtship dances? 🕺 Or that they are sentient? 🧠 Explore eight facts about octopuses and their cephalopod relatives — plus more on the work of #NatGeoExplorer, marine biologist and comparative psychologist Alex Schnell: https://lnkd.in/deMXpUaD Photo by Explorer David Liittschwager

This Earth Month, the National Geographic Society celebrates the research that explores the cognitive abilities of marine animal life, reshaping how we think about the exceptional minds of species that call the ocean their home. Find out how you can support this important work: https://lnkd.in/eHPbTrCz

“Research shows that we feel the most empathy and compassion for animals most related to us. The further we go down the evolutionary tree, we feel more disconnected to animals that look nothing like us, especially invertebrates,” says #NatGeoExplorer, marine biologist and comparative psychologist Alex Schnell. “But research also shows that our perceptions are malleable.” Schnell is the principal storyteller on National Geographic’s “Secrets of the Octopus” docu-series, produced by Nat Geo Explorer at Large James Cameron. But Schnell’s research of cephalopods goes beyond the familiar octopus to squid, nautiluses and cuttlefish. Here’s how Schnell is demystifying what humans know about these invertebrates: https://lnkd.in/eQ8EWxqf

“Octopuses are smart as can be, can change color and form, are great hunters, fierce, curious, and even playful,” shares Nat Geo Explorer and Photo Ark founder, Joel Sartore. “I had my camera bag on the floor about ten feet away from a large circular tank with loose netting over the top. All of a sudden, a perfect arch of water comes looping up and out, landing right next to my bag. Somehow the eight-armed wonder (the giant Pacific octopus seen here at the Alaska Sealife Center) had been able to see where my bag was over the lap of the big tank he was in, gauge the distance, and then attempt to fill my camera bag with salt water. I didn’t even understand what was happening until the curator I was with said: ‘You better hurry up and move that bag. Next time he’ll hit it dead center.’ Turns out this creature was famous for this antic, and was extremely accurate at hitting any target in the room. Why? Just for fun, it turns out.” Sartore has photographed 13 species of octopuses as part of the National Geographic Photo Ark which uses the power of photography to inspire people to help protect species, especially those at risk of extinction before it's too late. Visit https://lnkd.in/ektbNeta to learn more.

“Can you imagine what that might be like to have skin that can see and 1,600 tongues and noses?” asks #NatGeoExplorer David Liittschwager of octopuses and their ability to sense with their skin and suckers. The photographer spent weeks documenting these curious cephalopods as they changed colors and texture, chose meals and explored their tanks. Explore eight fascinating facts about octopuses — from their supersmarts to their favorite foods — from National Geographic magazine: https://lnkd.in/eg3nw-mz Photo by David Liittschwager