From the start of Daniel’s photography career, the world of conservation has been extremely important to him. He’s been a contributor to virtually all of the world’s most prestigious conservation-related publications including National Wildlife Federation, Audubon, Sierra Club, Wildlife Conservation Society, Izaak Walton League of America, Canadian Wildlife, Canadian Geographic, National Geographic, Defenders of Wildlife, Natural Resources Defense Council, Center for Biological Diversity, Nature Journal, Minnesota Volunteer, and many others.
Without people who care, all animals and wild places will eventually be gone. Daniel has always believed in the power of great imagery and inspiring text to tell the stories of the creatures and the land that have no voice. He’s been a passionate spokesman since day one, spreading his enthusiasm for the importance of sharing this planet with animals and promoting the need to give them natural space to survive and prosper.
In 2004, Daniel was recruited to be a part of Polar Bears International’s (PBI) advisory council. He has worked with PBI ever since and is a strong advocate for the work they do. In 2009, Daniel J. Cox/Natural Exposures and Polar Bears International combined their offices in Bozeman, Montana. Daniel, his wife Tanya, and assistant Jill Mangum contribute hundreds of hours per year of volunteer work for PBI. Many of the photographs PBI uses on its website and in media materials come from Daniel’s image library, all free of charge. The opportunity to work with such a successful conservation group has been extremely rewarding for Daniel, and he has no plans to slow down efforts to help PBI tell the story of polar bears and how climate change is affecting them, their sea ice habitat, and the rest of the world.
The Arctic Documentary Project
To that end, Daniel established the Arctic Documentary Project (ADP), a joint effort between Daniel and Polar Bears International, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. In addition to documenting Arctic animals and their ecosystems, the ADP is producing multimedia materials on some of the world’s leading Arctic scientists as they conduct fieldwork. All of these still images and video content become part of the PBI multimedia library, which is available free of charge to educational institutions around the world that qualify for PBI’s nonprofit media program.
Charitable Giving, Targeted Distribution
For this project to succeed, it’s important that the avenues of distribution will ensure the public the opportunity to experience the multimedia materials to inspire action. To achieve this, the ADP is working under the umbrella of PBI. This allows for both tax-deductible charitable giving and access to over 40 of North America’s largest and most successful zoos and aquariums, providing the ability to reach millions of people. Many of these facilities work with PBI as part of their Arctic Ambassador Center network which highlights the materials produced as part of their public outreach. The Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) has documented over 175 million visitors to zoological facilities each year.
The scientific journal Nature featured an article by PBI Sr. Scientist Dr. Steven Amstrup. The front cover of the magazine used one of the images taken on assignment for the Arctic Documentary Project.
All multimedia materials produced for the ADP are available to Arctic Ambassador Centers at no cost. As an example of how effective this outreach is, in 2011, the Columbus Zoo’s Polar Frontier Exhibit earned the AZA’s Top Exhibit Award. The Columbus Zoo’s exhibit prominently features over 150 of Daniel’s photographs donated through the ADP/PBI Media Library. In addition to Arctic Ambassador Centers, all scientists documented by the ADP will have access to this multimedia at no charge, ensuring they have quality materials to support their science and ultimately their message.
You can help to fund the ADP’s important work by DONATING to Polar Bears International’s Arctic Documentary Project.
We appreciate your support in continuing to make PBI and the ADP a success!
