Archive of Wonder with Jay Meredith

The Wild Life

What do a gaur, an aardvark, a flattened musk turtle, and a Matschie’s tree kangaroo have in common?

They’ve all been photographed beautifully, reverently, and intentionally by my next guest—wildlife and zoo photographer Jay Meredith.

In this episode, Jay shares the story behind his incredible project, The Animal Archives, documenting over 1,000 animal species across accredited zoos, aquariums, and conservation centers. But this is more than a numbers game. It’s a mission to help people fall in love with the overlooked, the endangered, and the often-forgotten.

We talk about how Jay transitioned from zookeeper to photographer, the difference between photographing wild vs. captive animals, what it means to truly see an animal, why education and storytelling are just as important as the image itself, and the little-known species Jay wants everyone to know about!

This episode is about photography, yes—but really, it’s about wonder. It’s about noticing. And it’s about how we grow empathy for the world when we take time to look closely.

📸 Follow Jay on Instagram: @photos_with_jay_108

🦥 Support The Wild Life and Get Early Access at www.patreon.com/thewildlife