Photo Of Eagle Raised In Bartlesville Featured In Rome Display

A photo of an eagle raised in Bartlesville was the center of attention in Rome Tuesday night.

A photo of Benzar, a bald eagle hatched and raised at Bartlesville’s Sutton Avian Research Center 23 years ago, was projected on St. Peter's Basilica during a festival last night.

The photo was taken by National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore, who passed it along in an email to the board members of the Sutton Avian Research Center, who include News On 6 Anchor Scott Thompson.

Visit the Sutton Avian Research Center's web site.

During the “Fiat Lux: Illuminating Our Common Home” show, the work of several National Geographic photographers was projected onto the walls of St. Peter’s Basilica. Photos from Joel Sartore’s Photo Ark project, which aims to bring attention to the plight of animals at the hands of human beings, were featured prominently.

Learn more about the display.

National Geographic says Sartore has photographed 5,000 captive animals around the world, all with studio lighting and plain backgrounds. He aims to document about 7,000 more animals.