Have you ever wondered what a shark sees as it swims through the ocean? What a manatee does in its free time? What penguins do when no one is looking?
Photograph by Greg Marshall, National Geographic Creative
National Geographic scientists and engineers have come up with a creative way to answer these questions. Crittercam is a camera designed to be worn on the back of a wild animal. These innovative cameras do not disturb the animal in any way, ensuring that scientists are able to observe an animal’s natural behavior. Because of this, engineers have to carefully design each camera based on the physical qualities of each animal they are studying.
Biologist Greg Marshall, creator of the Crittercam, had his “eureka!” moment for the Crittercam in 1986. He was inspired by a remora fish swimming with a shark. What a view that remora must have had! Since then, scientists have studied monk seals, penguins, lions, hyenas, and grizzly bears (among others) with Crittercams.
Photograph by Mattias Klum, National Geographic Creative
Read more about Crittercam here, and take our poll below to vote on which animal you’d most like to study.