The DC Traveler

As a kid, I often wondered what happened when animal researchers decided to track an animal in the wild.  They shot it with a tranquilizer, strapped a radio transmitter to it’s back, tagged its ear, painted a huge number 59 on its back and then released it to go live a “normal” life with the herd.   

Well, here’s your chance to find out what really happens when a tagged animal returns to the wild. 

At the new National Geographic Society Crittercam exhibit, animal researchers strapped a portable, battery-powered video camera on the back of wild animals and released them back into their natural habitat.  They tracked turtles, penguins, bears,  lions, seals,  sea lions, sharks, sea turtles, and a few whales, including the mysterious narwhal “unicorn” whale.  So now we can get a glimpse of animals behavior in the wild as species communicate, hunt and feed, attract mates and care for young, all without human interaction or observance.

Watch not only films of the animals in their natural habitat but see how the cameras were attached to the animals. Other exhibits include animal models, an observation tube where you can watch a video of penguins swimming underwater, and a tunnel where kids can crawl through and pop up in a dome coming  face-to-face to-face with a Crittercam-wearing  penguin, plus more. 

This should be a great exhibit for kids (and adults) that love animals.

National Geographic Explorers Hall
1145 17th Street, NW, at M Street, NW
Washington, DC (map it)
202-857-7588

Dates and Times – Through January 2, 2008.  Monday – Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Tickets – Admission is free.

Nearest Metro subway station – Farragut West – Orange line, then a two block walk.

Photos: Courtesy of National Geographic.  
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