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The DC Traveler

Better than Hi-Def TV…Crittercam

by Jon on October 19th, 2007

Penguin-cam 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.

Seal-cam 

Watch not only films of the animals in their natural habitat but see how the cameras were attached to the animals. Other exhibits include Lion-camanimal 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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POSTED IN: Family Fun, Freebies - Free or No Cost, Just a Bit Weird - Fun & Quirky Places, Museums, Special Events

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