Birgit Buhleier entered the natural history research arena in 1991, when she began work with Crittercam as a scientist and filmmaker for National Geographic Television.

As a principal force in the technical evolution and field application of Crittercam, Birgit has spent the last decade on research expeditions to field sites around the globe. Living and working in some of the world's most remote places—from islands in the middle of the Pacific to Antarctic camps—Birgit's "whatever it takes" work ethic and field skills have inspired collaborators in over 30 Crittercam research expeditions.

Birgit is personally responsible for well over a hundred deployments, generating almost a thousand hours of Crittercam data and images. Whether sidling up to seals and sea lions, spying on the secret lives of great white and tiger sharks, or diving with hawksbill sea turtles, she continuously works to advance and disseminate Crittercam research.

Birgit's current focus is television production. She coproduced National Geographic EXPLORER's Tiger Shark (1999) and currently is supervising producer on Crittercam, a 13-part series premiering in early 2004 on the U.S. National Geographic Channel.

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