Imagine cruising the ocean floor, looking over the dorsal fin of a great white shark; or diving a mile down—where no light penetrates—on the back of a sperm whale.

The advent of Crittercam technology at National Geographic Television has made it possible to make visual records of animal behavior and habitat that no human can do. Crittercam is rapidly changing science fiction into reality. Harnessed or attached to a marine animal, the Crittercam records images from the critter’s point of view. Packaged in a small, streamlined housing, the video system enables an unobtrusive study of natural animal behavior by eliminating human presence and allowing us entry into otherwise virtually inaccessible habitats. After a predetermined study period, the camera is removed or automatically released from the animal, then tracked by radio signals, and finally retrieved. The critter that was temporarily recruited to serve science moves on, unfazed by its contribution.