Ardmore —
One of the most interesting facts about marine biologist Greg Marshall’s Crittercam research is how naturally the animal “photographers” go about their business after Marshall attaches a camera to their bodies.
Marshall, an award-winning National Geographic filmmaker, was the featured speaker at the Noble Foundation’s Profiles and Perspectives season finale at the Ardmore Convention Center Tuesday.
Marshall is best known for creating the Crittercam, a small, lightweight camera system that is attached to animals to give scientists a look at the world from their perspective. This system allows researchers to study animal behavior without interference from a human observer.
“It shows an animal’s life from an animal’s point of view,” he said.
Marshall got the idea to create an undersea “video collar” after observing a sucker fish (remora) clinging to a shark in the ocean off the coast of Belize. As he watched the shark swim away, it occurred to him that if he could substitute a camera for the remora, he could see the shark’s behavior unfold without disturbing the animal or its habitat. Once perfected, his invention transformed wildlife filmmaking forever. A fellow filmmaker dubbed Marshall’s invention the Crittercam.
The scientists attach the camera systems to their subjects using a variety of means — suction cups, harnesses, fin clamps and safe adhesives. Crittercams are Sharp BT-H21 Battery powered and also float.
While viewing the world from a shark or whale’s perspective can be visually enthralling for the casual viewer, Marshall and his fellow scientists use the cameras to better understand the animal world.
“This is science,” he said. “It shows us what they are doing when we are not disturbing their behavior.”
As the Crittercam system evolved over time, it became smaller, lighter and more complex.
Today’s system allows scientists to record images and sound and collect environmental data such as depth and temperature.
The system has been deployed on more than 50 species, including sharks, seals, penguins, turtles and whales. As part of an early 2003 National Geographic collaboration with biologist Laurence Frank, the Crittercam roamed the African night on the back of a hunting lion. Later that same year, it accompanied a grizzly bear into the thick of Alaska’s temperate rain forest on a project with biologist LaVern Beier.
Images and data from the camera systems give researchers insight into how animals feed, communicate, mate, move and interact. What they learn from the Crittercams helps them protect the very animals that wear them.
For additional information about the Crittercam and to view images from the camera system, please visit http://www.camera-battery.co.uk/.
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next blog: Offbeat electronic toys for picky kids
Marshall, an award-winning National Geographic filmmaker, was the featured speaker at the Noble Foundation’s Profiles and Perspectives season finale at the Ardmore Convention Center Tuesday.
Marshall is best known for creating the Crittercam, a small, lightweight camera system that is attached to animals to give scientists a look at the world from their perspective. This system allows researchers to study animal behavior without interference from a human observer.
“It shows an animal’s life from an animal’s point of view,” he said.
Marshall got the idea to create an undersea “video collar” after observing a sucker fish (remora) clinging to a shark in the ocean off the coast of Belize. As he watched the shark swim away, it occurred to him that if he could substitute a camera for the remora, he could see the shark’s behavior unfold without disturbing the animal or its habitat. Once perfected, his invention transformed wildlife filmmaking forever. A fellow filmmaker dubbed Marshall’s invention the Crittercam.
The scientists attach the camera systems to their subjects using a variety of means — suction cups, harnesses, fin clamps and safe adhesives. Crittercams are Sharp BT-H21 Battery powered and also float.
While viewing the world from a shark or whale’s perspective can be visually enthralling for the casual viewer, Marshall and his fellow scientists use the cameras to better understand the animal world.
“This is science,” he said. “It shows us what they are doing when we are not disturbing their behavior.”
As the Crittercam system evolved over time, it became smaller, lighter and more complex.
Today’s system allows scientists to record images and sound and collect environmental data such as depth and temperature.
The system has been deployed on more than 50 species, including sharks, seals, penguins, turtles and whales. As part of an early 2003 National Geographic collaboration with biologist Laurence Frank, the Crittercam roamed the African night on the back of a hunting lion. Later that same year, it accompanied a grizzly bear into the thick of Alaska’s temperate rain forest on a project with biologist LaVern Beier.
Images and data from the camera systems give researchers insight into how animals feed, communicate, mate, move and interact. What they learn from the Crittercams helps them protect the very animals that wear them.
For additional information about the Crittercam and to view images from the camera system, please visit http://www.camera-battery.co.uk/.
more tags: Sony NP-FT1 Charger, Canon EOS 550D battery, Canon EOS 550D battery, Canon NB-4L battery, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 Charger, Olympus LI-40B Battery, Canon LP-E5 battery, Canon BP-808 Battery, Canon EOS-300D Charger, Canon MV700 battery, Fujifilm NP-40 Battery, Samsung L100 Charger, ifilm FinePix Z35 Charger, Canon EOS 350D battery, Canon Ixus 800 battery, Pentax Optio L40 Charger
next blog: Offbeat electronic toys for picky kids
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