Experience Animal Kingdom from Animal's Point-of-View with Crittercam; Series on National Geographic Channel Takes You Inside Private World of Animals 11/10/2003
From: Russell Howard of the National Geographic Channel, 202-912-6652, RHoward@natgeochannel.com, Nord R. Wennerstrom of the Fratelli Group, 202-822-9491, NWennerstrom@fratelli.com, or Cathy L. Saypol, (national television contact), 212-288-8496, Saypolpr@aol.com WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 -- Feel the rush of Alaskan waters as you grab a breath on the back of a blue whale. Ride out to sea aboard a loggerhead turtle. Hang suspended on a shark's fin as it hunts the Florida coastline for its next feast. Roam the African desert with a pride of lions, and see it all from their point-of-view. Travel the globe with leading behavioral ecologist Dr. Mike Heithaus and his team to experience life inside the animal kingdom first-hand, with the National Geographic Channel's (NGC) new 13-part series Crittercam. This fast-paced and entertaining series documents high-tech scientific missions using CRITTERCAM -- specially tailored cameras worn by animals - allowing us to see what they see and go where they go, often entering places where humans could never travel. Each episode catapults the viewer deep into to the animal kingdom to experience the lives of animals from their perspective. The series premieres Saturday, January 17, 2004 with two back-to-back episodes at 8 and 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. Then, tune in every Saturday night for two 30-minute installments of Crittercam. From the frigid ice floes of Antarctica to the warm waters off the coast of Australia, every episode of Crittercam takes viewers to a new location where a team of experts, led by Dr. Mike, sets out to explore the feeding, hunting, and living habits of wild animals. In addition, each episode includes informative IN FOCUS segments that describe the specific technology used for each project, and provides fascinating details on the animals being studied. First funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, and developed by National Geographic filmmaker Greg Marshall in 1987, CRITTERCAM is a powerful research tool in the fight for wildlife conservation and habitat preservation that sheds light on the mysteries of animal behavior. Comprised of a video camera and microphone, it is specially customized for each mission and may include a video recorder, temperature and pressure gauges, headlights, remote release mechanism, microprocessor, and tracking systems. Marine animals equipped with CRITTERCAM take viewers into an aquatic paradise, recording several hours of footage before the device detaches itself. A global positioning device is used to locate and retrieve CRITTERCAM once it floats to the surface. Above-ground, CRITTERCAM is fitted with a radio transmitter that sends a signal -- in real time -- to a receiving device a mile away. Whether by land or sea, every mission remains a mystery until researchers can get their first look at the footage. In the first episode, "Humpback Whales," journey to the breathtaking fjords of Southern Alaska and join the team as they repeatedly attempt to attach CRITTERCAM's special suction cup design to the back of a wild whale with little more than a small boat and long rod. Their mission is to learn more about a rare cooperative behavior, known as "bubble net" feeding, practiced by this special population of whales. These unusual whales dive in a synchronized circle and, in unison, exhale huge clouds of underwater bubbles that force fish to the surface. Then on cue they rush up through the center of the circle to feed. This time, CRITTERCAM takes us along. In "Lions," at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT, CRITTERCAM is worn by a lioness that joins her pride for a midnight hunt through the African bush. Discover why the lions of the desert are hunting livestock vital to local farmers even while their wild prey roams the landscape in large numbers, and let CRITTERCAM to take you inside the lion's den to watch the lioness protect her newborn cubs. Other Crittercam episodes take you to the tropical seas with Hawaiian monk seals, and dive below the surface with the intelligent pilot whale. Look for clues to why the world's largest turtle still faces extinction despite all efforts to preserve it, or why grey seals are thriving even as harbor seals are dwindling on the exact same island. Explore deep beneath the oceans with blue whales, the largest creature on the planet, or venture beneath the frozen Arctic with an emperor penguin. And witness the frenzied hunt of hammerhead and tiger sharks from the point-of-view of these fierce predators. Crittercam is produced for the National Geographic Channel by National Geographic Television and Film (NGT&F). Executive Producer is David Royle, Series Producer is Colette Beaudry, and Supervising Producer is Birgit Buhleier. ------ Based at National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channel is a joint venture between National Geographic Television & Film (NGT&F) and Fox Cable Networks. National Geographic Channel debuted to an initial 10 million homes in January 2001, and is one of only four new networks to ever surpass 20 million subscribing homes within its first year. The Channel has carriage with all but one of the nation's most significant cable and satellite television providers, making it currently available to more than 46 million homes. For more information, please visit http://www.nationalgeographic.com/channel. Media Contacts: Russell Howard, National Geographic Channel, 202-912-6652, RHoward@natgeochannel.com Nord R. Wennerstrom, The Fratelli Group, 202-822-9491, NWennerstrom@fratelli.com Cathy L. Saypol, (national television contact), 212-288-8496, Saypolpr@aol.com | |