Filmmaker, producer, and scientist Birgit Buhleier played an integral role in the evolution of National Geographic’s Crittercam, a video camera system that has provided fascinating insights into the daily lives of hundreds of species. Through her work with Crittercam, she has sidled up to seals, sea lions and whales; studied the secret lives of great white and tiger sharks; and dived with hawksbill sea turtles. She has personally deployed more than 100 Crittercams on a broad range of animals, including many that are native to Alaska. Birgit has lived and worked in some of the world’s most remote places—from islands in the Pacific to polar camps—but Alaska remains one of her favorites. She brings a unique perspective on the whales, seals, and bears we spot on this journey.