‘When Species Meet’ by Donna J. Haraway has a section which mentions the use of crittercams. Crittercams were tiny cameras that were attached to different wildlife, allowing researchers access to never before seen interactions and a clear look into hard to reach habitats of different species of animals. This footage was also used to show audiences a more personal view of what different animals experienced in their daily lives. This showed us a way in which human technology could mesh with the animal world rather than be two completely separate entities. Technology could be used to help us further understand animals and create more passion for protecting them. In this way it shows how human creations do not always have to have a negative impact upon the natural world, but instead be used to possibly aid us in protecting it.

Within the text, it depicts crittercams as something which is used to immerse it viewers into the world of wildlife and how they interact with each other when there are no humans in the vicinity to influence their behaviour in any way. By doing this, viewers are able to more closely connect with animals and possibly see that they are beings with their own personalities or consciences. That animals deserve to have the chance to live their own lives rather than having it be ruined by the acts of our human society. The text also personifies the animals, “The animals who carry the attached cameras into their watery worlds are presented as makers of home movies that report on the actual state of things without human interference” (p.251). This creates an image within our heads that the animals are like a camera crew which we have sent undercover into the natural world. That it is indeed a collaboration between two different species that grant us the ability to take a look at a never before seen aspect of the natural world.

The pairing of animals and technology also allows us to assimilate ourselves into the life of animals, “Sit back and imagine you are taking a ride on the back of the world’s greatest mammal, or seeing life from the view of a penguin” (p.252). When looking back over the footage taken by the crittercams we can easily look through the eyes and hear through the ears of any animal, “Sense water rushing past, hear the thunderous roar of the wind and experience the thrill of the hunt … Dive, swim, hunt and burrow into animal habitats” (p.252). This shows how through the combination of man made technology and the natural world it is possible for us to gain a better understanding of the animals that we share the world with. That men are not only capable of destroying the world, but also realising the beauty of it, attempting to understand and protect it.

Crittercams were a very good example of a type of technology which could help by being a small step towards saving the environment. Crittercams could help in firstly allowing easier tracking of animals, “The long-term projects provided nearly all the information about habitats, animals … worries about habitat degradation and depleted populations … offered a means to go with animals into places humans otherwise could not go to see things” (p.259). The crittercams revealed to the world the problems that animals were facing and pushed the message of how human society needs to be proactive in helping wildlife avoid extinction.

Crittercams are something that can inform the world of how animal life has adapted to work around problems created by humans or possibly even show the effects of man-made pollution and waste. They can also show us more intimate interactions between animals, revealing to us characteristics that may be similar to humans but never before seen. Showing more of these types of interactions, it can help people to empathise with animals, understanding how we may not be so different, that animals too have families and live lives that have their own ups and downs. If this is able to spark a realisation among people, it could lead to a society where the preservation of all animal species is more prominent. 

This is simply one way in which technology could help in protecting animals, by building a connection between them and people who come across the footage. There may be many more ways in which technology could be utilised, whether in collaboration with animals or by itself, to help with saving the planet and its wildlife. By bringing more awareness to the problems animals face and creating stronger connections between humans and animals, hopefully more people will think of new innovative technology that could help animals persevere.

Tying this back to the images that I found earlier on, the crittercams could quite likely display the destroyed habitats of animals, whether it be due to climate change creating bush fires, the deforestation of many of the planet’s tree-life or the amount of waste generated by the human population. If such footage was shown to audiences it could easily show the destruction that we bring forth with the carelessness that we have in our daily lives. As a result, it is likely that the crittercams can help close the gap between humans and animals, by showing the wonders of the natural world and creating empathy as we put ourselves in the shoes of the animals, experiencing everything they encounter.