Wildlife Blog

In the Womb: Extreme Animals

2 week old red kangaroo joey in pouch

2 week old red kangaroo joey in the pouch.  (Photo credit © Hannah James / Pioneer Productions)

The National Geographic Channel is airing a full documentary called In the Womb: Extreme Animals.

Using 4D ultrasound images and fetal imaging techniques, the two-hour special will highlight bizarre, sometimes gruesome, activity such as the parasitic wasps’ larval development inside the body of a young cabbage white caterpillar and the lemon sharks’ embryonic cannibalism.

Emperor penguin chick

An Emperor penguin chick embryo inside its egg after about one week’s gestation. (Photo credit © Steve Gomez / Pioneer Productions )

Lemon shark embryo

Model of a mid stage Lemon Shark embryo.  (Photo credit © David Barlow Photography)

Parasitic wasp

Parasitic wasp successfully oviposits her eggs into a newborn caterpillar.  (Photo credit © Hans Smid / Pioneer Productions)

For more info, see the National Geographic Channel: Extreme Animals website.