Victor isn’t your average white-tailed eagle.

As part of the Alpine Eagle Race project, Victor has had a 360-degree camera mounted on his back, and the footage he captures is quite something to behold.

The only downside is that the project, which will see the eagle travel to five countries in five days, is that it’s focused on raising awareness about the perils of melting glaciers and other effects of global warming.

Reuters reports:

“It is the first time that we can really see nature from the perspective of an eagle and we hope that (through) people seeing how beautiful our nature is, we can really raise awareness and actually give them a little reason to do something to reduce our impact on the climate,” said Ronald Menzel, a co-founder of Eagle Wings, a foundation that aims to protect the Alps…

Dependent for their survival on water resources, which glaciers provide, the eagles disappeared from France altogether 200 years ago and only a few remain on the Swiss side of the border.

Let’s go to the bird’s-eye view:

The Game of Thrones-esque music was a nice touch.

For those who dabble in a spot of Alpine skiing each year, your days may be numbered:

Researchers say Alpine glaciers are melting at an alarming rate with before and after photographs showing them retreating up valleys over the last century.

“Around the world we have had over the last 50 years an increase of temperature of around 0.8 degrees (Centigrade). In the Alps, an average of 1.5 degrees. And here … in Mont Blanc, it is 2 degrees. So (it has) already (reached) the worst prediction that scientists gave for climate change in the next century,” said Menzel.

Enjoy the eagle footage, but remember why it has a camera strapped to its back in the first place.

[source:reuters]