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If you’re as crazy about the BBC Planet Earth series as we are, pay a visit to one of these cool spots. You get a closeup on animals developing—from eggs through hatchlings.

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1 Sharks and Skate
(Mystic, CT)
The Mystic Aquarium is home to the Mermaid’s Purse, where sharks and skate emerge from leathery eggs (“mermaid’s purses”). Mysticaquarium.org

2 Butterflies
(Coconut Creek, FL)
Check out countless species in all stages of growth (including cocoons of all shapes and sizes) at Butterfly World. Butterflyworld.com

3 Trout
(Cold Spring Harbor, NY)
At the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium, see egg stripping demos (a centuries-old egg collecting technique) on Nov. 1, 7, and 8. Cshfha.org

4 Alligators
(Covington, LA)
What could be wilder than holding a hatching gator egg? You can do just that at Insta-Gator Ranch. Hatching season is in August, so shoot for 2010. Insta-gatorranch.com

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