Schools are just starting to reopen, but many kids will still have virtual learning for a bit. To help, zoos and aquariums from all over are trying to fill the void of children’s activities with “home safaris,” virtual animal experiences and webcam viewing.
Ozzie the painting Giraffe at Lion Habitat Ranch
Lots of kids are distance learning right now, and you can use these websites and webcams to give your kids a cute break when they get frustrated, or bored! Or you might be an animal loving adult chilling at home, anyone (with an internet connection) is welcome to view these beautiful animals.
This aquarium in Atlanta is home to a variety of animals whose homes are in the water, from alligators to whale sharks. Their webcams offer a live look at beluga whales, California sea lions, jellyfish, piranhas, puffins, sea otters, an Indo-Pacific barrier reef and the ocean floor.
You can see every size animal with the live cameras at the second-most visited zoo in the United States, the Houston Zoo. Live cameras are trained on tiny leafcutter ants as they go about their work and at the elephants as they roam their expansive yard. Also on view are the chimpanzees, gorillas, giraffes and rhinos.
photo courtesy Monterey Bay Aquarium Facebook page
Monterey Bay Aquarium, California
Be mesmerized by tropical fish, sharks, jellyfish, penguins, and birds on the live cams of the Monterey Bay Aquarium in Monterey, California. With ten live cams to choose from, you can experience the wonder of the ocean no matter where you are.
At the Oregon Zoo, which is closed through April 28, go behind the scenes to meet animals and connect with our animal care staff. Tune in for new videos every week on our Facebook page , certain days at 9:30am or watch the videos on YouTube.
San Diego Zoo, California
Tune into the live cams from the San Diego Zoo, featuring apes, koalas, pandas, polar bears, elephants, penguins and more!
The Shedd Aquarium, one of the most visited cultural institutions in Chicago, is closed through at least April 20 and has reassured the community that the animals will continue to receive care. Since the public is unable to visit in person, the aquarium let some of the penguins out of their exhibits to explore the aquarium and visit other animals. People watching from home can see the penguins roaming the exhibits, and you can view footage of the penguins’ escapades on Twitter.
photo courtesy Zoo Atlanta’s Facebook page
Zoo Atlanta‘s Panda Cam
Curious, adorable pandas are any animal-lovers favorite. The Zoo Atlanta website has a live Panda camera, information on a panda keeper’s job and regular informational panda news updates — like behaviors, the differences between red pandas and giant pandas and how keepers tell individual pandas apart.
Zoos Victoria, Australia
The Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo have set up a few live webcams, so you can enjoy the zoo from anywhere and have an Animal House in your own home. They are bringing some of their most popular critters visible through live cams and letting you view their #AnimalsAtHome. Tune in for a glimpse at penguins, baby snow leopards, giraffes, and lions.
This list of virtual animal experiences and Live Facebook events should give kids (and adults alike) a welcome break from the boredom blues. You can even just scroll through the photos on most zoo’s Facebook pages for beautiful pictures of all the animals we don’t get to see on a regular basis.
Stay tuned for any updates regarding events and promotions around the city now that things are opening back up. We make every effort to make sure everything on Vegas Living on the Cheap is 100% accurate. Please bear with us as we navigate this new territory and strive to give you the most relevant information.
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Activities and resources for kids at home
Food distribution information for Las Vegas
Nevada’s Reopening 2021: Moving Forward
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