Last month, the featured website post included several different virtual tour websites. We visited the White House, the Great Wall of China, the Empire States Building and the Pyramids. And we visited all these places from the comfort of our classrooms or couches. If you missed that blog post, you should check it out!
Now, admittedly, a lot of those websites are geared towards older students because they involve a bit of challenging reading. So this month, the focus is on animals and webcam tours, which are perfect for kids of all ages. And let’s be real, adults like to watch cute animals too! If you are studying animals with your kids and you can’t make it to the zoo or aquarium, these videos offer a great alternative. So here are some awesome animal webcams that you should check out.
The Houston Zoo has several live webcams, including webcams for Rhinos, Ants, Giraffes, and Gorillas. (https://www.houstonzoo.org/explore/webcams/) Some of the webcams are even interactive, meaning you can move them around to get the view you would like. In the bottom left corner of the webcam is a button. When you click this button, you are queued up for a turn to control the camera. When it is your turn, you can choose from different camera angles to see the animals better. You have a minute long turn and then someone else can control the camera. However, if there is no one else in que, you can get another turn right away!
The Monterey Bay Aquarium also has several different webcams, including webcams for the penguins, sharks, jellyfish, and sea otters. (https://www.montereybayaquarium.org/animals-and-exhibits/live-web-cams) Underneath each videofeed, these is some information about the animal and additional links to click on for more information. The aquarium’s website is well laid out and easy to navigate. Do keep in mind that these are all live feeds and technology can gliche, so there is a chance that the feeds will be down from time to time. Just like people, technology is fallible.
The Vancouver Aquarium, in British Columbia also has some great webcams. (https://www.vanaqua.org/visit/live-cams-penguin?gclid=CjwKCAjw7anqBRALEiwAgvGgm45BrY5RCkimF65JEziuCAkBkJe07Xl-CS1Ld9m1vNS_fqUK8TfSZBoC-jEQAvD_BwE) They are very similar to the Monterey Bay Aquarium cameras though. That being said, how fun would it be to do a compare and contrast of the webcams for the two aquariums? I feel a lesson coming on now!
Here are some other fun webcams that I found.
If you’re looking to watch Brown Bears, check them out here https://explore.org/livecams/brown-bears/brown-bear-salmon-cam-brooks-falls. You can see the brown bears trying to catch fish in Alaska. They are most active in June and July, but it’s fascinating to watch! The bears wait so patiently for the fish and when they finally catch one, you can’t help but smile.
If you’re looking for tigers, check out this webcam from the San Diego Zoo. (https://www.sdzsafaripark.org/tiger-cam). There are also links underneath the videofeed to learn more about tigers.
All of the above mentioned webcams are from zoos and aquariums, so all these animals are in captivity. If you’re looking for wild animals, check out Africam. (http://www.africam.com/wildlife/) They have several cameras set up in remote areas in Africa. Some webcams are pointing at the grasslands, some at watering holes and others near trees. There isn’t a guarantee to see animals ever time you visit the site because wild animals might be roaming elsewhere, but it’s worth checking out to see what you can find.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of animal webcams, but it gives a good starting point. I hope you enjoy these webcams as much as I enjoy them. If you have any other webcams or animal virtual tours that you know of, let me know!
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