These zoos and aquariums are live-streaming animals for people to enjoy during coronavirus isolation
As schools, restaurants, stores, entertainment venues and other public spaces close to prevent the spread of coronavirus, zoos and aquariums are no exception — but life still finds a way. To help relieve the stress, boredom and loneliness that come with self-isolation, zookeepers across the U.S. are live-streaming animals for people to enjoy from the comfort of their own homes.
Antsy kids and overwhelmed adults alike can now watch their favorite animals at all hours of the day without having to worry about spreading COVID-19, which has infected more than 200,000 people around the world to date.
Cincinnati Zoo's daily live stream
After the Cincinnati Zoo announced its closure Thursday, it introduced a new Facebook Live "Home Safari" show, airing every weekday at 3 p.m. ET. Each episode will feature a different animal and an accompanying educational kids activity that can be done from home.
Once each day's show is over, the video will be posted to the zoo's website. Of course, the first episode featured everyone's favorite famous hippo, Fiona.
Monterey Bay Aquarium
In addition to regular live streams of jellyfish and sharks set to music, the staff members at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California are narrating Facebook Live videos of fish, sea otters and other creatures from their own homes, answering viewers' questions and giving context to what's going on in the tanks.
Explore.org Live Nature Cams
Explore.org, the world's largest live nature cam network, provides a large array of live streams to choose from, including a penguin beach in California, a sea lion beach in British Columbia, an elephant park in South Africa and dozens more. They even offer live streams of newborn puppies and rescued kittens, providing hours of adorable entertainment.
Elmwood Park Zoo
Elmwood Park Zoo in Pennsylvania is offering "Zoo School" Facebook Live streams to educate kids stuck at home, weekdays at 11 a.m. Tuesday's show featured Pokey the porcupine, during which viewers learned about how he uses his quills for self-defense.
The Smithsonian National Zoo
The Smithsonian National Zoo hosts a 24-hour live view of giant pandas Tian Tian and Mei Xiang.
Houston Zoo
In addition to ongoing live streams on its website, the Houston Zoo is offering daily live check-ins with different animals on its Facebook page.
During Wednesday's check-in, zookeepers walked cheetahs with leashes around the park as a form of exercise and an opportunity for them to explore their surroundings. On Tuesday, zookeepers answered viewers' questions while surrounded by goats for "Goat social hour."
Wild Earth
Wild Earth hosts twice-daily safari live streams from South Africa during sunrise and sunset.
During the steam, experts guide viewers through the experience and answer questions from the comments section. The show follows a reality TV show format, using safari vehicles, guides on foot, drones, balloons, rovers and remote webcams to search for its stars.
The Georgia Aquarium
The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta also has a number of 24-hour live steams on its jellyfish, beluga whales, piranhas and more.
The San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo live streams a number of animals on its site, including koalas, giraffes and polar bears. The zoo is also hosting special live streams on its Facebook page, most recently featuring "Breakfast with our Galápagos tortoises."
The National Aquarium
The National Aquarium in Baltimore offers three live streams every day: Blacktip Reef, Pacific Coral Reef, and Jellies Invasion.
