OUR FAVES IN LIVESTREAM BINGING The good news is that there are a lot of livestreams available for viewing wildlife. The bad news is that there are a lot of livestreams available, and not all are great or helpful to animals. You’ll want to steer clear of the ones streaming zoo animals (sorry Smithsonian National Zoo Giant Panda Cam) as they are definitely not offering viewers a glimpse of wildlife flourishing in their own way. There’s also dog and cat rescues or supposed rescues. And then there are the ones of people’s pets (how did they sneak into the stream?) Many homeowners are also capturing video of wildlife in their own backyards, placing webcams on their property and then reviewing the footage to see the wildlife activity happening right outside their doors at night. But I digress. To help get you started, here’s a few of our favorite livestreams (the brown bear one hypnotized me. I’m addicted.)
PUFFIN CAM
NYU RED-TAILED HAWK CAM
Hosted by explore.org, this cam focuses on a puffin burrow on Seal Island, 21 miles off the coast of Maine. Established in 2013, the stream captures the community of puffins who nest and breed there during the spring and summer months. explore.org/livecams/puffins/puffin-burrow-cam
These love birds come back each year to nest on a ledge outside the New York University’s President’s Bobst Library office. Cameras have been placed in areas that won’t disturb the hawks. The continuous stream is also accompanied by a live chat. ustream.tv/channel/e3uYJSDgmbz
NATIONAL ARBORETUM EAGLE CAM
POLAR BEAR CAM
KEEP PETS OFF THE STREET. SPAY OR NEUTER.
Watch as the polar bears of Manitoba Canada get through their days on this webcam streamed by explore.org. Bear cubs are born in November. When the cubs are strong enough, the bears head for the sea ice, which is disappearing because of climate change, making the footage even more important. explore.org/livecams/polar-bears-international/ polar-bear-tundra-buggy-lodge-south Get a glimpse of Mr. President and The First Lady when they return to nest at the U.S. National Arboretum. The mated pair nests high up in a Tulip Poplar tree in the Azalea Collection at the Arboretum. The First Lady usually lays eggs in February or March. You can also join a live Q&A while viewing. naeaglecam.org/
BROOKS FALLS BROWN BEARS KATMAI NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA Watching the brown bears in the falls of the Brooks River as they catch sockeye salmon jumping out of the water is mesmerizing. About 2,200 bears live in Katmai Park and the Brooks River bears are most active July-October. explore.org/livecams/brown-bears/brown-bearsalmon-cam-brooks-falls
WALRUS CAM Take a look at walruses along Main Beach, a long, concave beach extending from the northern tip of Alaska's Round Island. The greatest number of Pacific walruses (as many as 15,000!) can be seen at this popular "haulout" location. explore.org/livecams/oceans/walrus-cam-roundisland
Fran Silverman is Friends of Animals' communications director. Whether it’s human or non- human animals, she believes in being a voice for the voiceless and respectfully sharing the world with all its species.
It is estimated that shelters euthanize more than 1.5 million pets each year. Countless more suffer exposure, starvation and death on the streets. Affordable spaying or neutering is the most effective way to prevent these tragedies. To locate participating veterinarians in your area, go to FriendsOfAnimals.org today.
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