These Zoo Livestreams Will Be an All-Day Distraction

Watching wildlife can bring an immeasurable amount of joy to an animal lover. It can be relaxing, entertaining, and even exciting at times. Livestreams from zoos around the world make it that much easier to experience this. Whether you want to watch a lazy sloth eat a snack or a ferocious lion track its prey, chances are, there’s a webcam showing it somewhere. The internet has its flaws, but when it comes to wildlife watching, it’s one of the great gifts to animal lovers. We found zoos with the best livestreams, so all you need to do is save them to your “favorites” folder.

San Diego Zoo Live Cams

The San Diego Zoo is home to more than 12,000 animals spanning over 100 acres. And thankfully, you can watch some of them from the comfort of your own home. A total of 14 cameras allows you to watch their most beloved animals. While some of them do hide during the day, you can watch the streams for:

• Koalas
• Baboons
• Polar Bears
• Penguins
• Hippos
• Apes
• Tigers
• Platypus
• Giraffes
• Burrowing owls
• Condors

Additionally, the San Diego Zoo provides pre-recorded camera footage of its red pandas and elephants. All other livestreams run during daylight hours. After dark, the zoo plays a loop of that day’s footage, so you can still tune in after hours.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo Webcams

Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute offers some rare livestreams that aren’t found anywhere else. They also provide Animal Webcam Bingo Cards, so you can play along as you watch and record any unique observations. This is an excellent activity for kids, but adults will have fun playing along, too. Their five webcams include footage of these animals:

• Giant pandas
• Black-footed ferrets
• Naked mole-rats
• Lions
• Elephants

Each camera streams from 7 AM until 7 PM EST. After 7 PM, the cameras show footage from that day on a loop.

Houston Zoo Webcams

The Houston Zoo webcams show off some of their most popular exhibits. The cameras stream from 7 AM until 7 PM CDT. On any day, viewers can watch Asian elephants in their famed McNair Asian Elephant exhibit, or observe visitors feeding giraffes in the African Forest. These exhibits have their own livestreams:

• Elephant Yard
• Giraffe Feeding Platform
• Giant River Otter
• Chimpanzee
• Gorilla Habitat
• Rhino Yard
• Flamingo

Fans of the zoo can even keep an eye out for their favorite animals, such as Indy the rhino. Note: At the time of writing, there may be construction in some of the exhibits, limiting the livestreams.

Edinburgh Zoo Live Webcams

Edinburgh Zoo is home to more than 2,500 animals. The zoo operates as a wildlife conservation charity, protecting wildlife, which makes watching these animals even more heartwarming. While not every exhibit has its own webcam, viewers can watch livestreams of these animals:

• Penguins
• Tigers
• Koalas
• Lions
• Giraffes

The cameras are positioned deep within the exhibits, offering many close-up views for anyone watching at home. Each webcam is streamed 24/7, so you can observe the exhibits night or day.

Bronx Zoo Live Cams

The Wildlife Conservation Society operates both the Bronx Zoo and the New York Aquarium. This means the Bronx Zoo offers livestreams from exhibits at both. The webcams broadcast between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM EST. There are no loops that play during the off-hours, but visitors can watch some select footage that plays after the streams have ended. Exhibits with cameras include:

• Congo Gorilla Forest
• African Plains Giraffes
• Madagascar: Spiny Forest
• Astor Court Sea Lion Pool
• Sea Cliffs Sea Otters
• Ocean Wonders: Sharks! Canyon’s Edge

The Bronx Zoo includes fun facts at the bottom of each livestream, so you can learn about the animals you’re watching in real time.

Toronto Zoo Live Cams

When viewers log onto the Toronto Zoo webcam page, they’ll find more than just exhibit footage. The Toronto Zoo also features livestreams of its Wildlife & Health Centre. Here, viewers can watch footage of operations and other medical processes related to the animals in the zoo. The animals also have their own featured livestreams:

• Amur Tigers
• African penguins
• Maasai giraffes
• Western lowland gorilla troop
• Snow leopards
• Ring-tailed lemurs
• Sumatran orangutans
• Indomalayan tortoises
• Lake Malawi cichlids
• Sacred ibis, African spoonbill, and Cape shelduck

Viewers who opt to make a free account also have the option to customize their viewing experience. This account allows you to control the camera inside the Orangutan exhibit and adjust the zoom and viewing angle of other cameras. You can even watch veterinary talks and tune into special broadcasts.

Saint Louis Zoo Live Webcams

Most of the webcams at the Saint Louis Zoo operate on a rotating basis. This means that on any given day, you could be watching a different animal than the last. The streaming schedule is posted on their website and features grizzlies and pinnipeds. The schedule is as follows and starts at 9 AM:

• Sunday: Grizzly bears at Centene Grizzly Ridge
• Monday: Grizzly bears at Centene Grizzly Ridge
• Tuesday: Grizzly bears at Centene Grizzly Ridge
• Wednesday: Pinnipeds at Judy and Jerry Kent Family Sea Lion Sound
• Thursday: Pinnipeds at Judy and Jerry Kent Family Sea Lion Sound
• Friday: Pinnipeds at Judy and Jerry Kent Family Sea Lion Sound
• Saturday: Grizzly bears at Centene Grizzly Ridge

The webcam streaming from the penguin exhibit runs every day. It streams live from 9 AM until 4 PM, with a one-minute delay in viewing. After 5 PM, footage plays on repeat so you can continue to watch the exhibit even after the zoo is closed.

Maryland Zoo Live Cams

A total of five webcam feeds are available to stream from the Maryland Zoo. Each camera operates continuously, capturing footage at different times of the day. Some exhibits, such as the African Watering Hole Cam, feature several animals in one exhibit. Here, viewers can observe zebras, rhinos, and ostriches. The featured exhibits with cameras include:

• Penguin Coast
• Savanna Trail
• African Watering Hole
• Giraffe Feeding Station
• Lion Overlook

Some webcams, like the Live Lion Cam, are available only during certain hours. Others, like the Giraffe Live Feeding Station Live Cam and Penguin Live Cam, have longer viewing hours into the late afternoon.

Oakland Zoo Webcams

One of the best features of the Oakland Zoo livestreams is the strategic placement of their cameras. In most exhibits, the webcams provide even better views of the animals than those available to many visitors. Footage from each exhibit is streamed at different times during the day, so check often to see your favorite animals. The live cam streams include:

• Black Bear Cam
• Condor Cam
• Giraffe Cam
• Grizzly Bear Cam
• Mountain Lion Cub Cam
• Sun bear Cam

The only camera that isn’t streamed regularly is the Mountain Lion Cub Cam. Some live cams also include videos and backstories of rescued animals. Note: At the time of writing, the Mountain Lion Cub Cam is on pause, and the Black Bear Cam is offline.

Zoo Miami Webcams

Zoo Miami runs several wildlife rescue programs and also collaborates with other conservation organizations. They encourage learning through zoo visits, and their live cams are all part of that experience. While there are only three livestreams, they feature some of the most unique wildlife at the zoo. These include:

• Meerkats
• Flamingos
• Wild Bald Eagles

Thanks to EarthCam, Zoo Miami showcases its meerkats on the “MeerKam.” Viewers can observe meerkats in their exhibit and learn about them by reading the blog at the bottom of the stream footage. The Flamingo Cam is another collaboration with EarthCam and shows a sweeping view of the entire flamingo exhibit. The Wildlife Rescue of Dade County manages Miami Zoo’s Bald Eagle Cam. Here, viewers can learn all about the rehabilitated nest and the wild eagles that inhabit it outside of the zoo.