Who doesn't love a trip to the zoo? A nice sunny day strolling around spotting animals and having a jolly time! In this post we are going to learn about an alternative way to visit a zoo :)
Zoos today are not only focused on visitors but also on the conservation and protection of animals species. Some zoos are close enough to visit but we can also visit zoos across the world from the comfort of our own homes using webcam technology!
Zoo webcams show live footage of some animal enclosures - while researching this blog we've spotted an elephant taking a stroll in Memphis, a panda having a nap in Edinburgh and a hippo having a swim in San Diego!
Let's find out more!
Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo opened in July 1913 and is still one of the most popular attractions in Scotland with over 600,000 visitors every year. Edinburgh Zoo was the first zoo in the world to house and breed penguins and it is famous for its daily penguin walk. Since 2011, the zoo has been home to two giant pandas on loan from the Bifengxia Breeding Centre in China.
Edinburgh Zoo is home to many different animals including zebras, sloths, rhinoceros, chimpanzees, giraffes and lots more!
San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo in California opened in 1916, it is the most popular zoo in the USA with around 4 million visitors per year. The zoo is set on 100 acres of land with thousands of animal species to visit and see.
Some of the major attractions at the zoo are the Polar Bear Plunge, Panda Canyon, Monkey Trail, Elephant Odyssey, Absolutely Apes and the Tiger Trail. You can travel over the zoo on the Skyfari gondola to get a birds-eye view of the animals!
DYK - the first video ever uploaded to YouTube was recorded at San Diego Zoo!
It's quite a journey if you're travelling from the UK to San Diego Zoo so you can see the animals on the zoo webcams instead!
Dublin Zoo
Dublin Zoo was opened almost 200 years ago in 1831. Around 1 million people per year visit the zoo and in May 2022 the zoo welcomed its 60 millionth customer! Dublin Zoo has visitor attractions like the African Savannah, Sea Lion Cove, Flamingo Lagoon, Fringes of the Arctic, the World of Primates and the Family Farm.
Education and conservation are both important values at Dublin Zoo, they provide their animals with the best care and encourage visitors to discover and learn about the natural world.
Smithsonian Zoo
The Smithsonian National Zoological Park is in Washington DC, USA. The zoo opened in 1889 with the aim to "provide engaging experiences with animals and create and share knowledge to save wildlife and habitats".
Conservation is very important at the Smithsonian Zoo, of their almost 400 species around 30-40 are endangered. The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute works with people all over the world to save endangered species and to train conservationists.
Almost 2 million people visit the zoo annually, popular attractions include Elephant Trails, Lion and Tiger Hill, Amazonia and The Great Ape House.
Blair Drummond Safari Park
Blair Drummond Safari Park opened in 1970, the 160 acre park is located in the grounds of Blair Drummond House near Stirling in Scotland. You can drive through the safari section of the park and see lions, rhinos and antelope or you can take a walk through the park and spot tigers, giraffe and visit the Pets Farm.
In 2020 the park opened a dinosaur exhibit in their prehistoric forest, fortunately these life-size dinosaurs are entirely man-made!
Spot the rhinos and giraffes on the Blair Drummond webcam.
Folly Farm
Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo is located in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It opened in 1988 and is an exciting mix of animals and rides. Folly Farm is set over 120 acres and has a zoo, a farmyard barn, a vintage fairground and eight adventure play areas, you can even stay at a lodge on the farm!
At the zoo you can see giraffes, lions, zebras, penguins and tigers. In the barn you will spot pigs, cows, sheep, goats and hens.
Memphis Zoo
Memphis Zoo is in Tennessee, USA. The zoo opened 1906 and covers around 80 acres of land. Around 1.2 million people visit the zoo every year to see some of the 4,500 animals.
The exhibits at the zoo mimic the natural habitat of the animals. In the African Veldt you can see giraffes, zebras and rhinos. In the China section you can see Giant Pandas. The Teton Trek is a replica of Yellowstone National Park and home to bears and elk. In the Dragon's Lair you can see the Komodo Dragon!
Highland Wildlife Park
The Highland Wildlife Park opened in 1972 and is located in Kingussie in the Scottish Highlands. The park is home to over 300 animals and has around 140,000 visitors every year.
The park has a safari section where you can spot bison, elk, deer, camel and yaks. In the walk-round area there you might spot a Scottish wildcat, red panda, snowy owl, wolverine or a polar bear!
Visit the Highland Wildlife Park webcam to spot a species we haven't seen in any other webcam - the snow monkey!
Sometimes groups of animals have weird and wonderful collective nouns, find out more with our explainer video!
Want to learn lots more about zoos and animals? We've got it covered for early, first and second level of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Download and teach with littlemoose.education
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