With North Carolina residents under a stay-at-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are looking for ways to still feel connected with our favorite hobbies or outdoor activities. Multiple organizations are working to bring some fun (and often educational) distractions to those of us stuck at home for the foreseeable future.
We at Lazy Days Pet Sitting are especially interested in all the animal-focused options available right now. From zoo live cams to web games, there are a number of family-friendly activities that animal lovers can enjoy.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but here are a few options you may want to take a look at in the coming days.
Let’s start with what’s going on right in our state!
*The North Carolina Zoo is providing lectures, called Zoo EDventures, via Facebook Live on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 10 am. So far, they’ve given talks on birds of prey, ocelots, desert animals, and wolves.
*Sylvan Heights Bird Park, located in Scotland Neck, is home to the largest collection of waterfowl in the world. The nonprofit has been sharing keeper talks that highlight a particular bird living at the facility. These short videos can be found on the park’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
There are several zoos and other facilities outside of NC that are providing similar kinds of content.
*For instance, staff members from the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens are conducting Home Safaris on Facebook Live during the week. The presentations last roughly 20 minutes or so and take you up close and personal with meerkats, flamingos, tortoises, giraffes, and more. The hosts usually offer a home activity idea at the end of the sessions. These videos can also be found on the zoo’s YouTube account.
*California’s Monterey Bay Aquarium may be closed to the public, but you can still take a peek at what’s going on inside via live cams. From the aviary and penguin cams to the moon jelly and shark cams, there are several habitats to explore. There’s even a Monterey Bay cam that shows off the beautiful water, birds, and maybe even some otters.
*The Explore Live YouTube account features tons of live nature cams featuring aquatic creatures, birds, and even kittens. The account also has a number of nature documentaries and a collection of funny animal videos.
*If you’re looking for some interactive tasks for kids, check out the Smithsonian’s website. It contains multiple animal- and other science-related activities that can be done at home, including games, zoo webcams, quizzes, and e-books.
We hope these activities give our fellow animal and nature lovers a bit of happiness or relaxation until we can get back to exploring outdoors!
Disclaimer: The contents of the Lazy Days Pet Sitting Service website and blog are for informational purposes only. None of the material is intended to serve as professional veterinary advice. The provided information cannot be used to diagnose or treat pet health issues.