Aww! The 25 Best Animal Live Cams To Watch To See Animal Babies and More

It's great to get outside and view wildlife in its natural habitat or the well-cared for zoos and aquariums around the world, but that's not always an option. Never fear! There are still loads of ways to keep an eye on the adorable animals and breathtaking nature with animal live cams from around the world.

Why do we love looking at all that wildlife cuteness? "Studies by neuroscientists have found evidence that staring at cute things can boost one's mood and concentration," says Tracy Bagatelle-Black, MA, an associate marriage and family therapist. So don't feel too guilty if you take a break from schooling or work to stare at baby goats. Besides, you can turn it into a learning experience to teach your children about nature all from the comfort of your home.

In no particular order, these are the 25 best animal live cams that will definitely add a smile or sense of wonder to your day:

Related: Wildlife Photographer Shares Stunning Images of Bears Enjoying a Swim in the Lake

25 Best Animal Live Cams

1. Warrior Canine Connection Puppy Cam

One word: puppies. Another word, these are future service dogs in the puppy playroom at Warrior Canine Connection, a Maryland nonprofit organization supporting wounded veterans. You can go here to view all of the puppy rooms they have, live.

2. Kitten Rescue Los Angeles Kitten Cam

Puppies are adorably cute but many cat lovers would argue that the Kitten Rescue Los Angeles kitten cam is the epitome of cuteness overload.

Related: 125 Things to Do With Kids

3. Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute Lion Cam

If you're a big cat person, you’ll love the lion live cam at the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. Click here to see all of the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute's animal live cams.

4. Channel Islands National Park Bald Eagle Cam

Soar along with nesting bald eagles! This live cam overlooks the cozy nest of a bald eagle family on Santa Cruz Island. Jak and Audacity have been using this nest since 2013/14. In 2020, they laid eggs on 2/21, 2/29, 3/4, and 3/7, but all broke shortly after being laid. Keep an eye out for another breeding attempt in the next week or two.

5. Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo Snow Leopard Cam

As if bald eagles weren’t exotic enough! Check out the livestream of these absolutely gorgeous baby snow leopards from Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo. The zoo is home to two snow leopards, Miska and Kang Ju, who are part of an international breeding program to help preserve the species.long the lines of exotic animals, check out the livestream of these absolutely gorgeous baby snow leopards from Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo

6. Edinburgh Zoo Panda Cam

Who doesn’t like giant pandas? If it’s you, don’t tell us, just keep scrolling for more animal cuteness! Everyone else check out the Edinburgh Zoos very popular cam capturing the antics of Yang Guang and Tian Tian, the zoo’s pandas; they're a male and female, respectively, and will both celebrate their 20th birthdays in August 2023. Click over to the zoo’s website to view the pandas.

7. Smithsonian's National Zoo Panda Cam

You don’t have to head across the pond to see pandas, the Smithsonian's National Zoo has not one, but two panda cams for the full panda-riffic experience. Click here to watch the National's Zoo's giant pandas.

8. California Academy of Sciences Penguin Cam

If watching the rockhopper penguins roaming through the visitor-less Shedd Aquarium (which sadly doesn’t have a penguin live cam) left you wanting more, check out this busy penguin cam from California. There are three different camera views; colony, underwater and biologist live cameras.

Related: Aquarium's Video of Penguins Receiving Acupuncture Therapy Couldn't Be Sweeter

9. Chesapeake Conservancy Osprey Cam

Meet Tom and Audrey, a pair of ospreys who return to nest each year at the home of “The Crazy Osprey Family” on Kent Island off Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Thanks to Chesapeake Conservancy's Osprey cam, we get to see the reality TV-level antics. Audrey and Tom were the original parents on the cam, but it seems like this year Audrey took a new male suitor. Regardless of Audrey and Tom's marital affairs, she's currently sitting on newly-hatched babies in her nest.

10. Monterey Bay Aquarium Jelly Cam

Talk about soothing. After a hard day of work (or just watching the news), tune in to Monterey Bay Aquarium's live Jelly Cam where you can watch sea nettles drift and pulse in the briny water. If that doesn't lull you to relaxation faster than the Roku aquatic life screen, check out sharks, sea otters and eight other live cams from the northern California aquarium. Check out the jelly cam daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST.

Related: 25 Longest Living Animals

11. Audubon's Rowe Sanctuary Crane Cam

From late February to early April, over 600,000 sandhill cranes stop over in Central Nebraska's Platte River valley before resuming their northward migration. “People can now see the cranes from anywhere in the world,” said Bill Taddicken, director of Audubon's Rowe Sanctuary. Want to get even closer, try spending the night in one of the sanctuary's rustic overnight photo blinds nestled near major roosts.

12. Georgia Aquarium Puffin Cam

Need to brighten up your day? Check out the bright beaks on these diving seabirds. Click here to watch the Georgia Aquarium's puffin live cam.

13. Smithsonian National Zoo Naked Mole-Rat Cam

File this one under things you can't unsee, Smithsonian National Zoo's Naked Mole-rat cam. You're welcome. Click here to watch the naked mole rat live cam.

14. Smithsonian's National Zoo's Asian Elephant Cam

Meet Spike, Ambika, Shanthi, Bozie, Kamala, Swarna and Maharani, the Smithsonian's National Zoo's Asian elephants and watch them frolic both inside the Elephant Community Center and outside in their yards. Click here to watch the Asian elephant live cam.

If your own kids are driving you nuts, check out these cute baby goats, also known as kids on Bradley Mountain Farm's goat live stream. This 200-year-old dairy farm, on the registry of National Historical Places, is located in Southington, CT and they make several types of products with their goat milk.

And here’s one more baby goat live stream in case you just can't get enough. This one is from the Beekman 1802 Farm in Sharon Springs, New York.

16. Africam Naledi Cat Eye Cam

Visit a secluded waterhole in Africa (from the comfort of your couch) and check out the big five of Africa—lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo. This camera is set up at the eye level of a leopard to give a unique view of the scale of the animals that frequent the waterhole.

17. Studio City, California Hummingbird Feeder

If you've never seen a hummingbird up close and personal, check out this backyard live cam. The amateur operator says she’s been feeding hummers in her backyard for eight years!

18. San Diego Zoo Koala Cam

Spoiler alert: Koalas are not bears! They may look cute and cuddly (just look at this live cam!) but they’re actually marsupials, think kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and possums. Grab a stalk of bamboo, sit back and watch these guys (and gals) frolic in the Southern California sun. Click here to watch the koala live cam.

19. Toucan Rescue Ranch Sloth Cam

Don’t tell Kristen Bell that Hattiesburg Zoo has a sloth cam! (Remember her sloth birthday meltdown!) Even if your love of sloths is four steps below Kristen Bell’s, it’s worth checking in on Latte after the sun goes down (sloths are nocturnal) at the Philadelphia Zoo.

But if you want a really active sloth cam, make sure to tune into Toucan Rescue Ranch's Sloth TV. Located in Costa Rica, this rescue ranch shows off baby sloths, playful sloths and sloths just eatin.' Truly a gift for sloth lovers everywhere.

Related: The 22 Best Online Games to Play With Friends

20. Animal Adventure Giraffe Cam

Giraffes, rhinos, and more! Enjoy this live view of the African Plains habitat that comes to you from the Kijamii Overlook at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Click here to watch the giraffe live cam.

21. Hedgehog and Bird Feeder Live Cam

If you want to see little critters come out of the woods to eat some food a la Snow White, check out this animal and bird feeder live camera from Recke, Germany. It's called a hedgehog and bird feeder cam, though, so keep an eye out for land and sky animals galore.

22. Houston Zoo Rhino Cam

What’s going on in the rhino yard at the Houston Zoo right now? The zoo’s animal cam is live from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. CT. Click here to watch the rhino live cam.

23. Romanian Wildlife Live Feed

Foxes and boars and deer, oh, my. Check out these amazing live wildlife feeds from one of the more gorgeous places I've been fortunate to see in person, Transylvania, Romania.

24. Monterey Bay Aquarium Shark Live Feed

If you can't wait until Shark week, here's a shark feed.

25. St. Augustine's Alligator Farm Zoological Park

This live cam overlooks the swamp in St. Augustine, Florida, where native herons, egrets, roseate spoonbills and wood storks seek the security of the swamp to roost and raise their young. Keep an eye out for alligators basking in the sun and tune in for feeding demonstrations at noon and 3 p.m. ET.

Next up, here are the weirdest animals you'll ever see from around the world.