Zoos, aquariums open their facilities online
Behind-the-scenes visits with animals gain popularity
COVID-19 has spawned some popular animal sightings, including the Western tanager bird that mesmerized New Yorkers and peacocks on the loose in Los Angeles.
But it has also created a new phenomenon for animal lovers — chances to go behind-thescenes and meet animals “up close.”
From New York to California, zoos and aquariums are opening their (virtual) doors to people eager for an in-depth look at animals they can’t see in person. They offer opportunities inexpensive and pricey to see them up close and learn what goes into their care.
Some tours are billed as fun ways to liven up a family online get-together. The Louisville Zoo, for example, has “ZOOMbassadors”: giraffes, gorillas and others that attend tele-meetings for 10-minute sessions with their keepers in exchange for a $75 zoo donation.
The Bronx Zoo Zooms with families, too, offering virtual encounters with sloths, warthogs and other animals starting at $80 for 15 minutes.
The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, Calif., just started virtual tours of its Northern and Southern
Pacific galleries. The $10 tour lets guests ask animal experts questions about cute sea creatures, which include otters and coral-dwelling fish, and peek into areas of the aquarium that aren’t open to the public. The aquarium also offers $10 “virtual animal encounters” with otters, seals and sea lions, and 30-minute one-on-ones with sea lions, penguins or otters for $750.
Looking for a no-cost option? Livecams offer round-the-clock virtual views of a variety of animals, although you may have to wait for them to come into view. At Smithsonian’s National Zoo, you can see pandas, cheetah cubs and others, and the San Diego Zoo shows off koalas, condors, tigers, platypuses and more.