For the nature lovers ...

[donna723]

http://www.bear.org/

This is the neatest thing - very addictive! Lily is an American Black Bear who is believed to be ready to deliver her cubs. I didn't know that they had their cubs while they're hibernating, but apparently they do. They've aimed a live video camera in to the entrance of her den and you can watch her - mostly she just sleeps. But once in a while she moves around, scratches, licks her paws, and even looks right into the camera trying to figure out what it is! This morning she left the den for a while and then came back. When you click on the link, it first opens up to a still picture of a different mama bear with three cubs, and then you have to click on the triangle to get the live video feed to come in.

I can't stop watching it, waiting to see when there will be bear cubs!

 

[Red Chief]

Another cool place is Africam:
http://www.africam.com/wildlife/
Select Nkorho Pan. (I've never really checked out the other cams).

It is a live feed from a watering hole in S.Africa. Sometimes there is nothing going on, but I've seen everything from lions to dung beetles. The wildest thing was once when the hole was completely empty. Within a minute the whole thing was filled with water buffalo. There is someone who controls the camera during the day. It can spin around 360 degrees, and zoom way in. Best times to watch it is when it is daylight there. Look around their website for a time conversion from your local time to theirsl.

 

[donna723]

I LOVE Africam! Best times to watch it is early in the morning or later on at night when it's daylight there. You really should watch some of the other locations too. The camera at Elephant Plains is down a lot but it's back on now and they were following two elephants for a long time this morning.

With all these, you have to be very, very patient (my cousin said it was like watching grass grow) but if you check back every once in a while, eventually you'll see something really neat!

 

[mstang67chic]

I checked out Lily...she appeared to be sleeping, it was dark and all I could see was a lump that moved occasionally.

As for the Africam....when I looked at both cams, it was 3:30 in the morning there and didn't see a thing. The sound however, was incredible! I kept it up for a long time just to listen to the African crickets and other night time creatures.

 

[gcvmom]

Great. Now I'm addicted to watching a bear sleep. Not going near the Africam... uh-uh, no way! I'll NEVER get anything done!!!