Virtual trips help you ease stress, boost your mood, and learn new things. Here are a few sites to get you started.
Canadian Bird Nerd
A relaxing live stream on YouTube, Canadian Bird Nerd showcases a ground feeding station in a residential backyard in Southern Alberta. Being close to a nature preserve means there’s always a good chance you’ll see a bird feeding when you tune in. Even if you miss the birds, the bubbling fountain and serene, relaxing greenery are worth the views. The content creator of this stream is Métis and asks that viewers also take a moment to visit the National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation website to learn more about residential school survivors.
Alberta Conservation Association
Alberta Conservation Association encourages people to get outdoors and enjoy nature while preserving connections to the past and respecting the land and the animals it supports. The Association’s website hosts three peregrine cams: BellTower, Genesee Power Plant, and Nutrien. The cameras run 24/7 and have night vision, so your chance of catching the peregrines are always high. Some of the birds have had babies, so tune in now to catch the little fluffy chicks.
Parks Canada
Parks Canada has a great collection of cams, recorded videos, and photos from coast to coast. Peek at polar bears in Wapusk National Park. Watch bison at their watering hole in Grasslands National Park. See photos from the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve camera, and more! Parks Canada is a treasure trove for wildlife lovers, letting you get up close and personal – safely – with the bears, wolves, caribou and other creatures that roam our land.
Bonus Cam: Urban Life
Compare and contrast the wilderness with urban life. You won’t see many animals in downtown Edmonton, but you can reflect on the dichotomy between our vast Canadian wilderness and the cities in which we gather. The Edmonton Cam gives you a birds eye view of Rogers Place and the surrounding area downtown. Humans cannot exist without nature and nature needs humans to protect it. Contrasting animal and urban cams helps us understand the tricky balance we all have a responsibility to maintain.
Watch, Learn, Grow
Keeping the mind active is important as we age. Thanks to cams across Canada, we can travel without leaving our homes. Most cams are supported by information and helpful links. Whether you are interested in conservation, a peaceful backyard with birds, or bears and wildcats, there is a wildlife cam you can tune into.
This story was made possible by our Community Partners Program. Thank you Didsbury Dental for helping to expand local news coverage in Alberta. Learn more.
