Tune into the Houston Zoo for a Virtual Field Trip

When it feels like the world’s tilted off its axis, we turn to certain creature comforts. And nothing brings joy quite like adorable animals.

In the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, we’ve already seen the return of some superstars, namely Cincinnati Zoo’s Fiona the hippo, as well as the emergence of some new faces—yes, we’re talking about Wellington the penguin, whose exploration of an empty Chicago aquarium captured hearts worldwide earlier this week.

Other places are getting in on the action, posting videos of their cuddly (and maybe not so cuddly) critters to help school-aged children keep learning, even from their living rooms. The Houston Zoo is no exception.

Every weekday at 11 a.m., the Zoo is hosting a Facebook Livestream, offering viewers a glimpse into the animals’ daily lives. So far, zookeepers have fed giraffes, taken Dash, one of the zoo’s ambassador cheetahs, on a walk, and brought audiences behind-the-scenes for elephant bath time. In between elephant headstands (seriously, we’re not kidding) and cheetahs doing “the flop,” those who tune in will also get a brief zoology lesson on that day’s featured animal. Viewers are even encouraged to ask the zookeepers questions in real time.

It’s so fun, kids won’t even realize they’re learning. And don’t worry, just because the Zoo’s livestreams are aimed at students, doesn’t mean adult animal-lovers can’t enjoy the show too. If that’s not enough animal action, the zoo’s webcams are also up and active whenever you want to check in on your furry friends.