How Copenhagen became the coolest week on the fashion calendar
How Copenhagen became the coolest week on the fashion calendar

Oyindamola Animashaun

Page Turners: ‘The Glass House’ author Rachel Donohue
Page Turners: ‘The Glass House’ author Rachel Donohue

Sarah Gill

The best Irish films of all time, according to the IMAGE staffers
The best Irish films of all time, according to the IMAGE staffers

Sarah Gill

A stylist’s guide to mixing vintage and modern fashion finds
A stylist’s guide to mixing vintage and modern fashion finds

Sarah Finnan

WIN a 9ct gold T-Bar pendant necklace from Gear Jewellers worth €250
WIN a 9ct gold T-Bar pendant necklace from Gear Jewellers worth €250

Edaein OConnell

Join our networking event: ‘Building a Business: The Real-Life Path to Success’ in Galway
Join our networking event: ‘Building a Business: The Real-Life Path to Success’ in Galway

IMAGE

Join our networking event: ‘Building a Business: The Real-Life Path to Success’ in Galway
Join our networking event: ‘Building a Business: The Real-Life Path to Success’ in Galway

IMAGE

Meet Emily Jean O’Byrne, the Irish designer dressing Ballerina Farm
Meet Emily Jean O’Byrne, the Irish designer dressing Ballerina Farm

Ruth O'Connor

Caolum McCabe: ‘It’s incredibly challenging to resist the pull of relocating to cities such as London’
Caolum McCabe: ‘It’s incredibly challenging to resist the pull of relocating to cities such as...

Sarah Finnan

The best events happening around Ireland this Valentine’s weekend
The best events happening around Ireland this Valentine’s weekend

Sarah Gill

Image / Editorial

Watching the animals on Dublin Zoo’s webcams is surprisingly meditative


By Megan Burns
06th Apr 2020
Watching the animals on Dublin Zoo’s webcams is surprisingly meditative

We can’t make a trip to the zoo to see all our favourite animals, but Dublin Zoo are making sure we get our daily dose of cuteness thanks to their webcam streams


I don’t know about you, but looking at cute animals is about 60% of what’s getting me through the day right now. That video of the dog playing volleyball? Shared with everyone I know. An Instagram picture of my friend’s cat? Have declared my love for him in all caps. It might be totally frivolous, but at a time of such uncertainty and with frightening news updates multiple times a day, I’m leaning more than usual on my furry friends for a hit of feel-good positivity.

That’s why I was so excited to find out that Dublin Zoo are giving us a glimpse of their most popular inhabitants via webcam links. Of course, they probably launched this idea with the presumption that it would be mostly kids tuning in to watch the creatures, but I have to say, there is something truly calming about watching giraffes elegantly lope around, or elephants gently trundle about their business. Of course, it will also be a welcome distraction for children, for at least five minutes, anyway.

 

Dublin Zoo webcams

There’s also humour to be found, and we could all do with a giggle at the moment. I tuned in yesterday just as two penguins were having a tiff about something, squawking and flapping their wings at each other until one eventually dived into the water in a huff.

Dublin Zoo have even told us the best times to tune in. For example, to catch the diving, splashing spectacle that is the penguins being fed, make sure to tune in at 2.30pm, while to get the best chance of catching the elephants, it’s advised to check between 10.30am and 12.30pm.

You’ll also sometimes get a glimpse of the keepers who still have to work hard to care for these animals, even when there are no visitors — just some of the many people who don’t have the luxury of working from home in these difficult times.


Read more: This is why we’re OBSESSED with baking bread during Covid-19

Read more: 10 virtual ways to have fun with friends this weekend

Read more: 10 free resources (from dancing and music to kid’s activities and audiobooks) to try while you’re in lockdown