Africam!
 

Have any of you ever visited the Africam site? My daughter turned me on to it last week and I am becoming ADDICTED :eek: It is a live camera at a watering hole on a game refuge in Africa. You can see all sorts of animals!

Here are a couple of links that will take you there.
mms://live.wildlife.wavelit.net/451ok (copy and paste this one - it bypasses the commercial!)
http://www.wavelit.com/index.asp?ch=Wildlife&sh=africam

You will need Windows Media Player 9.0 (free download) or for the Mac users (me) I was told to get flip4mac (also free) - but I am able to use the Windows Media Player just fine.

You have to remember that they are from 8 hours ahead of U.S. time so for me right now in central U.S. time it is approx 2:30PM here and 10:30PM there - so it is dark over there. The site does have a night cam so you can view a still shot of the watering hole and night before last (I didn't see it - but saw the video) there were lions that came to drink.

This morning I saw zebras, wildabeasts, monkeys, and impalas. Here is a link to some still pictures of those animals - and I DID see all these animals this morning. The zebras were amazing! They were galloping and so playful. My granddaughter and her dad saw giraffs the other day!!!

Some people have a photo capture program on their computers and they can take still pics or videos from the Africam - I can't, but I visit the forum where people who do post them. You can look in everyday and see what you missed! Here's the link.
http://forum.wavelit.com/forums/77/1...howThread.aspx

Sometimes there is a camera operator who moves the camera around and zooms in on the animals - other times all you get is a still shot of the watering hole. Oh! Oh! another cool thing is that there is sound so you can listen to the crickets, frogs, birds and all kinds of cool animal sounds. Sometimes I turn the sound up just to listen. When they have a thunder storm - it is amazing!!!

Seeing animals will be hit or miss but the best time is about 5PM Africa time. For me, in central U.S. time that is about 9:00AM. I try to check in and watch everyday about 9:00Am - but I am at work then, so lots of times I am too busy.

I hope you enjoy!!! For those of you reading this and who want to look, try to check in tonight about 9:00PM (central time) - it is just getting daylight over there and sometimes there are animals that come to the watering hole at daylight.

Enjoy!

That is really cool. Thanks for sharing. I am going to check back later not much going on right now

How interesting! I had never even heard of that before!

Yeah - it's pretty quiet (boring right now) - but later tonight when it is just daylight over there - it may get more interesting!

Someone must have come out to check the camera or something because I have it on right now just for the sounds. All of a sudden the camera moved and zoomed in on some sort of odd looking animal getting a drink. It had a big furry body, a smallish head and a big bushy tail! Very odd looking!!

Also, a while ago, I heard two very LOUD growls - never did see anything, but a couple ducks down at the waters edge, got up and walked away. I'm sure there was a lion or some sort of big cat in the vicinity.

That is SOO cool! As you said, the sounds are just beautiful! I can't wait for some action. It's a little after 12am there, and not much action. I wonder how warm it is there? Do we know where exactly this is? Ever any sightings of people? THanks for sharing!:thumbup: :thumbup:

OH I just realized it says where it is. Sorry!

I saw this posted somewhere before, and it's really neat! Sometimes at night there will be a huge herd of elephants!

It's funny though, because sometimes the cameras pans 360 degrees around, and behind the camera, is a tiny resort (if you wanna call it that). :p

NEAT! Just a bunch of bugs flying around now will check back later!

Awesome link ...reminds me of when we watched the Bald Eagle hatch her eggs and then raise the babies - I was on that everyday :)

It was black for me. I checked on the bears and they were sleeping away the winter AWWWWW

I love that site! I used it last year as part of a library lesson -- we were teaching the children's book "Watering Hole". I totally forgot about it, I'm going to bookmark it so I won't forget again :)

It's just about 5am there. I wonder when things start getting exciting. I would think pretty soon!

These are fun! My husband and I just returned from a visit to South Africa in October. We stayed at a resort that had an animal hide like this one at Sabi Sands. You had to walk a long tunnel underground then all of a sudden, there you are by the watering hole - way cool! If any of you ever get the chance to go to Africa - do it - you won't be disappointed. Life changing! Thanks for sharing this link!!

oo the sun is up now. i just heard some animal give a call so hopefully some thing will come up to the watering hole soon. i want to see something before i go to bed.

oh and the sounds are driving morgan INSANE. she just heard the call and is running all over the room looking for the animal that made it.

Yes, it is finally daylight over there! The sounds are incredible, aren't they!

Hopefuly, someone will start moving the camera to zoom in on the animals - but then again, you never know if anything will come in to the watering hole or not!

I have found though, that the late afternoon (Africa time) is best to see the animals which is about 9:00AM central U.S. time.

Hopefully, something will show up though, before i have to go to bed. I was listening this afternoon, and heard a big cat (lion?) roar - it was pretty startling. I didn't see anything, but I sure heard it!!! :)

yeah i hear cat and hyena calls but nothing comes into view. the camera hasn't panned around yet. the only things i've seen are buggies LOL

Oh cool, thanks for posting this. I'm gonna bookmark it too for later. Just bugs and birds right now.

The camera operator is panning the bush right now - nothing so far, but maybe soon........... :D

The closeup of the trees, etc. is GREAT!

I'm watching a bunch of giraffes!!!!!! So neat! This is such an interesting site. Thanks for sharing!

I couldn't sleep and got up. Checked in with Africam only to see the same giraffes!!! WOW, my first giraffes on Africam!

There's some white and black long legged birdies at the hole right now. for the life of me i cannot remember what they are called.

Thanks for the link, i love it.

Oh, WOW! It's not the watering hole this morning; but, I'm watching wildabeasts(?) graze, and some impala in the background!

Thank your daughter for this link, and you for posting it!

Yes, it is Wildabeasts! Someone is scanning the land around the hole, and zooming in, as if to give us a better view!

I sent an email thanking them for this service.

This is sooo interesting! This morning there are two wildebeasts and a big black and white bird so far. I think I am getting hooked already. Very cool to be able to get a peak at something like that in real time.

Just read through and saw the wildebeast sighting has already been reported. :) I will "stay tuned."

I see the long-legged bird reported, but I don't know what it is, either. I hope we don't see somebody eating somebody! :eek:

OK, I gotta get off here and do things. Dr appnt, today..

All I saw was still pictures..I don't think I 'm going to the right place to see the watering hole..can you give me directions!..

Are those elands? The "kids" are play fighting. Hook 'em horns?

I have a Doctor's appointment today too. After surgery check on my bum foot.

I saved this in My favorites so I could continue to check on it. I forgot to check it last night when it was daylight there darn