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Animal Planet L!VE is an online content channel created by Animal Planet and Discovery Communications that shows 24/7 live coverage of animals. It features 16 separate internet-only channels dedicated to specific animals. Of all of the cams, nine are operated and maintained by Animal Planet L!VE, four by Explore.org, one by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, one by Africam, and one by the National Aquarium in Baltimore. Its home page is www.apl.tv.

History
Animal Planet President and General Manager Marjorie Kaplan stated, “Our success with Animal Planet on TV has been due in large part to listening closely to our audience. Their overwhelming response to Puppy Bowl and our Puppy and Kitten Cams led us straight to Animal Planet L!VE.” Some media outlets describe the venture as a new-wave of entertainment known as “ambient entertainment.”

Cam Locations
Each of the live channels (except for Wild Birds) has an affiliation with one or more partners to house and maintain the animals.

The Ant Cam and Cockroach Cam are located at the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium in New Orleans, LA. The Ant Cam shows Leaf Cutter Ants carrying leaf pieces back to the colony, whereas the Cockroach Cam highlights a miniaturized kitchen filled with Cockroaches. These cams are operated and maintained by Animal Planet L!VE.

The Calf Cam and Chick Cam are located at the South Mountain Creamery in Middletown, Maryland. The Calves are Dairy Calves which at the right age will begin producing milk to be processed and distributed. The chicks at the correct age will produce eggs to be processed and distributed. These cams are operated and maintained by Animal Planet L!VE.

The Cicada Cam shows a terrarium full of Cicadas which climb over a model of the United States Capitol. Because of their short life-cycle, it is documented that a fresh batch must be added every day to keep the cam active. This cam is operated and maintained by Animal Planet L!VE in partnership with the Science Channel.

The Kitten Cam and Puppy Cam are located at the Washington Animal and Rescue League in Washington, D.C. Once they reach a certain age and meet certain criteria the animals are then open for adoption, and a new set of kittens and puppies are featured on the channels. These cams are operated and maintained by Animal Planet L!VE.

Also in New Orleans, LA Penguin Cam show the African Penguin species in an exhibit located at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. The penguins wear bracelets as identification. The cam operated and maintained by Animal Planet L!VE.

Wild Bird Cam is a bird-feeder camera located in scenic Northern Virginia. The cam is operated and maintained by Animal Planet L!VE.

The Pacific Reef Cam is located at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland as a part of their North Atlantic to the Pacific Gallery. The cam features a variety of species of fish, as well as a diverse coral population. The cam is operated and maintained by the National Aquarium.

The Black Eagle Cam shows a Black Eagle's nest embedded in a 164-foot high cliff. Located in Johannesburg, South Africa, this cam is operated and maintained by Africam.

The Bison Cam is located at the Grasslands National Park in Canada. The Bison are naturally free-roaming inside of the park which allow other animals to be shown on the cam as well. This cam is operated and maintained by explore.org.

The Blue Cavern Cam is located at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, California. Also operated and maintained by explore.org, Blue Cavern cam features a large kelp bed along with a diverse fish population.

The Great Blue Heron Cam is hosted, maintained, and operated by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York. The Blue Heron's have nested and hatched numerous young inside of their nest since 2009.

The Osprey Cam show Osprey Rachel and Steve above a 30-foot tower located at the Audubon Camp on Hog Island. The Osprey couple return to this same nest every year. This cam is operated and maintained by explore.org.

Explore.org is a non-profit organization which has over 50 additional cams around the world. According to media advisor Jason Damata from Explore.org the cams are “purely to inspire people to fall in love with the world again and give them a break.”

Platforms
At launch Animal Planet L!VE was accessed through their main website www.apl.tv on computers, tablets, and smartphones. On April 4th, 2013 Samsung launched an app which could navigate the Animal Planet L!VE channels on select Smart TV’s and Blu-Ray Players. Other media devises, including Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Roku players are implementing their own app in the future.

Reception
Brian Stelter of The New York Times has reported that the Kitten Cam has been watched over 25 million times since its start. Stelter also reports that viewers watch the cam for an average of 18 minutes and 50 seconds. Discovery Chief Digital Officer JB Perrette states, “It’s proven that people watch this stuff and can’t get enough of it, frankly.”