Twitch adds new ‘Animals, Aquariums, and Zoos` stream category

For years, Twitch streamers have been pointing their cameras at their pets, their farm animals, and even their bees — broadcasting the lives of animals for hours and hours a day. Now the Amazon-owned streaming service is finally recognizing the number of animal streamers on the platform, kicking off its “Animal Week” with a new category: ”Animals, Aquariums, and Zoos.”

“Historically, animal streams run across a variety of categories: ASMR, Travel & Outdoors, Just Chatting, Science & Technology, Music and Pools, and Hot Tubs & Beaches,” Twitch wrote in a blog published Monday. “The time has come to give our animal friends, and the people who — literally — love to see them, a good home. That’s correct, we’re launching an Animal category to kick off Animal Week on Twitch.”

In 2019, I shared my thoughts on a number of animal streams. Here are some highlights: feeding baby chickens and watching bees. Although streams are not meant to replace being outdoors in the wild, they can be a great way to connect with nature. A lot of animal stream fans told me these communities feel like “sanctuaries” for them; they’re a place for observation — and sometimes interaction — that someone might not otherwise get to experience.

People are now more interested in streams than ever before. Just this morning, I’ve got a stream open where I can watch otters at the Marine Mammal Rescue Center in Canada; the three otters are floating around on their backs and playing in gentle waves. The ambient noise is quite nice, too — I can hear the water sloshing around the enclosure. You can also see cameras dedicated to squirrels bunnies and goats as well as bees, cats, dogs, turtles ducks, fuzzy spiders and even a barn Owl.

Twitch said it’s working with “zoos, aquariums, and animal non-profits” to bring awareness to environmental and conservation issues these animals and our world face in the midst of a climate crisis.

Twitch will promote a variety of streams for Animal Week. This includes broadcasts from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and a South African wildlife reserve.