Wildlife Voyeurism Reaches A New High
Okay…I confess. At least once during the past several days I have stopped by the Ohio DNR web site to look at their Falcon Cam. I’m not exactly sure why I do it…other than I think it’s sort of neat to get a live view of nature most humans never get the opportunity to see…especially up this close. That’s right, the DNR in Ohio has erected two cameras that stream live video and audio 24 hours a day from atop a 41 story high building. So, if you’re feeling a bit trapped in that cubicle at work and need a quick wildlife fix…there’s simply no more excuses.
Now a few words of warning. To view the video you might need to have the latest version of some media player installed on your computer. Also, because the images are live…that means when the world turns dark in Ohio the cameras simply show black (and boring). So, this is definitely a daytime viewing experience only.
There’s two cameras. The nest cam is the best one to look at and can be viewed by linking here. The ledge cam is also fun to look at…but I’ve found it only appears active when the falcon stirs and hops off the nest. However, I’ve read that the ledge cam has shown evidence of prey that the falcon has killed, so you never really know what to expect. In other words, this is reality TV with a natural twist. Check it out.
Maybe this peregrine falcon cam is perfect for this purpose…but it really got me thinking how DNR’s can use this sort of technology for the study of other natural species. What about a wood duck cam…a fox den cam…or even a muskie cam? Is it possible? I don’t see why not. As computers and technology becomes a bigger part of our world it only makes sense for game departments to find a way to integrate the technology available into better promoting the resource.
I, for one, want to see the game departments do a better job promoting both the game and non-game wildlife resources, and it seems to me Ohio has stumbled upon a very interesting and unique way to do it. I suspect, based on the popularity of this site, that many others departments will soon follow suit perhaps in some different way. I sincerely hope so…it makes for a great way to spend a few mindless minutes each day wishing you were back outdoors.
2007 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission