Step aside, Panda Cam — three live streaming web cameras have been added to the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Butterfly Rainforest exhibit.
“Basically, it’s viewable to the world now,” said Paul Ramey, museum spokesman.
Ryan Fessenden, assistant manager of Butterfly Rainforest operations, said the chrysalis cam gives viewers the chance to see butterflies and moths emerging from their cocoons. The second camera focuses on a fruit tray, and the third canopy cam is placed about 30 feet in the air, which gives “a much broader bird’s-eye view of the rainforest.”
Marissa Rios, a 20-year-old UF wildlife ecology and conservation junior, sees them as good for people who live far away.
Ramey said when the cameras were first put up, they did not work with any Android devices, and they still don’t work with all operating systems. He said a patron could also use the cameras to see the weather in Gainesville before deciding to visit.
Fessenden said the weather plays an important role in the amount of flight activity. The cooler the temperatures are outside, the less action. He said a downside with the cameras is that if the weather is bad, visitors might not choose to come.
The cameras for the Butterfly Rainforest can be viewed at http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/discover/life-on-earth/live-critter-cams/.
A version of this story ran on page 4 on 10/16/2013 under the headline "Butterfly exhibit takes wing with webcams"
