Even if you've yet to actually visit the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, you might have already peeked inside of the zoo. Its animal webcams capture what the giant pandas, lions, and elephants are up to around the clock. Unsurprisingly, these cameras enthrall animal lovers all around the world on a daily basis.

Since you live in the same city as the National Zoo, you don't have to settle for a screen. You can actually head to the free zoo and meet these critters for yourself. They're just a handful of more than 1,500 animals that call the zoo home, encompassing approximately 300 species. Spend a day exploring the eclectic habitats. Some house primates like orangutans and the black howler monkey, while others play host to brightly hued amphibians or crawling crocodiles, seals and otters, and zebras and cheetahs.

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