San Diego Zoo: Polar Bears — Live Broadcast from Polar Bear Plunge

The San Diego Zoo in California is one of the few zoos in the world where you can observe polar bears through a live online camera in real time. The webcam is installed in the Polar Bear Plunge enclosure and shows artificial rock formations, a pond with flowing water, green vegetation with flowering bushes and trees in the background. The camera operates in live broadcast mode — you see what's happening in the enclosure right now.

Polar Bear Plunge Enclosure: A Piece of the Arctic in California

The Polar Bear Plunge enclosure opened in 1996 and after a major renovation in March 2010 became one of the most technologically advanced polar bear habitats in the world. The project was developed with the participation of polar scientists to stimulate natural behaviors in the animals — swimming, digging, and foraging.

The centerpiece of the enclosure is a 130,000-gallon (approximately 490,000-liter) pool with an underwater viewing room. The temperature in the enclosure is maintained at a level that mimics Arctic summer. For the elderly bear Tatqiq, a special air-conditioned "ice cave" has been set up where she spends more time on hot days.

The enclosure area includes multi-tiered stone structures, a stone column, a rocky shore with logs, and artificial rock formations. The San Diego Zoo is located in Balboa Park on 100 acres (40 hectares) and is home to more than 12,000 animals.

Three Female Bears: Chinook, Kalluk, and Tatqiq

The San Diego Zoo is home to three female polar bears, each with her own personality and story:

Chinook, Kalluk, and Tatqiq — three females who have become true stars of the zoo. Tatqiq is the oldest of them; she helps scientists study polar bear behavior by wearing a special research collar. Kalluk and Chinook are young and active bears who often play and swim in the pool.

All three bears were rescued and brought to the zoo at different times. Their story is an example of successful rehabilitation and keeping Arctic animals in conditions as close to their natural habitat as possible.

What Polar Bears Are Fed at the Zoo

The diet of polar bears at the San Diego Zoo is carefully balanced and includes:

Fortified commercial carnivore meat diet, dog kibble, trout, and other fish, as well as root vegetables and lettuce as treats. Once or twice a week, the bears are given cow femur bones and thawed rabbits — this stimulates natural foraging behavior and maintains dental health.

Feeding takes place at specific times, and if you're watching the broadcast during these hours, you can see the bears receiving their food. However, most of the time they rest or patrol the enclosure territory.

When Is the Best Time to Watch the Broadcast

The webcam at the San Diego Zoo operates around the clock, but bear activity varies depending on the time of day. The best time to observe the animals is during morning and afternoon hours in San Diego local time (UTC-8, UTC-7 in summer).

At night, the bears usually sleep, and the frame may show only the empty enclosure with lighting. During the day, the chances of catching the bears in motion are much higher — they swim in the pool, play with special enrichment toys, or rest on the rocks.

It's important to remember: polar bears may be in indoor areas (back-of-house den) or air-conditioned zones that are not within the camera's field of view. This is normal practice — the animals are given a choice of where to spend their time.

What You Can See on the Camera

The camera broadcasts the Polar Bear Plunge enclosure with artificial rock formations, a small pond with flowing water, green vegetation with flowering bushes and trees in the background. The area features multi-tiered stone structures, a stone column, a rocky shore with logs, and fencing.

The enclosure is designed to house large Arctic animals and mimics the natural habitat of polar bears. The camera shows the exterior part of the enclosure — the bears may appear in the frame when they are in the open area, or be absent if they are resting in indoor zones.

The live broadcast from the San Diego Zoo is an opportunity to observe the life of polar bears in real time without leaving home. The webcam operates free of charge and without registration, allowing you to check at any moment what Chinook, Kalluk, and Tatqiq are up to in their Arctic corner of California.