Cable channel Animal Planet launched in the summer of 1996, and it’s still all about critters, great and small—when you nail the niche, there’s no reason to change. The channel is best known as the home of the “Puppy Bowl,” an annual event programmed to out-cute the Super Bowl that delivers howling ratings in its own right.
Animal Planet is part of the Discovery group of networks under Warner Bros. Discovery, and is currently available in around 70,000 households across the US. If you’re looking to watch some creature comfort, there’s a better-than-good chance that Animal Planet is just a remote click away.
What channel is Animal Planet on near me?
Wherever you find its cousin channels, like TBS, Discovery, and Cartoon Network, you’ll usually find Animal Planet. Below are Animal Planet’s channel numbers on cable and satellite TV in 50 major US cities and surrounding areas.
Discovery Channel channels in major US cities
| City | Cox channel | DIRECTV channel | DISH channel | Optimum channel | Spectrum channel | Xfinity channel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 58 |
| Anchorage, AK | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | — |
| Atlanta, GA | 57 | 282 | 184 | — | 62 | 61 |
| Austin, TX | — | 282 | 184 | 68 | 36 | — |
| Bakersfield, CA | — | 282 | 184 | — | 61 | — |
| Baltimore, MD | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 40 |
| Boston, MA | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 57 |
| Bronx, NY | — | 282 | 184 | 55 | 86 | — |
| Brooklyn, NY | — | 282 | 184 | 55 | 86 | — |
| Buffalo, NY | — | 282 | 184 | — | 34 | — |
| Charlotte, NC | — | 282 | 184 | — | 38 | — |
| Chicago, IL | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 45 |
| Cincinnati, OH | — | 282 | 184 | — | 26 | — |
| Cleveland, OH | — | 282 | 184 | — | 55 | — |
| Colorado Springs, CO | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 47 |
| Columbus, OH | — | 282 | 184 | — | 72 | — |
| Dallas, TX | — | 282 | 184 | — | 63 | — |
| Denver, CO | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 30 |
| Detroit, MI | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 43 |
| El Paso, TX | — | 282 | 184 | — | 60 | — |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 54 |
| Fort Worth, TX | — | 282 | 184 | — | 63 | — |
| Fresno, CA | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 57 |
| Honolulu, HI | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | — |
| Houston, TX | — | 282 | 184 | — | 59 | 42 |
| Indianapolis, IN | — | 282 | 184 | — | 51 | 39 |
| Jacksonville, FL | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 41 |
| Kansas City, MO | — | 282 | 184 | — | 57 | — |
| Las Vegas, NV | 58 | 282 | 184 | — | — | — |
| Los Angeles, CA | — | 282 | 184 | — | 78 | — |
| Louisville, KY | — | 282 | 184 | — | 60 | — |
| Memphis, TN | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 20 |
| Miami, FL | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 54 |
| Milwaukee, WI | — | 282 | 184 | — | 43 | — |
| Minneapolis, MN | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 56 |
| Nashville, TN | — | 282 | 184 | — | 58 | 40 |
| New Orleans, LA | 69 | 282 | 184 | — | — | — |
| New York, NY | — | 282 | 184 | — | 86 | — |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 59 | 282 | 184 | 68 | 63 | — |
| Orlando, FL | — | 282 | 184 | — | 44 | 52 |
| Philadelphia, PA | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 57 |
| Phoenix, AZ | 57 | 282 | 184 | — | — | — |
| Pittsburgh, PA | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 83 |
| Portland, OR | — | 282 | 184 | — | 47 | 43 |
| Sacramento, CA | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 53 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 26 |
| San Antonio, TX | — | 282 | 184 | — | 55 | — |
| San Diego, CA | 54 | 282 | 184 | — | 64 | — |
| San Francisco, CA | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 51 |
| San Jose, CA | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 51 |
| Seattle, WA | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 43 |
| St. Louis, MO | — | 282 | 184 | — | 58 | — |
| St. Paul, MN | — | 282 | 184 | — | 62 | — |
| Tampa, FL | — | 282 | 184 | — | 35 | 43 |
| Tucson, AZ | 64 | 282 | 184 | — | — | 47 |
| Washington, DC | — | 282 | 184 | — | — | 44 |
Get Animal Planet with cable or satellite
Cable providers Xfinity and Cox carry Animal Planet, as do satellite services DIRECTV and DISH. It’s most commonly found in basic-tier packages alongside channels including TNT, CNN, and Investigation Discovery.
| Provider | Type | Price | Animal Planet | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cox | Cable | $20.00–$184.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Cox review |
| DIRECTV | Satellite | $94.99–$174.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read DIRECTV review |
| DISH | Satellite | $94.99–$124.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read DISH review |
| Optimum | Cable | $15.00–$140.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Optimum review |
| Spectrum | Cable | $40.00–$145.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Spectrum review |
| Verizon Fios | Cable | $105.00–$149.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Verizon Fios review |
| Xfinity | Cable | $65.00–$135.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Xfinity review |
Get Animal Planet with a live TV streaming service
Animal Planet can be livestreamed through providers like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV, but not on Fubo or Sling TV.
| Provider | Type | Price | Animal Planet | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DIRECTV | Streaming | $94.99–$174.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read DIRECTV review |
| Fubo | Streaming | $19.99–$108.99/mo. | — |
View Plan Read Fubo review |
| Hulu + Live TV | Streaming | $98.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Hulu + Live TV review |
| Philo | Streaming | $33.00/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read Philo review |
| Sling TV | Streaming | $19.99–$60.99/mo. | — |
View Plan Read Sling TV review |
| YouTube TV | Streaming | $82.99/mo. | ✔ |
View Plan Read YouTube TV review |
Get Animal Planet with a streaming app
With a cable, satellite, or live streaming TV subscription login, you can access Animal Planet GO, an on-demand standalone app available on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and most other platforms. You can also stream Animal Planet shows on both Discovery+ and HBO Max.
What’s on Animal Planet?
Animal Planet’s current programming only includes a handful of original series: “Dog Detectives,” “Saving Britain’s Wildlife,” “Yellowstone Wardens,” and “Wardens of the North,” as well as the annual “Puppy Bowl.”
Past Animal Planet shows that you can still watch in repeats and on-demand include “Meerkat Manor,” “My Cat From Hell,” “Pitbulls and Parolees,” “River Monsters,” and “Too Cute.”
Animal Planet channel guide FAQ
Where can I watch Animal Planet for free?
You can watch Animal Planet for free, at least briefly, through free trials of streaming services like Philo or Discovery+. The free trial periods are usually good for seven days, after which you’ll either have to subscribe or cancel the service.
Can I watch Animal Planet without cable?
You can watch Animal Planet without cable or satellite through a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV. Live TV streamers aren’t free, but, unlike cable and satellite TV, they don’t require an annual contract, and you can cancel after a month.
Can I watch Animal Planet on YouTube?
Animal Planet has its own dedicated YouTube channel (@AnimalPlanet) that’s populated with thousands of videos you can watch for free.
