Thanks to VR, it's a jungle in there

Visitors to the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo can now get up close and personal with endangered species from all around the world through a virtual reality experience, the entertainment branch of Emaar Properties announced recently.

With the help of Wevr, a virtual reality (VR) studio, Emir Entertainment has launched the VRZOO showcase, which uses VR to support conservation efforts and give zoo visitors a unique perspective at the same time.
 
“Educating the public about endangered species is a key priority at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, and we’re glad to be able to reflect that mission in the new VRZOO attraction,” Paul Hamilton, general manager and curator of the aquarium and zoo, said. “As we continue to expand our offering, VRZOO is the next step in diversifying our educational platforms.”

Visitors have their choice of live-action footage or a CGI virtual experience.The first puts them in a 360-degree adventure with nearly extinct animals in South Africa,  Uganda, Egypt, Australia, the Maldives and Mafia Island. The second is a room-scale VR journey underwater, with in-your-face views of incredible sea life.
 
“For Emaar Entertainment, the conservation journey started at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo with the world’s first Sand Tiger Shark artificial insemination program," Hamilton said. "With this new initiative, we’re able to build on that, combining interactive technology and education in a fun, new way. We want people to feel a connection to the animals and hope it leads to awareness and a deeper desire to get involved in conservation initiatives.”