360-degree videos for Korkeasaari Zoo
Partner: Korkeasaari Zoo
Developer: Radical Rabbit
One constant request in the customer feedback for Korkeasaari Zoo is that the visitors ask for ways to encounter the animals in close proximity. In order to protect the animals and the visitors, this is hard to provide. That’s when VR-technology comes into use, provided by startup Radical Rabbit.
“The aim of the project was to diversify the customer experience by bringing a new dimension to the encounters with the animals. VR-technology enables a close proximity contact with the animal safely and you are able to observe the animal even when it is in hiding. It is also a novel way of communicating about animal conservation and we can give memorable experiences with the animals outside the zoo too”, said Susanna Silvonen, head of marketing in Korkeasaari Zoo.
In this mini-project Radical Rabbit made two 360-degree videos for the zoo visitors to experience. First video was about the Taiwan Beauty Snake and the second one about the wolverine. Work started with close cooperation with the zookeepers as a lot of factors needed to be taken into account when choosing which animals to film – what kind of inclosure they had and whether the camera needs protection from them. In the end, a snake was chosen to reduce the fears and prejudices some people have towards them and the wolverine because it hides from the audience often.
Taiwan Beauty Snake
Behind the scenes