Earlier this month VRFocus reported on virtual reality (VR) studio Wevr’s collaboration with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles (NHMLA) to exhibit theBlu: An Underwater VR Experience. The company has now announced it’s working with Emaar Entertainment to bring theBlu to the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo.
As part of a new attraction called VRZOO which focuses on awareness and conservation efforts, theBlu: Season 1 will be used to allow visitors to explore multiple underwater habitats and come into virtual contact with creatures of the deep. Wevr has customised the experience specifically for VRZOO.
VRZOO will also feature a live-action 360-degree section from locations including Uganda, South Africa, Maldives, Egypt, Australia and Mafia Island, where users can see some of the world’s most captivating species, all of which are on the brink of extinction.
Maitha Al Dossari, Chief Executive Officer of Emaar Entertainment, said: “Emaar Entertainment is committed to providing visitors of all ages with interactive edutainment experiences. VRZOO is the latest addition, designed to broaden the mind and provide deeper connections to the world around us, using informative and interactive platforms. VRZOO demonstrates our commitment to education as we work toward a safe and more informed future for animals and humans alike.”
“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,” said Paul Hamilton, General Manager & Curator, Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. “As we continue to expand our offering, VRZOO is the next step in diversifying our educational platforms. The experience brings adventurers closer than ever to incredible creatures such as African Elephants and Dugongs, in a safe environment, where they can come face-to-face in a way that’s not possible in the wild. VRZOO carries an important message in that all the species showcased could be lost forever in the near future without intervention. It is frightening to think that in our lifetime, some of these species may become extinct and only live on in VR for future generations.
“For Emaar Entertainment, the conservation journey started at Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo with the world’s first Sand Tiger Shark artificial insemination programme; 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.”
If you can’t make it to Dubai to see VRZOO, you can always experience the normal version of theBlu on Oculus Rift or HTC Vive. For any further Wevr updates, keep reading VRFocus.