Conservation and the power of technology to improve audience engagement.

Zoos, wildlife parks, and aquariums are essential institutions for promoting conservation and enhancing guest experiences. The recent British and Irish Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) conference in Dublin highlighted conservation, education, and sustainability as key priorities.

These attractions offer many people their closest encounter with magnificent wildlife, serving as vital curators of endangered species. They play a critical role in public education, industry collaboration, animal rescue, rehabilitation, and scientific research. Beyond leisure, modern zoos and safari parks are hubs for learning and dedicated conservation efforts.

The Urgent Need for Conservation

Climate change, habitat loss, and poaching significantly threaten global wildlife and sustainability. Zoos and aquariums actively counter this through vital breeding programmes for endangered species, aiming to preserve genetic diversity and potentially contribute to rewilding initiatives.

The IUCN Red List also notes over 39 animals have become extinct in the wild in recent years. Without the dedicated breeding programmes and conservation work of zoos and wildlife parks, many more threatened species would face complete eradication. A landmark UN report from 2019 further warned that up to one million plant and animal species could be permanently lost within decades, with agriculture identified as a major threat to biodiversity.

Technology's Role in Engaging Visitors

Given the ongoing destruction of natural habitats, an urgent shift in attitude is required. While zoos and safari parks continuously expand their educational efforts, technology can significantly amplify their message, improve engagement, and enhance the physical visitor experience.

Smartphones, increasingly pervasive educational tools, can connect with people on a personal level. Combining the power of mobile technology with an application that delivers interactive, world-class knowledge can be a game-changer. This approach allows attractions to better understand audience behaviour, driving positive change.

How an Audience Engagement Platform (AEP) Works

An Audience Engagement Platform (AEP) is cloud-based software that hosts interactive content, supplied by the venue, and delivers it to visitors via a smartphone app. The platform offers numerous features to transform the visitor experience while monitoring engagement to provide valuable operational insights.

For example, a zoo uploads information about its exhibits, displays, enclosures, and species to the AEP. This content can be text, multimedia (video, images, audio), or a combination. It can be purely informational or highly educational, allowing for the inclusion of curricula content and lesson plans for school groups.

Once uploaded, the platform configures this content onto a highly customisable audience experience app, available for download or as a progressive web app. The app mirrors the attraction's branding, ensuring a cohesive experience without requiring technical expertise from the operator.

Enhancing the Visitor Journey

The customisable app makes visits more interactive, immersive, and enjoyable. Using in-built triggering technology (like beacons or QR codes), visitors receive engaging multimedia and educational content based on their proximity to exhibits.

Imagine a visitor passing an enclosure; the app automatically triggers information about the species, alongside features like live quizzes or challenges. This not only captures attention but also provides a golden opportunity for operators to influence visitor perception and mindset towards conservation.

Operational Benefits for Zoos

Beyond visitor engagement, an AEP offers tactical benefits for zoo operations. It supports the primary role of animal welfare by streamlining visitor interactions, freeing up staff time and resources. While not replacing keepers or guides, it handles much of the heavy lifting for visitor engagement.

The platform can also assist with daily exhibit management. For instance, if an animal needs quarantining, the AEP can seamlessly update information for visitors without delay, ensuring everyone receives accurate, timely content.

Fostering Long-Term Conservation Advocacy

Achieving lasting change for global sustainability requires ongoing advocacy and behavioural transformation. An AEP extends the educational and conservation efforts of zoos and safari parks beyond the gates.

• Post-visit engagement: Visitors can relive their experience, unlock new content, and receive relevant updates based on their activity and interests. This could include updates on an animal's recovery, a new birth, or statistics on endangered species.
• Personalised communication: The app tracks visitor journeys, allowing operators to send highly relevant information and foster lasting relationships.
• Social sharing: Users can share their experiences easily on social media, using pre-branded digital photo frames. This helps spread conservation messages.
• Incentivised participation: Operators can use reward and redemption mechanisms to encourage participation in initiatives, further leveraging the customisation capabilities of the AEP.

The full potential of embracing digital extends across the entire visitor lifecycle – from digital tickets and wayfinding to interactive trails and unlocking new content. The platform enhances the physical experience, enabling zoos to fulfil their mission more effectively.

n-gage.io's audience engagement platform and visitor experience app are designed with research, education, and conservation at their core. They also assist operators with daily functions, conserve resources, and maximise output, being quick to install, simple to use, and customisable without technical skills.