Nature Recovery Corridor: Explore the great outdoors with Chester Zoo’s Wild Wander app

Chester Zoo has launched a revolutionary new app which aims to encourage people to explore and protect the great outdoors. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Wild Wander has been designed to connect people with nature through the digital world and make exploring nature more fun. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Similar to the popular game Pokemon Go, Wild Wander allows users to explore three trails in the zoo’s Nature Recovery Corridor, which is an important initiative funded by the Green Recovery Challenge Fund. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The corridor covers a 10-mile stretch, connecting habitats reaching south of Chester through to Ellesmere Port in the North. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The trails are teeming with beautifully animated local species in augmented reality, and users can collect “gems” and a whole host of UK species as they follow along the trails. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Users can also create augmented reality wonder zones that are thriving with virtual wildlife and discover amazing species through virtual scavenger hunts. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

In addition to the game aspect of Wild Wander, users can also participate in an array of mindful activities to help destress and provide opportunities to focus on the nature around them. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The app is suitable for people of all ages and backgrounds, from seasoned hikers to indoor gamers. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Chester Zoo hopes that Wild Wander will encourage everyone to learn more about, and get outside and enjoy, the natural world. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Nature Recovery Corridor is a vital part of the zoo’s mission to conserve endangered species and their habitats, and they hope that this app will encourage more people to connect with nature and learn about the important work they’re doing. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“With the UK being one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, and amidst the current global biodiversity and climate crises, connecting people with nature and inspiring people to act to protect our natural world has never been more important,” said Lauren Walker, Digital Learning Manager at Chester Zoo. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The three Wild Wander trails are situated in the heart of the zoo’s Nature Recovery Corridor, which is over half the size of Edinburgh (60 square miles) and is helping to build, enhance, and manage habitats in the area to help both wildlife and people thrive in Chester. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Download the Wild Wander app from the App Store or Google Play store ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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