“Tiger World” caused a lot of ink to flow when it was created in 2015. This show showed tigers around their coach, in a custom-built 2,000-seat arena for a staggering €20 million. The Amnéville Zoo (Moselle), one of France’s most important zoos, has earned many critics, huge debts and its exclusion from EAZA, the European organization that oversees animal collection and exchange.
Now, in this arena, holograms are replacing real tigers. “We are taking this digital turn and now moving away from this circus tradition,” explains the new president, Albany Belair. Using extended reality technology – a combination of virtual and augmented reality – audiences face a 300 square meter screen to immerse them in the dynamic environments of an ice floe, jungle, and more. locally, in cohort with interspecific predation sightings specific to their environments.
“Complementary moment to visit”
The show lasts twenty-five minutes. “It’s a complementary moment to visit,” continues the president, intent on recreating the zoo’s image. She is currently taking steps to return to EAZA. “Our ban is about to end. We will undergo a physical audit at the beginning of the school year for reintegration. This is our priority.”
As for the tigers that appeared in “Tiger World”, they are still in the facilities they were assigned to, waiting for new pens.
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