Two Bristol media firms have teamed up with the city’s zoo to launch two free mobile phone apps and an online photo competition for its highly-successful Wow! Gorillas project.
The apps – one for Android phones and another for iPhones – aim to help as many people as possible enjoy the Wow! Gorillas trail and become more involved in the project.
App development company Mubaloo has developed the Android app which features a Google map with the locations of the 60 gorilla sculptures. Users can click on icons for information about each gorilla.
It also includes an Augmented Reality view of the locations with direction and distance overlaid on the device camera, enabling users to take photos of the gorillas and upload them to a free photo-sharing server and tick off each sculpture from a list as the trail is completed.
The app is free to download and available via the Android Marketplace at https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mubaloo.bristolgorillaar
Mubaloo Managing director Matt Hatch said: “We are thrilled to have been able to develop and donate this Android app to Bristol Zoo. We hope it will enable more people to know about, get involved with and support such a great cause.”
The iPhone app has been developed by local zoo supporter Jason Trask. Called Wow Gorillas, it also allows users to see a map of the 60 gorilla locations, find out more about each, take photos and upload them to Facebook, and tick off the gorillas as they are found.
The app can be downloaded for free from the iPhone App Store at http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/wow!-gorillas/id453299756?mt=8.
Everyone who ticks off all 60 gorillas using either of the apps will be eligible for a half-price voucher to visit the zoo.
The zoo is also launching a public photo competition on Facebook with a selection of prizes for the best entries.
The contest, which runs from today until September 4, has been developed by social media company Montage Communications.
Commercial director Matt Anderson said: “Our strategy is to create a fun and engaging interactive social media competition inviting Facebook users to upload a photo of themselves with their favourite Wow! Gorilla.
“Working with Twitter users and supporters in the blogosphere, we aim to harness the online groundswell of support for Wow! Gorillas to raise awareness of, and secure long-term interest in, gorilla conservation.”
The contest is at www.facebook.com/WowGorillas
First prize is the Bristol Zoo Package – a range of unique experiences to the value of £500.
For more information about Wow! Gorillas visit www.bristolzoo.org.uk/wow-gorillas or call 0117 9747 300.
