One local zoo is getting a little wild with augmented reality — literally.
The Big Cat Rescue, which is a habitat in Tampa for cats that have been abandoned, abused or orphaned, is opening a "virtual zoo" Friday at Westfield Citrus Park shopping center, 8021 Citrus Park Town Center, as a way to let people experience seeing the cats and becoming educated on them, without actually putting any animals in harms way.
"Our founder is really a visionary and she knows people love big cats and want to feel close to nature," Susan Bass, director of public relations at Big Cat Experience, said. "But the big cats have to suffer. We think this is the wave of the future and think it’ll be more fun to view cats than see them do more unnatural things like live in cages."
The "Big Cat Experience" works by attendees downloading the free app, then they scan posters and popups in the room to bring up a video of, for example, bobcats eating and playing with one another.
There's also virtual reality headsets available for viewers to see up-close videos of Big Cats than they could never get at a zoo or even the wild.
"Especially with the virtual reality, which is where we think this is all going to go, you feel you're in the action," Bass said. "There are no bars separating you from the cat. It's almost like you can touch the water bowl or pet the fur without sacrificing safety. And if you’ve been to sanctuary a lot of time they’re sleeping — it's not a real educational experience and we think this will be much more educational."
