Sparking connections to nature in dense urban environments

A dedicated space for the 21st century to experience our natural planet like never before through holograms, immersive environments, and the power of imagination.
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Our natural world is in crisis.

But it’s not just an
environmental crisis.
It’s also a human crisis:
a growing disconnection
between people and the living world
we depend on.
We protect what we feel
connected to,
‍
but modern life pushed
 nature further from view.

That distance has
consequences for nature,
and for us.

This is
the disconnection crisis

and it's shaping the future
of our planet.

FutureZoos bring people
closer to nature again.

When we step into the story, we rekindle a sense of belonging and interconnectedness to the living world.

“It’s universal in appeal: being able to experience our world by more than just imagination.

You feel as though you’re really there.”

- Dr Sylvia Earle
  Mission Blue

Inside the experience

At FutureZoos, technology is not just there for spectacle alone. It's used with intention, combining scientific insight and more than a decade of accumulated immersive storytelling expertise to create experiences that engage, delight, and leave a mark.

Explore examples of what we're building:

Teleport to
the wild

Experience locations you’ll
likely never see, thanks to VR.

Imagen

Discover augmented
wildlife trails

Encounter digital animals along
FutureZoo's garden paths.

@akilwade

Encounter holographic
biodiversity

Come face to face with the
world's rarest creatures.

Mixergy

Take part in physical
nature challenges

Challenge your friends to puzzles and
wild themed games.

To Startups & CEOs

Step into the
story together

Large immersive exhibits
let you share the experience.

Appsumo

Climate-controlled worlds
that change around you

Feel the warming world and the
impact of climate change.

@aaditsh

Touch, interact, understand
whole ecosystems

Simulate entire ecosystems and understand
small decisions in a bigger impact story.

Distribution First

Listen to ecosystems come
alive around you

Experience the planet’s most unique
environments with surround sound.

Amplify Creators

Impact backed
by science

Immersive technologies are no longer untested. Years of research demonstrate their ability to make experiences more memorable, more emotional, and more effective at shifting behaviour.

Click a topic to dive deeper into the research:

Immersive experiences can:

induce the "presence effect".

reduce psychological distance.

increase feelings of nature connectedness.

help demystify invisible causes.

produce a higher likelyhood of sustained positive environmental behaviours.

shift perceptions.

increase sense of
"inclusion of nature in self".

cultivate environmental responsibility.

Inspiring the next generation
of nature guardians.

Building the
first FutureZoo

Expected launch date: Q3 2027
Johannesburg, South Africa

We are currently in Phase 1: building and launching a pilot in South Africa. This involves securing the right space, completing fundraising, and producing the first wave of immersive experiences.

Phase 2 will focus on replicating and adapting a proven model internationally.

Scroll to explore our progress.

Fundraising Update

$674,895
raised of
$2.5M

27%

Building the
first FutureZoo

Content Production Update

FutureZoo is already moving from vision into reality, with a growing slate of immersive experiences in production.

‍Beneath the Blue, filmed in the Archipelagos of Bazaruto, Revillagigedo in Mexico and the kelp forests of Cape Town, is currently in post production.

The Fragile Kingdom, a dome experience focused on gorillas in Rwanda, is currently in development.

‍Elephant in the Room, an augmented reality piece, is also underway.

Together, these projects represent the first wave of work, grounded in real places and stories, and designed to bring people closer to the natural world.

Beneath the Blue

360 video

In development
Pre-production
Production
Post Production
Releases

The Fragile Kingdom

Dome 360

In development
Pre-production
Production
Post Production
Releases

Elephant in the Room

Augmented Reality

In development
Pre-production
Production
Post Production
Releases

Building the
first FutureZoo

Venue Update

We are establishing a permanent home base for the FutureZoo pilot in Johannesburg, South Africa; a living exhibit space, R&D lab, and model for the FutureZoos that follow.

We have identified a significant space in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg, and negotiations have been underway since April 2025, while we continue to fundraise in the background.

We will announce our FutureZoo pilot venue in due course.

Powered by
Habitat XR

FutureZoo is a flagship programme of the Habitat Nature Connection Foundation, the non-profit Public Benefit Organisation established by multi award-winning immersive nature studio Habitat XR.

FutureZoo builds on Habitat XR's 12+ year track record of creating immersive stories and experiences across exhibit spaces, classrooms, theatres, and public campaigns – shifting hearts and minds across 20 countries, from rural villages to rooms full of global cultural leaders and policymakers.
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Join us
on our mission

Contact us

Get in touch and let's talk about FutureZoo.

Stay up to date

Follow the journey as FutureZoo grows from a local pilot to a global movement.

Donate

Help us build spaces that reconnect people with the natural world.

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Contribute by sharing your invaluable knowledge.

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© Habitat Nature Connection Foundation 2026