The Great Elephant Migration
The Great Elephant Migration is an augmented reality art installation that brings virtual elephant herds into urban public spaces, creating powerful connections between city dwellers and wildlife conservation. This immersive experience transforms everyday environments into migration corridors, raising awareness about elephant conservation through emotional storytelling and cutting-edge AR technology.
Conservation Through AR
Traditional wildlife conservation messaging often fails to create emotional connections between urban populations and distant animal habitats. The Great Elephant Migration addresses this disconnect by bringing realistic elephant families directly into city environments, allowing viewers to witness migration behaviors, family dynamics, and social interactions up close. The AR experience demonstrates how technology can bridge the gap between human and animal spaces, fostering empathy and understanding that motivates conservation action through direct emotional engagement rather than abstract statistics.
Immersive Storytelling
The installation features multiple elephant scenarios that unfold as visitors move through designated routes: family groups with protective mothers and playful calves, elderly matriarchs leading migrations, and dramatic moments of herd decision-making at crossroads. Each elephant has unique characteristics and behaviors powered by custom AI systems that respond to environmental factors and viewer presence. The experience includes ambient soundscapes of African savannas, educational overlays about migration patterns, and interactive elements that reveal the threats elephants face in the wild.
Technical Innovation
Built using Unity with AR Foundation for cross-platform compatibility, the project required sophisticated solutions for realistic animal behavior and environmental integration. Advanced occlusion algorithms ensure elephants correctly interact with real-world objects, while custom animation systems based on wildlife research create authentic movement patterns and social behaviors. The application uses spatial mapping to adapt elephant paths to different urban environments, and cloud-based content delivery allows for regular updates with new scenarios and educational content, ensuring the experience remains fresh and impactful for repeat visitors.
