Animal rights group opens virtual zoo at Tour & Taxis

Animal rights organisation Gaia (Global Action in the Interest of Animals) has opened what it says is the first fully virtual zoo in Europe in Brussels.

With its "Zoo of the Future", the organisation wants to introduce people to animals in the wild virtually, without the need for captivity.

“Groundbreaking technology allows visitors to experience wildlife like never before, without cages, without borders, in the great outdoors and, most importantly, without animal suffering,” said Gaia, which has fought for animal rights in Belgium since its creation in 1992 by Michel Vandenbosch.

The virtual zoo, open initially until 30 December 2025, with a possible extension, is located in the Gare Maritime on the Tour & Taxis site.

Through a virtual tour, instead of “passive watching,” visitors will “meet” tigers, panthers, elephants, chimpanzees, pandas, giraffes, crocodiles and scarlet macaws in their own natural habitat.

"Why just look at animals when you can walk right next to them?" Gaia said in the zoo's launch announcement.

"At the Zoo of the Future, you will explore wild habitats through interactive Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and 360° experiences.

"From waddling with penguins to roaming with elephants, this is your chance to see the natural world up close – without glass, fences or zoos. A feel-good adventure that’s fun, immersive and kind to animals.”

The zoo lets visitors wander freely through three lifelike ecosystems, “from the lush treetops of the jungle, where monkeys swing and macaws call, to the icy stillness of the Arctic, home to playful penguins, to the golden savanna, where giraffes tower above the plains and elephants roam free,” the animal rights organisation said.

With Zoo of the Future, Gaia also aims to challenge visitors to think about how humans treat animals in the wild. “We do this not by pointing fingers, but by offering alternatives in a playful, interactive and innovative way that go beyond our wildest imagination,” said Gaia co-founder and director Ann De Greef.

To construct the Zoo of the Future, Gaia called in RealityMatters – a technology company with offices in Belgium and Los Angeles.

“The question is not whether technology will match real-life encounters with animals – we hope it will surpass them," said RealityMatters chief executive Andy Van den Broeck.

"Technology is not an end in itself. It’s a bridge between humans and animals. For the first time, we can not only observe, but truly experience."

Gaia is aiming to welcome 25,000 visitors to the virtual zoo. Following the Brussels stay, the zoo will move on to Antwerp, Ghent, Ostend and other major Flemish cities.

The 45-minute experience is available from Tuesday to Sunday and costs €12 for adults and €7 for children. All information is available at www.zooofthefuture.be.