NC Zoo Launches Gorilla Magazine Application for iPad

Asheboro, NC - The birth of two baby boy gorillas in August of 2012 at the North Carolina Zoo marked an historic event. To celebrate, a digital magazine for the iPad has been created that features the zoo's very special troop of Western Lowland gorillas.

The interactive digital magazine (also called an app) highlights the gorilla troop  and is available as a free download on the App Store website. Users can find the program by going on the App Store and searching for N.C. Zoo Gorillas or by using the link:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/n.c.-zoo-gorillas/id672089192?mt=8.

The N.C. Zoo Gorilla Magazine began with Elon University Interactive Media Masters Candidate, Juanita Wrenn. Wrenn spent a semester researching and studying interactivity and consulting with the zoo staff to develop the content of the magazine.

One goal of the project was to develop an informative, dynamic app where most of the pages included interactive elements, videos or beautiful photographs and really uses the strengths of a touchscreen device. Relying on 25 years of experience in the design field before getting her masters degree, Wrenn tackled everything from developing child-friendly interactive activities to shooting and editing video of the keepers feeding the gorillas.

"I started the Elon iMedia program knowing that I wanted to design touch screen applications for museums and zoos," Wrenn said. "HTML, CSS and coding, in general, can be quite tedious. But having the opportunity to fill the pages with information about the zoo's gorillas, especially little Bomassa and Apollo, made my final semester pretty fantastic."

Inside the gorilla magazine users will meet all the members of the troop: Nkosi, the silverback, and his growing family Olympia and her baby Apollo, Jamani and her baby Bomassa and Acacia. Videos explore what and how much the gorillas eat and the family dynamics of the troop. Keeper notes documenting the first 10 months of growth and development for each gorilla baby are also available.

The magazine also features information on the N.C. Zoo's Cross River Gorilla conservation program in Africa, led by Curator of Conservation and Research Dr. Rich Bergl. 

 "Not only will this application promote the zoo's extraordinary Western lowland gorilla exhibit to visitors, but its educational value including interactive games, videos, and introduction to the zoo's amazing gorilla keepers has great potential to be used as an educational tool for students in local, regional, state and even national school systems," observed Tammy O'Kelley, Director of Tourism for Randolph County's Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau.

The N.C. Zoo and Juanita Wrenn of Wrenn Works (wrennworks.com) are excited to offer the Gorilla Magazine for iPad to gorilla fans and young learners everywhere. More information is available on the zoo's website at www.nczoo.org

The zoo is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, John E. Skvarla, III, Secretary; Pat McCrory, Governor. 

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