That is the strength of VR: in just a minute, one can completely disconnect from reality and be transported to another dimension. 360° VR has this incredible ability to capture attention. Once the audience is engaged, the challenge is to deliver the right message – and that’s our job.
Grégoire Moisson
Founded in 2017, Wild Immersion is a pioneering company producing immersive experiences focused on nature and wildlife. Specializing in virtual reality and 360° VR capture, but also offering alternative formats (projections / augmented reality experiences) and exhibition modules, it creates edutainment content – combining scientific rigor, wonder, and storytelling – designed to reconnect audiences with biodiversity, whether in classrooms, museums, zoos, or healthcare facilities.
Grégoire Moisson, co-founder and CEO of Wild Immersion, shares with us a vision and strategy that blend technology, edutainment, and ecological engagement. Under his leadership, Wild Immersion continues to expand its international reach and innovate in projects that not only capture iconic species and landscapes but also highlight environmental issues, inspire action, and promote mental well-being.
Can you introduce Wild Immersion and your role within the company?
Grégoire Moisson: Wild Immersion is a company specializing in creating immersive experiences around nature and wildlife. Our goal is threefold: to inspire wonder, impart knowledge, and, when possible, engage visitors in action. As for me, I am a co-founder and currently serve as the company’s CEO.
Formats and Distribution
Wild Immersion experiences take many forms and are delivered in a variety of contexts. Could you give us three examples of these formats and settings?
G. M. – We have several major markets. The first is zoos, aquariums, and museums. Among the thirty or so venues we work with, the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is a particularly original example. There, we present our content in “Universare,” a 150 m² joint museum space. Visitors start with an introductory film on humanity’s place in nature, followed by a fifteen-minute narrative VR film on a specific biome. The experience continues with a mini-exhibition illustrated by a mural, then an interactive activity where visitors draw and color animals, which they can scan to see come to life. To extend the experience, we even offer an augmented reality treasure hunt around the building. This exemplifies the transversal approach we aim for, with VR as the centerpiece, complemented by other immersive experiences suitable for all audiences.
The second market is education. Over the past year, we have been active in classrooms in the UK, the US, Costa Rica, and Australia, with varied formats: some sequences last 30 to 45 seconds to quickly capture students’ attention, while others run 12 to 15 minutes and are followed by discussions and pedagogical activities. Recently, our partner in Costa Rica adapted films specifically to the academic programs of the US, Costa Rica, and Honduras.
Finally, the third use of our content concerns mental health in the broadest sense. For example, we allow elderly people in nursing homes to relive safaris, dives, or walks around the world through VR. We also collaborate with Floreo VR, an American company that helps autistic children navigate their environment calmly using our virtual animals. Additionally, we work with hospitals, notably Sunrise Association in the US, which supports children with cancer by offering them, through Wild Immersion film modules, a welcome escape during long treatment sessions.
Future Wildworld Exploration Projects
You’ve already filmed across numerous terrestrial and marine territories, from the Amazon to the African savannah. What are your upcoming projects? Are there still unexplored territories or iconic species you wish to capture?
G. M. – We have several projects in the pipeline. First, we want to explore natural phenomena beyond animals, focusing, for instance, on the sky and space. We recently produced a film on the total solar eclipse of 2024, combining real footage and animation to show the influence of celestial bodies on our planet. We are also working with what we call the “Witnesses of the Earth”: people who have dedicated their lives to nature conservation, such as Dr. Jane Goodall, who passed away on October 1, 2025, leaving a vast legacy on chimpanzees, and sailor Alexia Barrier, preparing for the Jules Verne Trophy with an all-female crew. Another project involves a slow-motion world tour undertaken by two of our directors over a year, capturing the daily diversity of nature.
Regarding iconic species, we have filmed many, but some are still missing, like tigers or Asian elephants. What interests us most, however, is showcasing different layers of wildlife: birds, smaller fish, elusive mammals, and even rodents. We’ve already started with a film on insects and wish to continue in this direction, moving beyond a purely touristy or spectacular view of animals.
In short, we aim to explore landscapes, natural phenomena, and highlight those who dedicate their lives to nature, while addressing various layers of wildlife, down to the smallest species.
Filming Stories and Behind-the-Scenes
Filming with wild animals surely comes with unforeseen challenges. Do you have a memorable or unusual anecdote that illustrates the behind-the-scenes of your productions?
G. M. – Yes, and there are many. Early on, my brother and a friend went to film in Africa with equipment they barely knew how to operate. They had invested in Titan cameras – large, impressive spheres – but on the first day, facing elephants, one camera was literally destroyed. The next day, the first lion they encountered destroyed the second camera. After two days, they had nothing left. That’s when they decided to switch to smaller cameras, less visible to animals, sacrificing a bit of image quality for reliability and more footage. Since then, we’ve captured unique images, like pandas in the wild – a rare feat for 360° VR, as the species is heavily monitored. At Gombe, where Dr. Jane Goodall worked, we captured fascinating chimpanzee behaviors: their social life, use of plants for medicine, and tool use for foraging, such as sticks for catching ants.
There are also stories involving viewers and film screenings. One mediator told us about an autistic child who, after putting on the headset, suddenly said “iguana,” having been nonverbal for months. Similarly, a young chemotherapy patient wore the headset and shouted with joy; he kept it on for an hour and a half, mesmerized by the experience. These moments show how immersive nature can create profound emotional impacts, far beyond mere wonder.
Blending Entertainment, Education, and Awareness
With its motto, “evoke emotion, inspire the future, experiment nature” Wild Immersion operates at the crossroads of entertainment, education, and environmental awareness. How do you combine these three dimensions – wonder, awareness, and scientific transmission – especially in choosing your themes and partners (financial, scientific, institutional)?
G. M. – Initially, we focused solely on wonder, with contemplative films that made audiences say “Wow.” But we quickly realized the experience needed a three-step structure.
The first is contextualization. This is where mediators intervene: a “preshow film” introduces visitors, explaining that they are about to encounter nature like never before, preparing them for the immersive experience.
Next comes the main film, where science takes over. Whereas previously we were purely contemplative, today we lean toward narrative. Wonder remains central – a lion appearing just feet away, a drone flight – but roughly 40–50% of the time, a voice narrates a story, combining raw footage and motion design, incorporating scientific facts. It may cover natural phenomena such as Africa’s great migration, mammal adaptation to climate change, or the repopulation of Europe by large mammals.
Finally, the third step is to inspire action. After awe and learning, we show that action is possible. Each visitor can contribute in their own way: city dwellers can support field associations through donations, others can take small concrete actions, and the most engaged can join NGOs to replant coral, for instance. Thus, the experience unfolds in three stages: contextualize, amaze and educate, then motivate action.
Emotion as a Driver for Awareness
Immersive experiences, particularly virtual reality, are powerful vectors of wonder and emotion. Do you consider this emotional dimension a key driver for raising awareness about biodiversity crises, encouraging responsible behavior toward environmental challenges?
G. M. – We face a paradox with VR. I think companies like Lucid Realities and Wild Immersion would have loved every household to have a headset, making VR universally accessible. That’s not the case, which limits at-home distribution. But the upside is that 360° VR remains unique and rare: people can experience it only in museums, zoos, or specialized venues. That’s its strength: in a minute, one can fully disconnect from reality and be transported to another dimension.
360° VR has this incredible ability to capture attention. Once engaged, the challenge is delivering the right message – that’s our job. Whether to amaze in a center or zoo, relax elderly viewers, or distract a sick child, the principle is the same: we transport the audience away from the present and their daily life, immersing them in preserved habitats alongside wild animals.
An Alternative to Zoos?
Your immersive films offer direct encounters with animals in their natural habitats, free from the constraints and controversies of captivity. Do you think VR could be a credible, ethical alternative to traditional zoos? What role can it play in the broader reflection on animal welfare?
G. M. – The answer is fairly clear to me. Discussions about zoos often caused debates between my brother and me: he leaned activist, I leaned pragmatic entrepreneur. But evolving practices now make captivity less problematic than in the past. Animals in captivity are often born there, and some even participate in repopulation programs for endangered species. Removing animals from the wild is largely a thing of the past for most zoos that follow the rules and practices of global and European zoological associations (WAZA, EAZA).
It’s important to differentiate two types of zoos. On one hand, those that genuinely prioritize animal welfare: larger enclosures, guided visits, reduced noise. Staff are passionate, knowledgeable, and would not work otherwise. On the other hand, some public institutions stagnate due to space or lack of vision. These zoos don’t evolve and, without naming names, are ones we might only replace or support if real change occurs. Then there are commercial or theme-park zoos, where animals are often exploited for entertainment. Excessive manipulation, even controlled, doesn’t suit us: we ended a contract with a US institution when discovering their exact practices.
Finally, some parks genuinely contribute to conservation. I spoke with Jane Goodall, who spent thirty years with chimpanzees in the forest. Her reflection is simple yet striking: for a gorilla, is it better to live hunted by poachers in the wild, losing family, or in a park with care, space, and safety? Today, many parks provide conditions close to natural habitats: invisible fences, respected territory, and undisturbed animals. This aligns with a key ecological principle: species like lions or tigers cannot exceed densities allowed by their natural territories. When space is sufficient, animals behave naturally. Ideally, 30% of the planet should be rewilded to guarantee a truly wild world. Meanwhile, responsible zoos play a crucial role in species conservation. Many conservation initiatives are even funded by these institutions – an often-overlooked fact representing 75–90% of total funding. But these in-situ efforts in zoos only make sense when paired with ex-situ actions in nature. We therefore carefully support our partners’ conservation programs, which is central to our mission.
Towards Institutional Recognition ?
Is there currently a label or certification to frame or highlight initiatives like yours, at the intersection of technological innovation, cultural mediation, and animal protection? If not, do you plan to work in this direction to strengthen the legitimacy and visibility of your commitments?
G. M. – No official label exists because we are at the crossroads of too many fields. However, we increasingly collaborate with zoos and aquariums to help digitize their activities, in partnership with specialized associations such as the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The goal is to gradually transform how they present wildlife.
In this context, Wild Immersion has strengthened its scenographic and technical expertise to offer even more complete immersive experiences. The idea is to leverage all available technologies to recreate interaction between humans and nature while respecting animal ethics and minimizing captivity.
These initiatives are increasingly attracting interest among our partners, and for now, we do not rely heavily on public institutions – but we may in the future.