Conservation lessons from Pokémon GO

The popular smartphone game, Pokémon GO, sets a benchmark for new conservation-focused augmented reality games and could be adapted to benefit environmental conservation, according to new research involving UCL scientists. The study, led by the University of Oxford and published today in Conservation Letters, considers how Pokémon GO might create opportunities and challenges for the conservation movement looking to engage the public with the natural world. Designed for mobile devices, Pokémon GO allows users to capture, battle and train virtual creatures called Pokémon that appear on screen as if part of the real-world environment. Some gamers who discover non-virtual wildlife during play have been using the Twitter hashtag #Pokeblitz to help identify the species found. 'Finding ways to break down barriers to engagement with real-life nature is a priority for conservation. Pokémon GO shows us how to do this successfully with virtual wildlife and we can learn a lot from it. It has a really low barrier for entry and has captured the imagination of millions globally.' 'It's clear that conservation lags behind Pokémon in efforts to inspire interest in its portfolio of species but there is clear potential to address that.