Florina Students Create Virtual Tour Experience for the Brown Bear Habitat

A fascinating journey into the habitat of the brown bear through virtual exploration is offered to young and old ‘visitors’ by the application ‘The Bear Project’. Users will discover how the brown bear interacts with its ecosystem, while providing multimedia and educational content with information about its diet, habits, reproduction, and the threats it faces as Europe’s largest terrestrial mammal. The application was developed by students from Florina, securing third place in the 8th National Generation Next Competition. The LIFOR team from the Small Hackers Group at the Experimental High School of Florina, Orfeas Alexiadis and Paulos Loukas (3rd Grade), Anastasios Iliadis (2nd Grade), with the support of their teacher Giannis Arvanitakis, stood out for utilizing new technologies to explore the local ecosystem, highlighting the threats facing populations, and promoting active action for its protection. The team collaborated closely with the non-governmental environmental organization ‘Arcturos’, particularly with Maria Glouftsi, responsible for implementing educational programs. The application ‘The Bear Project’ helps users better understand the life and habitat of the brown bear through a dual experience: an interactive VR environment and a user-friendly mobile or tablet app that provides rich information and multimedia content. The initiative creates bridges of collaboration between schools, local communities, and environmental protection agencies, strengthening collective efforts. Through this project, users gain clear information about the bear’s habits, reducing fears and stereotypes, and understanding its value in the local ecosystem.