ZAK App: A Digital Lifeline for Wildlife Conservation During COVID-19

The Challenge

ZAK's primary revenue streams—ticket sales, animal adoptions, and donations—were heavily dependent on in-person visits. The pandemic-induced restrictions severely impacted these channels, leaving ZAK in a financial crisis. Moreover, the existing processes for animal adoption and donations were cumbersome, based on physical visits to the zoo and paper-based, further limiting public participation. This severely disrupted the ability of zoos to perform essential maintenance and run their operations, as their primary source of income was public funding. ZAK needed a solution that would not only address the immediate financial crisis but also modernize their approach to fundraising and visitor engagement.

Codemonk’s Approach

We approached the challenge with a determination to create a solution that was both user-friendly and impactful. Our development process prioritized user needs. We conducted surveys and interviews with potential app users to understand their motivations, preferences, and what they expected from such an app.

Understanding this helped us tailor the design to resonate with animal lovers and conservation enthusiasts. Next, we carefully prioritized core features that would drive donations and streamline the zoo experience – easy animal adoption, flexible donation options, and digital ticketing were our focus.

Throughout, user-centric design remained paramount; the app's interface was built with simplicity and visual appeal in mind, ensuring a seamless experience for users regardless of their technical proficiency. Recognizing the sensitive nature of financial transactions, we integrated secure payment gateways and implemented the highest standards of data protection.

Keeping in mind the large-scale social impact pumped up all the team members, especially the pet lovers. Till date, this was one of the fastest design and development sprints we have ever conducted to get the product out.

The Solution

The Zoos of Karnataka digital platform emerged as a powerful tool for wildlife conservation:

Impact and Outcome

The application experienced immediate success, gaining immense popularity as users actively shared their donations across various social media platforms. This grassroots movement garnered significant public backing and attracted endorsements from celebrities, resulting in a remarkable fundraising achievement of over INR 3 Crores within 1 month for zoo operations.

Additionally, the implementation of digitalization within the zoo infrastructure has effectively reduced congestion at service counters, aligning seamlessly with current safety protocols. The digitization of ticketing, adoption, and donation processes has facilitated smoother operations, enhancing overall efficiency.

The transition to a paperless workflow not only conserves valuable resources but also contributes significantly to wildlife preservation efforts.

Moreover, the app's design and impact were acknowledged at the IAMAI Design Leadership Summit, underscoring its pivotal role in promoting social impact and adhering to bottom-up design principles.