Since 2011, the Philadelphia Zoo has been growing its Zoo360, a network of animal-exploration trails that operate under the moniker, “When you move around the zoo, the zoo moves around you.” Thanks to a new mobile app, moving around the zoo has never been easier, or more interactive.

   Earlier this summer, the zoo launched Zoo360Insider, a free app that fuses navigation and education, helping visitors find their way around the expansive park and learn as they go.

   The zoo previously operated a mobile app but it was primarily info-based, with details on the zoo’s collection and descriptions of its attractions, noted Gerald Griffin, director of information technology at the zoo. Griffin spearheaded the app’s development, an 18-month process.

   Zoo360Insider works in tandem with the new 94 WiFi access points at the zoo, created through a partnership with Xfinity.

   One of the main features of the new and improved app takes advantage of the five Zoo360 trails — Gorilla Treeway, Treetop Trail, Great Ape Trail, Big Cat Crossing and Meerkat Maze — which let animals roam (on a time-sharing system) in mesh trails above and around the zoo.

   With Zoo360Insider, if you spot an animal in a trail, you simply tap the “Spy” icon for a particular trail and it pins the animal’s location using a time-based, heat-map function; the more people who use the function around the same time, the stronger the animal’s precise location, which can help visitors find animals who’ve ventured into the trails from their exhibits.

   When you pin a location, you can also snap a photo that is shared to a Zoo360 photo gallery for other users to peruse.

   “It’s a significant improvement that uses crowdsourcing,” Griffin said about the new app’s feature.

   On Spirit News’ recent visit, we spotted two inhabitants of the Big Cat Crossing during our lunch stop; we jumped to the app and pinned their location and were able to read up on what turned out to be pumas. The app not only gave us helpful info on pumas in the wild but also specific details like the names and histories of the particular pumas we lunched next to.

   For locals like us who haven’t visited the Philadelphia Zoo in some time, the mobile app is also an immediate help for navigation.

   The zoo has undergone tremendous changes in the past few years; beyond the addition of the overhead maze of Zoo360 trails, the children’s zoo has been completely revamped and moved, a new maze for meerkats just opened and the zoo is even getting in on the beer-garden biz with its own watering hole.

   As soon as you enter the gates, the app pinpoints your location —using a meerkat icon — on a map that lays out all of the attractions.

   Using the “Find” button, you can explore a comprehensive list of all the zoo’s animals before selecting what you want to see. Once you hit “Go,” a dotted line pops up that shows you the easiest path to your destination, along with the distance. Apart from helping you find your favorite animals, the navigation tool also lets you check the closest water stations, dining venues and restrooms — perfect for parents on the go.

   Visitors juggling children can also have their day eased by the app’s organizational abilities. With a few quick clicks, you can find all of the scheduled zookeeper talks and special events, as well as their proximity to you. With the “Itinerary” button, you can even build a list of your must-see stops for the day to keep your group on track.

   “Whether it’s pre-planning, laying out where you’re going to go ahead of time, or finding an animal’s destination while you’re on site, the app can do all that for you,” Griffin said.

   Zoo360Insider also stores all of your photos from the day in one convenient location, from which you can easily share them on social media.

   You can also use the program to learn about adopting animals, and take care of logistics like buying tickets or a membership. Members can even use the app as a virtual member card for discounts throughout the zoo.

   Griffin said zoo management is starting to pull data from the app to see how visitors are using it, which he said will be helpful to build new iterations of the program in the future.

   In its current form, Zoo360Insider adds a new dimension to the zoo-going experience — one that allows you to reap the benefits of technology without losing sight of the real draw that has propelled the zoo for nearly 150 years: its more than 1,300 animals.

   “It’s an extension to your visit to enhance the experience,” Griffin said. “It’s meant to augment what you’re seeing in front of you, which is the great collection of animals.”

   Though many people, especially in the current Pokémon Go-craze, haven taken to walking with their eyes glued to their phones, Zoo360Insider is not an app that requires constant attention. You can power it up, find where you’re going and put it back in your pocket — letting you enjoy and explore with ease.