Your Zoo

Support

Everything that can go wrong in the zoo — and what helps. If this page does not answer it, write to us: TODO: support-address@domain.tld

The audio guide

How does the app decide which animal to play?
From four things, combined into a score for every enclosure: where you are (at the rail, or 20 metres away?), where you are looking (the compass — is the enclosure in front of you or behind you?), how accurate the position currently is, and how long you have been standing there. The best enclosure is played only if it passes a clear minimum score and is well ahead of the runner-up — and that for three fixes in a row, roughly three seconds. When you walk on, the app waits until the next enclosure is just as unambiguous; a brief wobble never switches the story.
Why is it silent when I am standing right in front of the animal?
Because it would rather be quiet than wrong. The usual reasons:
  • The position is too inaccurate. Fixes worse than 45 metres are discarded entirely — typical between tall buildings, under dense trees, or right after launch.
  • The compass says you are looking elsewhere. If the enclosure sits more than about 60 degrees off your heading, it is not played. An uncalibrated compass is the single most common cause.
  • Two enclosures are too close together. At several viewpoints in Frankfurt Zoo two enclosures are less than three metres apart. There the compass decides — and when the compass cannot be trusted, the app deliberately stays silent.
  • You are still walking. Nothing triggers as you pass by; stop for a moment.
You can always tap it yourself: select the enclosure on the map, or open the list in Tier-Story.
How do I get the best results?
  • Allow location (“While Using the App”) and leave Precise Location on. Without it, the app cannot tell neighbouring enclosures apart.
  • Calibrate the compass: wave the phone through a horizontal figure of eight two or three times. Keep away from metal railings, magnetic cases, power banks and bicycle handlebars — they pull the compass off by tens of degrees.
  • Stop for a moment and look at the enclosure: the story starts after about three seconds.
  • Use headphones. Against wind and cheerful children the speaker has no chance; with headphones you can also pocket the phone and playback continues.
  • Hold the phone upright in your hand or in a chest pocket, screen facing forward — inside a backpack the app has no idea where you are looking.
Does it work without a signal?
Yes. Every text, image, path and the speech itself are inside the app. GPS comes from satellites and needs no mobile network. One exception: the grey base map under the enclosures comes from Apple and needs a connection the first time it is shown. Offline, the enclosures, paths and your own position stay visible; the base map underneath may be blank.
What is the “super fact”?
Each species has five facts. The app remembers which one you heard last and picks a new one next time — so even on your tenth visit you hear something new.
Can I listen faster, or read along?
Yes. In the Tier-Story player you can set the speed to 0.9×, 1.0× or 1.2×. The full text can be shown and follows along as it is spoken.
Why does the voice sound artificial?
The stories are read out by the device; recorded narration is not in this version yet. In iOS Settings under Accessibility → Spoken Content → Voices you can download a higher-quality voice for German, English or Spanish — the app then uses it automatically.
Does playback continue with the screen off?
Yes, while a tour is running. iOS shows its blue location indicator while it does. After 90 seconds of standing still the app switches to economical positioning and wakes up as soon as you walk on.

Your Zoo — the card

How do I import my membership card?
Open Your Zoo → Photograph & load zoo card. Photograph the front, or choose Choose from Photos. The app reads the QR code, card type, name, card number and validity and shows you everything for checking; correct whatever is wrong and save. After that, a tap on the card is all it takes. Everything stays on the device — nothing is uploaded.
The card is not recognised properly.
Lay it flat on an even surface, in bright indirect light, without flash (it reflects off the plastic) and without your hand's shadow. The card should nearly fill the frame and sit parallel to its edges. The QR code is what matters — that is what the turnstile reads; name, number and date can be typed in by hand if need be. The menu at the top right offers Scan again at any time.
Will the turnstile accept the QR code?
The app reproduces exactly the code printed on your card — the reader sees what it sees on the plastic. Tap the code to show it full-screen at maximum brightness. Bring the physical card along the first time, in case the zoo's reader dislikes screens.
I want the card gone.
Menu at the top right → Delete card. The data and the portrait are removed from the device immediately. Deleting the app removes them too.
Does the app tell me when my card expires?
Yes. The digital card shows the validity date and warns when it has passed. If the printed date differs from the one in the QR code, the review screen explains the difference and uses the QR code.

Language, storage, updates

How do I change the language?
Gear icon at the top right → Language → Deutsch, English, Español or Same as device. That switches the interface, the texts and the speaking voice immediately. No restart needed.
How much space does the app need, and how do I free some?
The Frankfurt zoo bundle is about 33 MB and ships inside the app — it cannot be removed without deleting the app. If you have downloaded an updated bundle, that copy can be removed under Settings → Data package → Remove; the built-in version stays and keeps working. Recordings are deleted individually under Ground-truth recording.
How does new content reach the app?
At most once an hour the app asks whether a newer version of the zoo bundle exists, and downloads only if something changed. You can do it manually with Check for updates. Force offline mode stops every such request.
Can I use the app without granting location access?
Yes. You only lose the automatic recognition. You then tap what you want to hear, on the map or in the list.

Reporting a wrong animal

This is the one bug that matters most: if the app told you about the wrong animal, we want to know.

Write to TODO: support-address@domain.tld and include whatever you know:

If you want to help make it reproducible: Settings → Ground-truth recording lets you record for a minute, mark the correct enclosure under “I am facing …”, and send the file to us via Share. Such a recording contains your path through the zoo — send it only if you are comfortable with that, and delete it from the device afterwards.

Mistakes in a text, an image or a fact are just as welcome: the species, the language and the passage are enough.

Contact

TODO: support-address@domain.tld — we answer in German, English and Spanish.

TODO Fill in the support email address (the same one entered in App Store Connect) and, if you want, the response time people can expect.

Your Zoo is an independent project. Questions about ticket prices, opening hours, membership cards or the animals themselves are answered by Frankfurt Zoo, not by this app.