Global trends in research output by zoos and aquariums

Abstract

Zoos and aquaria, often regarded as preservation-cum-entertainment enterprises, are now touted as actors in the efforts to curb the biodiversity crisis: raising awareness, supporting conservation, and conducting research. We have tested whether data grant this claim by assessing the research carried out by zoos on a global scale. For the zoos and aquaria registered in the Species360's Zoological Information Management System and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, we compiled metadata about their published research indexed in Scopus and carried out a keyword frequency analysis. We identified hot topics and taxa and unraveled their trends through time. We found that the contribution of zoos to research has indeed increased at a much faster rate than the average accrual of general science, while themes shifted according to observed trends elsewhere. Our results also confirm a strong bias in zoo-led research towards vertebrates, and especially mammals. Whether zoos are effectively contributing to conservation may still be debatable, but our results highlight their institutional efforts to increase the overall knowledge about the species in their care. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.