Abstract
The goals of zoos are providing an entertaining and educational experience for visitors, promoting environmental conservation, and promoting positive welfare for nonhuman residents. Education can unify these goals. In this study, data were collected on visitors to the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) exhibit at The Zoo Northwest Florida. Researchers implemented three conditions of education at the chimpanzee viewing platform: a graphic sign, a trained docent, and a control condition with no intervention. The sign and docent encouraged visitors to use affinitive chimpanzee behaviors. Visitors were significantly more active in the graphic sign condition and significantly less active in the docent condition, and their behavior did not vary from the expected value during the control condition. Visitors used the affinitive behaviors that were demonstrated in each experimental condition. These results suggest that both graphic signs and docent interaction affect visitor behavior and can be considered useful educational tools for fulfilling the goals of the zoos.
Highlights
Visitors were present in the front portion of the visitor platform for 31 hr 7 min 25 s, which was the data selected for analysis
To determine how cells within these chi-squares individually contributed to the overall significance of each result, the standardized residual (SR) of each cell was examined as a z-score (Haberman, 1973)
Visitors were more likely to play slap or head nod during the docent and sign conditions than the control condition, but these behaviors remained low overall. These results suggest that the docent and the sign have the potential to be effective interventions as their presence or absence significantly affected specific aspects of visitor behavior
Summary
The goals of zoos are providing an entertaining experience for visitors, educating visitors and the surrounding community, promoting environmental conservation, and providing positive welfare for nonhuman residents (Ballantyne & Packer, 2016; Carr & Cohen, 2011; D’Cruze et al, 2019; Godinez & Fernandez, 2019; Hutchins & Smith, 2003; Lindemann-Matthies & Kamer, 2005; Milan & Wourms, 1993). Illustrations, and color in an exhibit sign can increase visitor interest and prolong the time visitors spend at a particular exhibit (Bitgood et al, 1986; Coe, 1992; Foster et al, 1988) Another medium to inform the public is to facilitate interactions between the visitors and zoo residents (D’Cruze et al, 2019; Kreger & Mench, 1995). Either video presentation or live presentation by zoo staff member increased visitor time spent at an orangutan exhibit and increased visitors’ knowledge about orangutans (Perdue et al, 2012)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
