Zoo Experience Research Articles

Incorporating Art Events Into Marketing Activities - Good Practice By European Zoos

Abstract Research purpose. In today's business world and for over a hundred years, art events have been used to develop a brand, promote awareness, and increase the number of customers. Art is a useful tool for a company to promote and advertise its products. As some authors mentioned, arts can enhance the company's image: in marketing and selling, art can brand a company's culture and products; arts can also act as a social connector in the workplace and beyond and in marketing, art can brand a company's culture and products, it helps to further community relations (Anderson, 2017). Companies can use not only art events to attract customers and diversify target audiences but also institutions such as zoos. Attracting visitors through art events is especially important for those zoos that cannot afford rare animal species or special spaces and landscapes. Nowadays, most cultural activities in zoos are done under the educational programs - educational activities provided by zoos not only concern animals, biodiversity and the environment but may have cross-academic roots, like arts, geography, theatre, engineering and technology, physical and mental health, even math (Zareva-Simeonova et al., 2014.) Social media development gives the zoos an excellent opportunity to make these activities visible and allows them to incorporate art, music, crafts, games, and storytelling into the zoo experience. Videos, artistic content and online read-alongs can draw kids and their families into the zoo community long before stepping foot into the zoo. (Softplay, 2023). The most active in attracting visitors with art and culture activities are USA zoos, from the usual placement of art objects in the zoo territory and celebration of various holidays to master classes with professional artists who teach visitors to draw animals and art residencies. This research aims to identify European best practice examples of zoos using art events that attract more local visitors and tourists and classify art events in zoos. Design / Methodology / Approach. Using the document analysis method, the home pages of different zoos worldwide were analysed. In antiquation, partly structured interviews with zoo representatives and artists were made. Findings. The results of the research will be presented at the conference. Originality / Value / Practical implications. The research summarises the experiences of different zoos in organising art events. It creates a typology of art events that can be used by representatives of different zoos when planning additional activities.

Performing encounters (and encountering performance) at Auckland Zoo

Performing encounters (and encountering performance) at Auckland Zoo

Undergraduates’ Motivation Following a Zoo Experience: Status Matters but Structure Does not

Background: Free-choice learning, which often takes place in settings such as zoos, is where the learner has autonomy to choose what, where, how, and with whom to learn. Currently, little is known about the potential of free-choice learning experiences at informal settings to engage undergraduates in biology. Purpose: We sought to explore how participation in structured versus free-choice learning experiences and a student’s status in their program relate to their motivation, interest, and self-regulation to learn biology after a zoo trip. Methodology/Approach: Students in both introductory and advanced biology courses were assigned to either a structured or free-choice learning group during a zoo visit. Participating students completed a set of surveys before and after the zoo trip to gauge their incoming self-regulation and changes in motivation and interest to learn biology. Findings/Conclusions: We found that advanced students reported higher intrinsic motivation to learn biology than introductory students. In addition, grade motivation decreased and self-efficacy increased after the zoo trip across all students. Implications: Ultimately, there may be numerous ways for instructors to make visits to the zoo and other informal settings more meaningful for undergraduates. Both structured and autonomous learning experiences offer benefits for students across program levels.

Tourists' perceptions of non‐human species in zoos: An animal rights perspective

AbstractThis qualitative study aims to reveal tourists' perceptions of non‐human species in zoos while adopting an animal rights perspective. Study findings indicate that tourists are concerned about the well‐being of animals that are kept in zoos and conceive that animals in zoos are distressed and “unhappy”. Yet, they value the outcome of their zoo experience and interaction with animals, thus continue to visit zoos for leisure/educational purposes. The study's findings enable the conceptualisation of zoos, their societal impact, tourists' concerns about animals kept in zoos and the need of tourism stakeholders to transform zoos.

Quantifying the long-term impact of zoological education: a study of learning in a zoo and an aquarium

There is increasing evidence that zoos and aquariums do, as intended, educate their visitors. However, even though most zoos offer a wide array of educational experiences, few studies have considered if the duration of an educational experience affects learning or whether learning lasts beyond the immediate visit. The current study used matched-pairs surveys to investigate children’s knowledge, attitude and knowledge of positive behavior during both a five-day zoo camp and six months after an aquarium visit. The participants of the study included children aged 9–12 years some of whom had participated in a purposefully designed educational intervention. First, the impact of a five-day zoo camp experience on children’s learning was investigated. Second, learning retention was investigated six months after a school tour at an aquarium. Results showed that during the camp learning was positively affected by participation in the educational intervention and by previous zoo experience. Girls were more likely than boys to have an increase in learning six months after an aquarium visit. The study demonstrates that learning persists, but that education can be enhanced with longer programs. Thus, zoos can play an increasingly important role in igniting pro-environmental behavior.

What Is the Zoo Experience? How Zoos Impact a Visitor's Behaviors, Perceptions, and Conservation Efforts.

Modern zoos strive to educate visitors about zoo animals and their wild counterparts’ conservation needs while fostering appreciation for wildlife in general. This research review examines how zoos influence those who visit them. Much of the research to-date examines zoo visitors’ behaviors and perceptions in relation to specific exhibits, animals, and/or programs. In general, visitors have more positive perceptions and behaviors about zoos, their animals, and conservation initiatives the more they interact with animals, naturalistic exhibits, and zoo programming/staff. Furthermore, zoo visitors are receptive to conservation messaging and initiatives at zoos and are more likely to participate in on-site conservation opportunities as opposed to after their visits. The research also suggests that repeat visitors are even more inclined to seek out conservation efforts compared to those visiting zoos for the first time. While current research suggests that repeat visitors are more likely to engage in conservation efforts, little is known about causal factors related to such findings, and almost no research exists to-date comparing the conservation efforts of visitors vs. non-visitors. This latter comparison will likely play a greater role in future zoo visitor research, since it poses one of the most important metrics for evaluating the specific effects visiting a zoo can have on people engaging in conservation efforts in general.

Tails From Captive Classes: Interspecies Civic Action at the Contemporary Zoo

In this case study we rearticulate the contemporary zoo to recognize the agency of captive classes. Contemporary zoos catalog the consequences of humans’ ecological choices. We reject the dominant ideologies used to justify captivity (e.g., human safety, rescue, and conservation), in favor of framing zoo’d animals as refugees forced into captivity due to human development and climate change. Through the permeability of zoo exhibit boundaries we analyze resistance from captive, free-living animals, and elemental nature (e.g. water), arguing for a strategic anthropomorphism that privileges intuition as a form of civic action that includes all entities. Moreover, we urge a shift toward a re-imagined model that implicates humans in the plight of the animals kept within zoo walls. This essay provides suggestions for an alternative zoo experience that responds to the resistive communication of more-than-humans.

What goes up must come down: an evaluation of a zoo conservation-education program for balloon litter on visitor understanding, attitudes, and behaviour

Balloons used outdoors can fly away, posing ingestion and entanglement hazards to wildlife. “When Balloons Fly” (WBF) conservation-education program seeks to educate zoo visitors about these threats and encourage the use of wildlife-friendly bubbles at outdoor events. We examined the effect of WBF on visitor knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours (intentions and actions) over 6 months (N = 624). We compared outcomes among visitors who viewed a presentation and exhibit, to viewing the exhibit-only, and investigated the priming influence of completing a survey before entering the exhibit (pre-survey). Visitors had greater depth of understanding about the impact of balloons immediately following the visit, but post-visit message recall was low. General Linear Models revealed that over 6 months WBF significantly (p < .05) influenced positive attitudes concerning balloon use, increased likelihood to use bubbles, and reduced likelihood to use balloons. Completion of a pre-survey significantly influenced positive attitudes and reduced likelihood to use balloons. WBF is promoting conservation behaviour, with two-thirds of the follow-up sample reporting that behaviours they changed while hosting or attending an outdoor event since their visit were influenced by the zoo experience. Future work can investigate materials that might mimic a priming effect (e.g., worksheets).

Star attractions and damp squibs at the zoo: a study of visitor attention and animal attractiveness

ABSTRACTThe importance of this paper relates to the need to construct zoos that meet social and ethical obligations to be economically viable centres of both wildlife conservation and education in the twenty-first century. Recognizing the importance of the attractiveness of animals to the success of visitors’ zoo experience, this paper provides an analysis of the attractiveness of differing types of animals in a zoo setting. The paper is based on the data that was gathered in 2013 at Durrell Wildlife Park, UK, using a non-participant observation method that incorporated the collection of multiple types of verbal and visual data concerning visitor and animal behaviour. The animals studied possess differing levels of charisma and encompass a range of taxonomic categories. The results highlighted in this paper demonstrate that the ability of animals to attract and retain the attention of visitors varies significantly and suggests that the reasons behind this are related to a complex interaction of the characteristics that define animal attractiveness. However, the activity level of animals and their visibility appear to play a key role in determining the ability of an animal to attract and retain visitor attention.

Using student-centred research to evidence-base exhibition of reptiles and amphibians: three species-specific case studies

When captive animals have choice over aspects of their environment, and are able to exercise control over interactionswith their surroundings, welfare can be improved and exhibits’ value to the zoo increased. Reptiles and amphibians are not common subjects in enrichment studies yet their demanding captive requirements suggest a need for enclosure diversity and biologically-sound enrichment programmes. As popular captive subjects, such animals are readily available for potential research projects that investigate behaviour, welfare and effects of enclosure design. Undergraduates on animal science courses that undertake a research-led dissertation or similar projects can collect data on such species that, if collected under a robust methodology, can be used to inform future husbandry decisions. This paper discusses three small-scale studies (on two reptile species and one amphibian species) that were designed to improve husbandry and welfare. The aim of the paper is to show that undergraduate projects, properly managed, can have a positive impact on overall day-to-day exhibition and management of these species. Results from these projects have shown that small changes to enclosure design can impact, in a beneficial fashion, on activity patterns and that overall enclosure design can help display the animals in a more interesting way to visitors. Potentially, the animal welfare benefits of enriched set-ups can be passed on to zoo visitors in the form of a more engaging, exciting and educationally-relevant zoo experience.

Conservation caring: Measuring the influence of zoo visitors' connection to wildlife on pro-conservation behaviors

Zoos in the 21st century are striving to make effective contributions to conservation. Although zoos are extremely popular and host over 600 million visitors worldwide, one challenge zoos face is how to effectively engage visitors and raise awareness and action for conservation. To this end, zoos commonly rely on charismatic megafauna, which have been shown to elicit a connection with zoo visitors. However, little is known about how to measure a connection to a species or how this connection may influence conservation behaviors. This study had two sequential objectives. The first was to develop a scale to measure visitors' connection to a species (Conservation Caring). The second was to investigate the relationship of Conservation Caring to pro-conservation behaviors, following a zoo experience. Pre- (n = 411) and post-visit (n = 452) responses were collected from three sites in order to assess the reliability and validity of a scale to measure Conservation Caring. Structural equation modeling was used to explore the relationship between Conservation Caring and pro-conservation behaviors. Conservation Caring was deemed a valid and reliable scale and was a strong predictor of species oriented behaviors (β = 0.62), for example, "adopting" an animal, but a weak predictor for biodiversity oriented behaviors (β = 0.07), for example, supporting sustainability policies. Results support the role zoos can play in fostering a connection to wildlife and stimulating pro-conservation behaviors. Additionally, visitors connected to a wide array of animals. On the basis of these results, zoos may recruit a wider assemblage of species as potential flagships.

Benefits of Naturalistic Free-Ranging Primate Displays and Implications for Increased Human–Primate Interactions

ABSTRACTWe evaluated three forms of primate free-ranging displays at Singapore Zoo, each with varying restrictions on ranging area and freedom for the primates, as well as visitor proximity. The cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus), the white-faced saki (Pithecia pithecia), and the orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) displays illustrated differences in primate visibility to visitors, visitor–primate proximity, frequency of visitor–primate interactions, visitor crowd size, and responses. Amongst the three free-ranging displays, the cotton-top tamarins offered the highest visibility, closest proximity between visitors and primates, highest interaction levels, and attracted the largest crowds. However, undesirable interactions occurred most between the cotton-top tamarins and visitors. We found consistently positive visitor perceptions (total n = 464) of all three primate displays in terms of visitor enjoyment (> 95%); naturalistic zoo experience (> 95%); learning experience (> 90%); and the promotion of good welfare (> 90%). Increasingly naturalistic displays of animals in zoos through the free-ranging of animals can have considerable benefits for both zoo visitors as well as animals, and is a display concept that deserves implementation on a wider scale. Design and implementation of such displays should, however, achieve a balance to maximise display value and animal welfare while curtailing the effects of undesirable human–primate interactions through the restriction of visitor–primate proximity.

Requests for zoo visitors to undertake pro-wildlife behaviour: How many is too many?

Recognising the potential conservation impact, zoos regularly ask their visitors to undertake pro-wildlife behaviour. This paper presents the results of two studies undertaken to address the question: how often during a visit should visitors be asked? Study 1 sought to a) determine individuals' personal thresholds and b) the point where the number of different behaviours requested began affect visitors' experiences. Study 2 sought the same, but focused on requests for the same behaviour. Results suggest that few respondents' personal thresholds were crossed (2.5% in Study 1 and 9% in Study 2). In neither study did many respondents (2.5% in Study 1 and 2.8% in Study 2) feel that the number of requests negatively affect their overall zoo experience. While there are caveats, we conclude that there appears little cause for concern about asking zoo visitors on multiple occasions to act in support of wildlife. Indeed, such requests may improve experiences.

One of Every Type: Collection, Description and the Production of the Generic Animal at the Hamburg Zoological Garden, 1863-1911

Between 1863 and 1911, the guidebooks and several other publications of the Hamburg Zoological Garden characterized animals as standardized, biologically determined “Types.” These typologies were reinforced by physical and anthropomorphic descriptions and representations of animals as commodities or fragmented objects of scientific scrutiny. In this way, attempts to classify and collect animals reduced them to unsophisticated, interchangeable objects that confounded the zoo’s mandate to deepen public and scientific knowledge about wild animals. Instead, captive wild animals were rendered as simplified and generic representations that called into question the authenticity of the zoo experience and the scientific premise of the zoological garden.

Does more interpretation lead to greater outcomes? An assessment of the impacts of multiple layers of interpretation in a zoo context

This study investigates the relationship between the level of exposure to interpretive media and the cognition, affect and behaviour of zoo visitors, i.e. what they report knowing, feeling and doing following their interpretive experience at the zoo. Visitors were surveyed at the exit to a particular zoo experience, a recently opened lion exhibit that uses an array of static and face-to-face interpretive media to convey messages about the difficulties faced by lions, particularly when they come into contact with humans. A validated self-report instrument consisting of 29 items was used to capture ten cognitive, affective and behavioural indicators or outcomes of the interpretation. The 288 respondents experienced between one and four different interpretive media, and the results on every one of the ten indicators reveal that visitors' reported cognitive, affective and behavioural outcomes were greater, many with statistical significance, as the number of interpretive media increased. The findings confirm and extend previous research which found that the cognitive impact of interpretation was not only greater with multiple layers of interpretation but also suggested the need for further research with other types of interpretive media on other visitors and in a wider range of sustainable tourism contexts.

The Value of Zoo Experiences for Connecting People with Nature

ABSTRACT Zoos aspire to bring people closer to nature through visitor education and by creating environments that immerse visitors into naturalistic surroundings. Yet to date, the psychological and behavioral consequences of these attempts have not been well-documented through empirical study. The present study was designed to determine if visiting a zoo had a measurable impact on visitors' relationships with nature and to test whether this effect was moderated by the zoo setting and/or type of zoo experience. Data were collected from three different types of zoos in New York City. A total of 242 zoo visitors participated in this study by completing a set of scales measuring explicit and implicit self-nature associations. Findings suggest that zoo experiences do promote an increased implicit connectedness with nature, but no changes were found for self-reported explicit connectedness with nature. The authors found no evidence that this effect was moderated by a specific design strategy or scale of institution.

Breeding the Marabou stork Leptoptilos crurneniferus: at the Zoological Center Tel Aviv and Noorder Zoo, Emmen

Although commonly kept in captivity the Marabou stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus has been recorded as a breeding species in only eight institutions. Details of Marabou management at the Zoological Center Tel Aviv and Noorder Zoo, Emmen, present contrasts related to climatic differences. Noorder Zoo's experience includes successful multiple clutching, incubation and hand-rearing. Some notes on management at the other successful zoos are included.

Use of Nonhuman Primates in Entertainment in Southeast Asia

The modern zoo has its origins in the royal menageries of ages past, where animals were kept for purposes of exhibition and entertainment for the privileged few (Bennett, 1829). What demarcates modern zoos from the animal menageries? Zoos no longer treat animals as display items solely for public enjoyment. Besides the fundamental objective of providing entertainment to the public, modern zoos also play a part as educators and conservationists (Hutchins & Weise, 1991). Yet zoos face a constant stream of criticism. Debate continues over their role in conservation, keeping large animals such as carnivores, and whether zoos should even exist (Clubb & Mason, 2003; Jamieson, 1986; People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, 2004). An important component of the zoo experience still involves animal shows and photography featuring a whole array of species. As public attitudes toward animal welfare and ethics have changed markedly in many parts of the world in recent decades, charismatic species such as dolphins, elephants, and nonhuman primates have received increasing amounts of scrutiny for their use in entertainment (Kirkwood, 2003). The most contentious ethical issues facing modern zoos are the JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL WELFARE SCIENCE, 8(2), 141–149 Copyright © 2005, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

How does the zoo environment affect the behaviour of captive primates?

It is important for us to be able to understand the behaviour of primates in zoos for at least three reasons: firstly as a means towards ensuring their welfare, secondly to use that understanding to ensure a positive zoo experience for zoo visitors, and thirdly so that results of basic research undertaken on zoo primates can be properly evaluated. Often, however, the results of studies of how the zoo environment affects primate behaviour are not easy to interpret. We should recognize that the zoo environment is only one of a number of environments in which primates live, and should identify in which ways the zoo environment is different from those other environments. Here, it is suggested that the zoo environment may be defined in terms of three dimensions: regular presence of large numbers of unfamiliar humans, restricted space, and being managed. Individually all three of these can also be found in other, non-zoo environments, but all three together are characteristic of zoo environments. This paper is an initial attempt to compare studies of primate responses to the variables associated with each of these three dimensions across different primate environments. It is concluded that there is a need for at least two different types of study in future: comparisons across a range of primate environments using the same species and measures, and studies of the interactions between the three dimensions identified for zoo environments.

Good zoo/bad zoo: Visitor experiences in captive settings

Captive wildlife settings are a large and important segment of the wildlife tourism industry. They are also subject to considerable debate, much of which centers on whether zoos and sanctuaries deliver benefits that compensate the necessity of keeping animals in captivity. The views of the visiting public are an important factor in this debate. This study presents results from visitors who were asked to describe their best and worst wildlife tourism experiences. Three hundred sixty-three best experiences and 323 worst experiences occurred in captive environments, and these descriptions were analysed to determine the most frequently mentioned features of these experiences. Best experiences in captive environments commonly involved interaction with wildlife, learning, and viewing large numbers and varieties of wildlife. Worst experiences were dominated by poor management of captive animals, poor service or management of the facility, and threatening behavior from animals. Overall, the descriptive responses contain material that supports arguments on both sides of the great zoo debate, and provide direction for continued improvement of the zoo experience.