A study recently published in Zoo Biology investigated how engagement with zoo staff and demonstrations influenced visitor stay time in two aviaries:
✔Longer stays in the exhibit when there were opportunities to engage with staff and to watch talks and demonstrations.
✔Educational materials such as bird guide handouts also increased visitor stay time in the aviaries.
✔No consistent effects found for group size and composition on visitor stay time.
✔Applications to zoo visitor experience and education programmes.

Can an in-person educational intervention with the use of zoological specimens enhance learning in primary students? A paper in JZBG compared attitudes and knowledge of students before & after an in-person, website OR video educational intervention:
✔ Three schools in Ireland included: 165 primary-level students.
✔ In-person teaching with zoological specimens resulted in significant improvement in attitudes.
✔ Learning achievements were similar in in-person and online lesson types, but an overall improvement in comparison to the pre-intervention phase was detected.
✔ Zoological specimens can be an effective tool in primary education - applications to zoo outreach programmes.

The participants of an online VS on-site zoo education programmes were compared in a study published in the JZAR:
✔ Japanese giant salamander symposium held 4x on-site, 1x online, 1x hybrid.
✔ Online symposium attended by people who never visited the zoo and by a higher number of first time participants from distant locations.
✔ Online participants showed a preference to attend online repeat events.
✔ Online education programmes may have a wider reach, but may also fail to encourage people to visit the zoo.

A study in JZBG investigated the use of the resources offered by zoos and aquariums during periods of COVID-19 related closures, to keep connecting people with animals:
✔548 participants in total: 302 (~55%) chose to stay connected to a zoo during COVID-19 lockdown.
✔82% of the participants who chose to stay connected did so via social media, while 51% used webcams.
✔While 75% claimed to have used the resources for their own interest in animals, 36% enjoyed sharing the information with others. 
✔Factors such as previous/current zoo membership influenced likelihood to use the resources.
✔Applications to zoo education and outreach programmes.

Can staff presence and/or signage reduce negative visitor behaviours at the zoo? A paper in Zoo Biology investigated:
✔Negative visitor behaviours were significantly lower when uniformed zoo staff was present.
✔Signage alone did not seem to affect negative visitor behaviour.
✔Future research should look into the effects of different sign design or explore other methods to reduce negative visitor behaviour.

How does interpretation design affect zoo visitor engagement? A paper in Zoo Biology investigated:
✔Nearly 4x more visitors stopped, and for longer, at interactive signs than at standard text + graphics signs.
✔More visitors stopped at signs in immersive exhibits.
✔Visitors stopped for longer at signs containing images of humans.
✔Applications to interpretation design and zoo education.

Can a virtual "bat experience" at the zoo promote positive changes in visitor attitudes towards bats? A study in JZAR investigated:
✔ 5-minute "Virtual Bat Experience" with videos, images & information about zoo-housed fruit bats.
✔ 316 people surveyed before and after experience.
✔ Positive attitude changes detected for all measures.
✔ Previous visit to a zoo bat exhibit also seemed to encourage positive attitudes.

A mixed-methods study in Environmental Education Research investigated learning in one zoo and one aquarium:
✔ Three methods used: match pairs surveys, behavioural observations, conversational content analysis;
✔ Learning was observed in most participants, but it was greater in those that took part in an educational intervention;
✔ Mixed-methods research & data triangulation allow for a more solid evaluation of the effectiveness of zoo education programmes.

A paper in Zoo Biology discussed a framework to assist zoos & aquariums in encouraging conservation action in their visitors:
✔ Shift the balance: Increase motivation, remove barriers;
✔ Extrinsic motivators & low barriers have the potential to encourage action even in individuals with low intrinsic motivation;
✔ Animal experiences, educational elements & social marketing can be used to achieve these goals.

A study published in Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens investigated how zoo visitors perceived the welfare of giraffes as new members joined the group:
✔ The visitors' predispositions & affective responses correlated with their assessment of animal welfare;
✔ Visitors perceived giraffe welfare as more positive when more members were added to the group;
✔ Visitors perceived giraffes as well cared for but responded less positively to how happy they were or their exhibit size;
✔ Important to consider visitor perceptions of welfare to improve their experience & education.

Published earlier this year, a study in Conservation Biology reviewed the literature on zoo and aquarium education outcomes:
✔Cognitive outcomes were more frequently investigated than affective outcomes;
✔Definitions for learning outcomes were not used or were inconsistent;
✔Several factors influenced education outcomes, such as staff interaction and animal behaviour;
✔Hollistic approach to conservation education is recommended and a broader range of learning outcomes should be assessed.

A paper in Zoo Biology investigated whether workplace attachment by zoo professionals affects their pro-environmental bevaviours:
✔Workplace attachment positively correlated with self-reported pro-environmental behaviours;

✔Staff in Operations Department: lower pro-environmental behaviours but strongest correlation between them and workplace attachment;
✔Workplace practices to increase attachment may improve pro-environmental behaviours in zoo employees.

Can interactive, educational animal experiences changed children's attitudes towards wildlife? A study in Zoo Biology investigated...
✔ Both affilliation with local wildlife & willingness to live near it increased after animal program;
✔ Affilliation & willingness strongly correlated with each other.
✔ Seeing animals improved children attitudes towards them, even for species not present;
✔ Animal ambassadors can be effective tools in conservation education.

How does exhibit design affect visitor dwell times in zoos? A new paper in Journal of Zoo & Aquarium Research looked into it...

✔Longer dwell times: More viewing points, mixed-species exhibits, bridge-like walkways & stopping points;

✔Shorter dwell times: continuous wide barriers;

✔Animal welfare and zoo management factors were not considered, but applications to zoo exhibit design from a "visitor experience" perspective.

Do zoo rangers have an impact on the visitors' palm oil knowledge and attitudes? A paper in Zoo Biology investigated...
✔ Higher palm oil awareness & knowledge in visitors that talked with a ranger;
✔ Intentions to buy sustainable palm oil also higher in those visitors;
✔ Low engagement - only 1/4 of visitors spoke with a ranger.
✔ Rangers can be an effective tool in education campaigns, but their impact can be improved with higher visitor engagement.

A study in Journal of Zoo & Aquarium Research evaluated the benefits of a zoo-based dolphin research internship:

✔ 175 evaluations submitted by interns;

✔ Programme rated as "above expectaction" and "meets expectations" by 67% and 32% of interns, respectively;

✔ Interns reported acquiring skills & benefits to academic trajectory, personal life and employment.

A pilot study in JZAR analysed visitor perceptions of cheetah ambassador programmes:

✔ Preference for presentations showing the wildness of the animal (no preference for visible harnesses & containment structures);

✔ Use of interpretation with these programmes resulted in the visitors' increased perception of their education potential;

✔ Frequency of zoo visits also affected perceptions of these programmes.

A new paper in JZBG looked into the effects of zoo tours on the visitors' connection to nature and attitudes towards conservation:

✔ Regular zoo tour, special themed tours & tours with animal feedings included in study;

✔ Increase in connection to nature & attitudes towards conservation for all tour types;

✔ Participans with a pre-existing high level of connection & attitudes also benefitted from the tours;

✔ Zoos can be efficient mediums for environmental education programmes.

A study in JZBG investigated the visitor education impacts of controlled interactions with Humboldt penguin ambassadors:
✔Exhibit viewing resulted in increased mentioning of sustainable fish;
✔No evidence that animal ambassadors improved conservation education outcomes;
✔Zoo visitors showed increased specific conservation knowledge & intentions towards pro-environmental behaviours;
✔More research needed to understand & improve education impacts of animal ambassador programmes.

A paper in JZBG investigated engagement in a zoo summer school programme delivered online:

✔235 participants, 46 activities;

✔Higher overall engagement in live rather than recorded sessions;

✔Content level in engagement was higher for activities;

✔Self-reported appreciation for nature was higher after Summer School;

✔Online zoo education programmes can be an effective way to engage and inspire the public.

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Photo: Edinburgh Zoo

New study in JZBG measured the average speed of visitors as they drove through a safari park, in order to investigate their dwell times in different exhibits:

✔Average speed significantly differed between exhibits;

✔Slower speeds while driving through primate and felid exhibits;

✔Faster speeds in bovid and cervid exhibits;

✔Findings broadly similar with studies in traditional zoo settings (i.e. longer dwell times in primate exhibits);

✔Applications to safari park management.

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Photo: Knowsley Safari

A study in JZAR looked into the effects of "immersive" exhibits on visitor learning and engagement:
✔Visitor engagement & learning was compared between a "traditional", an "immersive" and an "intermediate" exhibit;
✔"Dwell time" higher in "traditional" enclosure BUT ⤵
✔Engagement with educational content was significantly higher in "immersive" exhibit than in the others;
✔Modest knowledge increases observed in "immersive" & "intermediate" exhibits but NO knowledge increase in the "traditional" one;
✔Attractive & engaging educational elements are important for zoo visitor education.

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Photo: Chester Zoo (Credit: ITV)

A study in JZBG investigated the impact of an interactive experience with Sumatran tigers on zoo visitor learning:

✔Visitors helped making enrichment for tigers & observed them interacting with it;

✔Tiger welfare not compromised by activity likely enhanced;

✔Most visitors showed high knowledge & positive attitude towards tigers,

✔Only 8% of participants responded to email in follow-up study, but all of these recalled the activity & their pledge;

✔No control group for comparison but activity may have improved visitor knowledge & attitudes towards conservation.

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Photo credit: Fota Wildlife Park

New paper in JZBG investigated the impact of educational activities (quizzes & stamp collection trails) on zoo visitor learning & exhibit observation:

✔Higher % of visitors involved in activities visited the target animals,

✔In some species, exhibit observations were higher for visitors involved in activities,

✔In some species, higher % of correct answers in visitors involved in the quiz game,

✔Quiz game was most effective at encouraging reading of information signs,

✔Both activities effectively guided the visitors & (especially quiz) have the potential to increase zoo education output.

A new study in JZBG investigated the impacts of a "touch table" on zoo visitor engagement:
✔Dwell times were higher when a member of staff was present, in colder seasons and in families;
✔Families & groups showed higher engagement;
✔Higher engagement associated with increased dwell times;
✔Locations used for touch tables also affected visitor response;
✔"Surface-level" conversations more common than "deeper-level" ones.

New study in Zoo Biology investigated the zoo visitor interpretation of animal-human two-shot images:
✔Zoo-based images elicited the highest stated Willingness to Donate & stronger connections to the animals;
✔Images of uniformed keepers with animals did not significantly increase desire for pet ownership;
✔Potential misconceptions about animal welfare in zoos VS other settings - greater education efforts needed? ;
✔Two-shot images can be used by zoos to increase conservation support & donations with little detrimental effects.

A new study in Plos One investigated the effects of signs with different images on zoo visitor donations to conservation:
✔Four different images were tested (same text): dolphins, ocean wildlife, children & people/"watching eyes";
✔>20,000 passed the donation box & a total € 952.40 collected;
✔No significant differences in mean donations found between conditions;
✔Visual frames used and the use of donation box (passive channel) may have influenced the results.

A recent paper in JZBG evaluated the Youtube content of 20 zoos between 2016 and 2019:

✔Greater focus on entertainment than education-based content;

✔Uneven representation of taxonomic diversity;

✔Conservation-oriented content increasing over time;

✔Only 3% of most viewed/popular videos were conservation-related;

✔Engagement with large audiences but the educational content and the way its presented needs to be reviewed and refined.

A study published in JZAR found that a significant number of individuals changed to a more positive view of the evolutionary theory after watching an aquarium-based live animal presentation. Even though the sample size was small and invites further research, these results provide more evidence of the role of zoos & aquariums in promoting science and educating the public.

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Photo credit: Aquarium of Boise

Are live animal shows effective at educating zoo visitors? New research found:

✔Over 25% of visitors in a zoo attended a show;

✔Visitors showed significantly higher animal knowledge after the show;

✔Conservation action awareness increased, but weakly;

✔Trick-type behaviours caused confusion about natural adaptations;

✔Live animal shows have great potential, but should focus on natural behaviours & conservation action.

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Photo credit: Flamingo Land Resort

A study in Zoo Biology compared the visitor response to watching an in-person polar bear training session, a video-recording of the same session, and an audio of the session with image of animal keeper (Control):

✔In-person experience: increased knowledge, empathy for wild bears, willingness to get involved in conservation & positive emotional experience;

✔This was not observed in the video experience;

✔Further evidence for importance of in-person zoo experiences.

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Photo credit: Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo

A study in JZAR evaluated visitor perceptions towards a 3D Virtual Reality experience at the zoo, featuring footage of little penguins feeding, food preparation and narration by zoo keepers:

✔Qualitative evaluation: cognitive immersion, emotional immersion, physical presence and social presence;

✔Generally, visitors had positive attitudes towards the VR experience;

✔Potential opportunities to improve visitor experience and education.

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Photo credit: Melbourne Zoo