Developing connection and care for nature in the zoo

Abstract

Support for the conservation of large carnivores and for biodiversity is more likely when people have not merely understanding, but also an emotional appreciation for diverse species. These are likely to be enhanced by direct experiences, such as the visits to zoos and aquariums that provide many people an increasingly important opportunity for contact with other species. The direct experiences of nonhuman animals provided by zoos have two psychologically important characteristics: they are vivid and emotionally rich, and they are typically shared with others. Vivid, emotional experiences not only attract more attention, they are also better remembered, contributing to understanding. Social interactions surrounding zoo animals are opportunities to create and communicate shared emotional experiences and values.

This presentation reviews several studies describing the experience of a zoo visit, to show the complexity of such a visit, beyond the presumed connection among captive wild animals, visitors, and wildlife conservation issues. Indeed, a single visit does not always increase visitors’ concern for wildlife conservation (1), and participating in a zoo-based animal adoption program is motivated more by animal charisma than by concern about endangered species (2). Although people are attracted to the zoo to see wild animals, the zoo visit appears much richer than a single contact with captive animals. We showed for instance that visitors express the feeling of “being away” when visiting the zoo, and that they become more receptive to other components of biodiversity (e.g. common urban birds) in addition to the presented wildlife (3). More, visitors declared having felt more positive than negative emotions when exiting the zoo, and visitors who felt more positively said they had learned more (1).

Zoos are important places for conservation, but their impact may be primarily indirect: more than transferring direct messages for wildlife conservation, zoos are places where complex and shared experiences of nature can be promoted, in order to increase the sense of being connected to the natural world. Because zoos attract a large diversity of people, we encourage them to demonstrate respect, and encourage empathy and connection toward the nature presented at their sites.

1. Clayton S., Prévot A.C., Germain L., Saint-Jalme M. 2017. Public support for biodiversity after a zoo visit: Environmental concern, conservation knowledge, and self-efficacy. Curator, The Museum Journal 60: 87-100. 2. Colléony A., Clayton S. Couvet D., Saint Jalme M., Prévot A.C. 2016. Human preferences for species conservation: Animal charisma trumps endangered status Biological conservation http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2 3. Colléony A., Martin L., Misdariis N., Clayton S., Saint-Jalme M., Prévot A.C. 2017. Exoticism as a Mediator of Everyday Experiences of Nature: an Anthropological Exploration of Soundscape in Zoos. Human Ecology. DOI 10.1007/s10745-017-9937