Zoos can be educational institutions, providing valuable information about animals from all over the world; they can also be conservation centers, helping to protect endangered species and promote breeding programs that increase the population of threatened animals; and zoos can be entertainment venues, offering a fun ...
While interacting with the zoo environment, visitors form perceptions of their surroundings. Previous research argues that zoos can encourage empathy in visitors for the care of zoo animals and, in turn, their wild counterparts and the ecosystems where these animals live.
“Zoos allow us to experience nature and are a great resource for understanding more about conservation, biodiversity and sustainability, as well as bringing many positive benefits to human mental health and well-being.”
MYTH 4: Animals in Zoos are happy. Animals in captivity across the globe have been documented displaying signs of anxiety and depression. In fact, psychological distress in zoo animals is so common that it has its own name: Zoochosis.
In a normal year we estimate more than 700 million people visit zoos and aquariums worldwide, with many millions following their work online too (the only option during lockdown). With this huge and growing audience, we nurture strong relationships with the wider public.