What would you like to see from zoos?

JVM said:
I would agree on highlighting individual animals -- maybe not in a guidebook, but I find it really engages people a lot to feel a connection to an individual animal, not just a species. Almost every zoo that's had history with gorillas has a local favorite, ditto for lions, sometimes hippos or tigers, sometimes a long-lived bird or reptile. I think what makes these connections special is they draw attention to the value of your local, individual zoo, rather than just zoos in general.

I've always thought history tours would be a great way to highlight zoo history. I've only heard of a couple facilities doing it but there's lots that could and don't. Have a tour guide highlight the history of various exhibits. I love telling people who visit with me how a restaurant was once a reptile house for example.
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In general, aside from working with the animals, my second favourite thing about being a zookeeper was public engagement. Doing experiences was great, but doing tours was so much more fun because you can tailor make it to your guest but also yeah show them the old standard of enclosures vs the new standard. Loved it, would love to see more of that.
 
Jonny Bloxham said:
In general, aside from working with the animals, my second favourite thing about being a zookeeper was public engagement. Doing experiences was great, but doing tours was so much more fun because you can tailor make it to your guest but also yeah show them the old standard of enclosures vs the new standard. Loved it, would love to see more of that.
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Me thinks the quicker you get back into being a zoo keeper the better
 
With the advent of social media; guidebooks and such are obsolete for the bulk of average visitors of any zoo. It is a very niche thing that takes a lot of work to produce with little return in my view. Social media is free, easily updated and reaches a very wide audience. Information about individual animals can easily be displayed next to the enclosure. Facts about the zoo's history can easily be displayed across the zoo (Like in Vienna-Schönbrunn) or in a particular place (like the Antelopenhaus in Zoo Berlin). But not all facilities are that history-rich.

The zoo of the future:
  • Creates programmes to engage its visitors/local community with nature, including outside of the zoo: e.g. birdwatching tours, beach cleanings, etc.
  • Creates scientific programmes: Annual open/free scientific or Conservation symposium to divulge the research/conservation actions done within the zoo or in partnership with the zoo.
  • Is open to school programmes: transforming the zoo into an open-air classroom and allowing local teachers to use some facilities or resources to help with lecturing activities.
  • Engages with local sustainable businesses to bring sustainable and local products into their shops. Finish once and for all with the plethora of plastic toys and such you see in gift shops. Practice what you preach!
  • Is limited to animal interactions that teach people to respect wildlife - instead of transforming wildlife into an asset to pet/play/pose for pictures.
Some of these particular things are somewhat already common, but I think it is never too much to stress them.

Other points:
  • I like those few places that have information about the local wildlife that can be observed in the zoo! They are just there, why not let the visitors know right?
  • Zoos with geographical layouts are more educative than taxonomic layouts.
  • Zoos should not use architectural theming inside animal enclosures (I am looking at you Pairi Daiza). The focus should be the animals and their "natural-looking" habitat.
I could go on because good ideas are unlimited but this is what I remember for now.
 
OkapiJohn said:
With the advent of social media; guidebooks and such are obsolete for the bulk of average visitors of any zoo. It is a very niche thing that takes a lot of work to produce with little return in my view. Social media is free, easily updated and reaches a very wide audience. Information about individual animals can easily be displayed next to the enclosure. Facts about the zoo's history can easily be displayed across the zoo (Like in Vienna-Schönbrunn) or in a particular place (like the Antelopenhaus in Zoo Berlin). But not all facilities are that history-rich.

The zoo of the future:
  • Creates programmes to engage its visitors/local community with nature, including outside of the zoo: e.g. birdwatching tours, beach cleanings, etc.
  • Creates scientific programmes: Annual open/free scientific or Conservation symposium to divulge the research/conservation actions done within the zoo or in partnership with the zoo.
  • Is open to school programmes: transforming the zoo into an open-air classroom and allowing local teachers to use some facilities or resources to help with lecturing activities.
  • Engages with local sustainable businesses to bring sustainable and local products into their shops. Finish once and for all with the plethora of plastic toys and such you see in gift shops. Practice what you preach!
  • Is limited to animal interactions that teach people to respect wildlife - instead of transforming wildlife into an asset to pet/play/pose for pictures.
Some of these particular things are somewhat already common, but I think it is never too much to stress them.

Other points:
  • I like those few places that have information about the local wildlife that can be observed in the zoo! They are just there, why not let the visitors know right?
  • Zoos with geographical layouts are more educative than taxonomic layouts.
  • Zoos should not use architectural theming inside animal enclosures (I am looking at you Pairi Daiza). The focus should be the animals and their "natural-looking" habitat.
I could go on because good ideas are unlimited but this is what I remember for now.
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I do agree with you, but, I still like guidebooks purely because of the nostalgia and memories. I am also an avid collector of guidebooks, usually older the better
 
JVM said:
I've always thought history tours would be a great way to highlight zoo history. I've only heard of a couple facilities doing it but there's lots that could and don't. Have a tour guide highlight the history of various exhibits. I love telling people who visit with me how a restaurant was once a reptile house for example.
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I would really like that too, but unfortunately can't see there would be a big market for it.

I do find the history of enclosures and exhibits and how they have been adapted for different uses or different species very interesting, particularly when it is for something very different to what it was originally designed for.

I visited Newquay in 2019 and as that year was the zoo's 50th anniversary they had displays all around the zoo about what each area was used for in the past and what species had prevously been kept there. A couple of stand out points for me was that the penguin exhibit was originally built for sea lions and that the wallaby enclosure once held lions.
 
I am more interested in individual animals, their history, and zoo plans, exhibits, how they take part in breeding programs and so on. Much more than 'what a tiger looks like' which people can see in the internet.

I feel zoos which present their animals as individuals, and talk about their projects, past, future etc. get more interest and more faithful circle of visitors and supporters than zoos which try to present themselves as a sort of pre-prepared show.

Talking about education and online, I hate these electronic screens which replaced printed information in aquaria, because they are usually broken, slow to load, or occupied by other visitors. A step backwards, not forward.
But I wonder why zoos don't have QR codes, which could potentially give visitors access to unlimited detailed information.
 
Some interesting points so far, and it's been fun to interact with you all a hear your thoughts.

I suppose what I'm really trying to find out is what are your pain points about conservation? what keeps you up at night? are there elements of conservation that you would like to understand more about or something you feel that needs to be rectified?
 
Jonny Bloxham said:
I suppose what I'm really trying to find out is what are your pain points about conservation?
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You mean conservation in general or zoos and conservation? As for the later, I think it would be better if zoos were more transparent when it comes to conservation spending but also what they do for the environment. Not just "hey we have eep species and we work with that organisation" but also numbers, like how many (if any) local animals have you released or how much money have you donated to conservation, what is the zoo's environmental footprint and so on... Of course there are zoos that do that but I would say that the majority don't and it is a shame, because usually even smaller facilities do more for nature than anyone would expect and yet they stay mostly silent about it.
 
Both really. But largely zoos. I 100% agree with everything you've just said. I think the zoos that do the good work absolutely shout about it because they're proud and if anything they should shout about it a bit more.

Which leads me to wonder if those who don't shout about it could be doing more. Like I understand that they'll be donating funds because it's a requirement of being a BIAZA member facility.

I had a conversation with Peter Blinston, director of Painted Dog Conservation and he said that most of the funding support he gets is from corporate entities. What he would like to see from zoos is like committing to providing 'x' amount of funding over 'x' amount of years to see a particular project through rather than the one of donation that could potentially be just for clout. And I think this is a really good concept, but perhaps zoos would need to communicate between themselves as to which organisations they're donating too so that they can still fund as many projects as possible?

He also said he knows for a fact that the population of painted dogs in Zimbabwe is stable that reintroduction wouldn't be needed in that area and hopefully that remains that way (and assuming then there are other painted dog home ranges that could benefit from reintroduction) I think it would be beneficial from an education stand point for zoos that have eep animals especially those who perhaps have the coordinator at their facility to perhaps outline the science behind reintroductions and yes, to be transparent if those conversations are happening.
 
Personally;
  • Modern, but natural enclosures, tanks, aviaries, etc.
  • Animal welfare up to modern standard
  • Proper layout of the zoo (Actual theming for most of the exhibit complex rather than just a random collection of unconnected exhibits)
  • More emphasis of actual wildlife, so no domestic breeds/morphs of species aside from special interaction/animal ambasaddor
  • More variety of species/taxa of both native and exotic animals and even domestic animals in the petting zoo
  • While I can't always see directly, a proper conservartion program is necessary
 
Jonny Bloxham said:
What he would like to see from zoos is like committing to providing 'x' amount of funding over 'x' amount of years to see a particular project through rather than the one of donation that could potentially be just for clout.
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That is a really good idea. And yeah, the donating just for PR is not a good look for the zoos doing it. Maybe zoos could talk between themselves and agree that x zoo donates y amount for z organization. Moreover it might be a good idea for a zoo to support in situ projects for animals that they house. However I do understand that this may lead to big, fancy animals like lions or tigers becoming the major recipients and smaller species not getting any.

Jonny Bloxham said:
I think it would be beneficial from an education stand point for zoos that have eep animals especially those who perhaps have the coordinator at their facility to perhaps outline the science behind reintroductions and yes, to be transparent if those conversations are happening.
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That's also a really nice idea since zoos could actually educate the public about the pros and cons of reintroductions and not just make vague statements about how one day x animal might be released back into the wild.
 
Rizz Carlton said:
Proper layout of the zoo (Actual theming for most of the exhibit complex rather than just a random collection of unconnected exhibits)
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I do believe that though theming is nice, it is note an actual requirement. Yes, with proper theming you can educate the public by showing the bigger picture, but a zoo can be educational even without it.
 
OkapiJohn said:
Creates programmes to engage its visitors/local community with nature, including outside of the zoo: e.g. birdwatching tours, beach cleanings, etc.
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I have thought before of zoos operating like 'cultural exchanges' or 'embassies' in a way.
It sort of shows you part of what you can see in so and so habitat.
But very rarely does it ever show you the whole thing.
So I think what could be interesting is zoos working with ecotourism companies for mutual benefit. Obviously not as many people will be able to afford the eco holiday... but I think good could come from it
 
I'd like to see Peace on Earth , goodwill towards man. since that ain't happening I'd like to address a few points that have been made so far first
OkapiJohn said:
Zoos should not use architectural theming inside animal enclosures (I am looking at you Pairi Daiza). The focus should be the animals and their "natural-looking" habitat.
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I don't mind cultural theming at all, in fact I rather like it. BUT I agree theming IN the exhibit should be somewhat limited. From the videos I have seen of Pairi Daiza they way over do it

Rizz Carlton said:
  • More emphasis of actual wildlife, so no domestic breeds/morphs of species aside from special interaction/animal ambasaddor
  • More variety of species/taxa of both native and exotic animals and even domestic animals in the petting zoo
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that's taking stand! Personally I like showing endangered domestic breeds as that is as real a problem as with wild species.

Ok things I think important from zoos
1) exhibits that allow animals to show the full range of behaviors that keep them physically and mentally healthy-naturalistic as much as possible
2) conservation , not only ex situ but in situ (with species both locally and globally)
3) education . About environmental issues both big and small but should avoid being too preachy.
Spare me the studies that say zoos fail at that. Its my opinion that most of that failure has NOTHING to do with zoos but the people not wishing to be educated. Though I think ways to improve on this education is always welcome
4) a (mostly) peaceful and serene place by which people can relax and refresh
5) I think there should be a point by which new species are continually shown at individual
zoos, not so much for conservation but to show the tremendous variety of wild life (zoo nerd issue for the most part)
6) Oh and more shade, benches and bathrooms, most zoos fall short for all 3
 
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