Identifying the foci of mission statements of the zoo and aquarium community

Patrick, Patricia G.; Caplow, Susan

doi:10.1080/09647775.2018.1438205

Cited by 34 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…In particular, the AZA requires zoo mission statements to align with the overall AZA conservation‐supportive mission (AZA, 2017). As a result, conservation is a widespread theme in its 234 zoo and aquarium members’ mission statements (Miller et al, 2004; Patrick, Matthews, Ayers, & Tunnicliffe, 2007; Patrick & Caplow, 2018). However, the reality of their conservation practices and the depth of their commitment to active involvement in this issue is unclear.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mission impossible or mission accomplished: Do zoo organizational missions influence conservation practices?

et al. 2020

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Conservation is an important organizational focus for zoos and aquariums. Organizational identity theory predicts a relationship between what is central to organizations, such as their mission statements, and their strategic activities. Based on this theory, we tested how organizational missions relate to their conservation strategies and practices. Tax forms and websites provided data from 173 zoos and 38 aquariums in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in North America. We analyzed conservation mission strength, organizational characteristics, and project features with dependent variables representing the depth of organizational conservation commitments: amount of grants zoos funded, number of partner organizations, and number of projects per zoo. On tax forms, the average amount of total

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mission impossible or mission accomplished: Do zoo organizational missions influence conservation practices?

et al. 2020

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“…Captive wildlife experiences such as zoos and aquaria clearly illustrate the potential for both substantial positive and/or negative conservation consequences. These institutions are ideally placed to promote conservation activities to the public as they attract up to 700 million people annually (Gusset & Dick, 2011), and most mission statements are indeed framed around conservation (Patrick & Caplow, 2018). Additionally, sustainable practices, research, field projects, and education programs, are promoted and encouraged by regional and global zoo and aquarium associations (Barongi, Fisken, Parker, & Gusset, 2015;Patrick & Caplow, 2018;ZAA, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These institutions are ideally placed to promote conservation activities to the public as they attract up to 700 million people annually (Gusset & Dick, 2011), and most mission statements are indeed framed around conservation (Patrick & Caplow, 2018). Additionally, sustainable practices, research, field projects, and education programs, are promoted and encouraged by regional and global zoo and aquarium associations (Barongi, Fisken, Parker, & Gusset, 2015;Patrick & Caplow, 2018;ZAA, 2014). However, many visitors want to view and interact with animals infrequently seen in the wild (Packer & Ballantyne, 2012), and threatened species are often featured in displays.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Conservation education is a dominant theme in zoo and aquarium mission statements globally (Patrick & Caplow, 2018), and is used to promote positive conservation behaviour changes in visitors . It is argued that zoos and aquaria provide educational and emotional experiences that inspire changes in visitor attitudes and ultimately conservation behaviours (Ardoin, Wheaton, Bowers, Hunt, & Durham, 2015;Clayton, Fraser, & Burgess, 2011;Clayton, Fraser, & Saunders, 2009;Smith, Weiler, & Ham, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conservation impact scores identify shortfalls in demonstrating the benefits of threatened wildlife displays in zoos and aquaria

Buckley

Smith

Crook

et al. 2020

Journal of Sustainable Tourism

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Zoos and public aquaria globally display numerous wild harvested, threatened species. To validate conservation credentials, displays are often associated with research projects, educational interpretation, or conservation-related activities. However, accompanying conservation benefits are rarely assessed. In this study, an approach to evaluate conservation benefits of captive wildlife experiences is modelled by assessing four Australian aquarium displays of the Critically Endangered largetooth sawfish Pristis pristis. Conservation impact scores were calculated for research, education, and conservation-related activities. In a novel approach, sawfish-related education (gaining knowledge, changing attitudes, and intentions to change behaviours) was evaluated using a before and after study design (n ¼ 2 229), and conservation impact scores were calculated using effect sizes. Although visitors to all aquariums demonstrated significant positive attitudinal changes, and at one site gained knowledge, no significant change in behavioural intentions were detected. Educational messages addressing attitudes and behaviours were mostly generalised and untargeted. Formative and ongoing evaluations are needed to develop and maintain targeted and relevant messages. With one exception, research projects and conservation activities were unlikely to contribute substantially to sawfish conservation due to limited support from the aquaria. We recommend that increased support is directed to projects that are targeted towards impactful conservation goals. ARTICLE HISTORY

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“…education, justifying their use of captive animals (Hutchins, Smith, & Allard, 2003;Miller et al, 2004;Patrick & Caplow 2018;Patrick, Matthews, Ayers, & Tunnicliffe, 2007). Specialty institutions may offer opportunities to interpret natural resources to individuals who are uncomfortable with animal captivity but are otherwise primed for the adoption of new environmental behaviors.…”

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confidence: 99%

Are We Preaching to the Same Choir? A Mixed-Methods Comparison of Audiences at Animal-Themed Interpretive Facilities

Caplow

2018

Journal of Interpretation Research

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Interpretive programs can encourage the development of pro-environmental behavior, but visitors do not arrive as blank slates. Instead, their previous experiences interact with new programs to produce iterative change over time. Animal ambassadors can help facilitate these changes, but animal specialty organizations have largely been excluded from research exploring audiences and programs in free-choice learning settings. This study fills that gap by exploring differences between audiences at organizations with different types of missions. Using survey and interview data and value-belief-norm theory as a framework, I compare learners across three animal-themed interpretive facilities. Visitors were similar on some sociodemographic/social-psychological metrics, but they also differed in ways that reflect the institutional mission at each organization. Most notably, specialty organizations reach audiences who are sensitive to animal/ environmental welfare but are uncomfortable with zoos. Interpreters can replicate these methods at their own organizations or consider how the visitors in this study can help them better understand their own context. More knowledge about their visitors helps interpreters better design programs to achieve desired program outcomes and facilitate pro-environmental behavior.

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Identifying the foci of mission statements of the zoo and aquarium community

Cited by 34 publications

References 41 publications

Mission impossible or mission accomplished: Do zoo organizational missions influence conservation practices?

Mission impossible or mission accomplished: Do zoo organizational missions influence conservation practices?

Conservation impact scores identify shortfalls in demonstrating the benefits of threatened wildlife displays in zoos and aquaria

Are We Preaching to the Same Choir? A Mixed-Methods Comparison of Audiences at Animal-Themed Interpretive Facilities

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