Viewing African and Asian elephants at accredited zoological institutions: Conservation intent and perceptions of animal welfare

Abstract

African and Asian elephants are popular within zoos, however there is currently limited information on how viewing them impacts zoo visitors. The goal of the current study was to examine the relationship between viewing elephants in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and zoo visitors' reported conservation intent and perceptions of animal welfare. Visitors were systematically selected to fill out questionnaires following elephant observation at nine facilities throughout North America. Questions included information on conservation predispositions, exhibit experience, exhibit perceptions, animal welfare perceptions, emotional experience, learning outcomes, conservation intent, and demographics. Results suggest that observing elephants engaged in a variety of species-typical behaviors and having an up-close experience was significantly correlated to visitors having a positive emotional response. The positive emotional response, combined with visitor conservation predisposition had a significant positive relationship with reported interest in getting involved in conservation. Perceptions of animal welfare were significantly related to a positive emotional experience driven by seeing animals engaged in a variety of active species-typical behaviors as well as exhibit perceptions and whether or not visitors thought it was important to have elephants in zoos. Exhibit perception was primarily correlated with exhibit size. The results provide factors that could help to increase visitor interest in conservation as well as the potential impact of viewing elephants in an accredited zoo. Facilities can use this information to help ensure their visitors have similar type experiences in order to inspire visitors' interest in conservation as well as positive perceptions of animal welfare. K E Y W O R D S animal behavior, animal welfare, conservation, education, elephant

Can Zoos Ever Be Big Enough for Large Wild Animals? A Review Using an Expert Panel Assessment of the Psychological Priorities of the Amur Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) as a Model Species

“…The Helsinki assessment is not the first to suggest that the importance of water usage (excluding drinking) may have been overestimated for terrestrial mammals by prevailing captive management priorities [23,28]. Pools are popular in zoo habitats because they create a sense of aesthetic completeness and naturalness which is known to be important to public perceptions of habitat quality [1,2]; water is essential for survival after all, and pools also represent tangible evidence to an increasingly discerning public of an apparent investment in welfare. However, despite the analysis of Biolatti et al [42], evidence supporting the welfare benefit for tigers beyond a potential thermoregulatory role is absent or weak, particularly when considering the harsh climate Amur tigers naturally live in would logically limit their use of open water.…”

“…The welfare of wild animals in captivity is rightly an area of growing public awareness, and the size and naturalness of captive habitats are perhaps the most widely perceived causes for concern amongst the public [1,2]. Many advocates for animal welfare, including welfare scientists, argue that the limited scale and complexity of captive environments, and/or a lack of opportunity to be truly 'wild', result in widespread compromises to wild animal welfare [3][4][5][6][7][8].…”

Changes in human health parameters associated with an immersive exhibit experience at a zoological institution

“…Additionally, it was demonstrated in a previous study that the extent of eye contact with animals at a zoo may significantly impact a visitor's emotional response [50]. Lastly, it was shown that elephant viewing may have an affective response in visitors [51].…”

Conservation philosophy and activities of the International Elephant Foundation

“…The IEF funded a study by Lance Miller of the Chicago Zoological Society (Brookfield, IL, USA) that investigated the relevancy of elephant populations in zoos in relation to conservation awareness (Miller et al , ). Ten zoological institutions, along with their staff and elephant herds, participated in this study, which concluded that having a close‐proximity viewing experience of elephants engaged in a variety of active species‐typical behaviours was significantly correlated with the interest visitors expressed in getting involved in elephant conservation (Miller et al , ). This study also concluded that facilities can use enrichment and training, and first‐rate enclosure design, to ensure that visitors have positive emotional experiences that elevate their perceptions about animal welfare (Miller et al , ).…”