A Comparative Analysis of Public Understanding on the Impact of Zoo Visitation on Conservation Awareness

This study evaluates the educational efficacy of zoological institutions and the ongoing debate regarding the effectiveness of zoos as educational centers for conservation, specifically examining how Animal-Visitor Interactions (AVI) influence public understanding and conservation attitudes.A quasi-experimental design, involving a sample of visitors (N=1200), pre-and post-visit questionnaires, observations, and semi-structured interviews, was employed to analyze the impact of zoo pre-and post-visit on conservation awareness.Chi-square tests of independence were conducted to assess differences in categorical responses, with a significance level of α = 0.05.Cramer's V was calculated to quantify the strength of association between variables.Statistical analyses revealed significant post-visit increases in conservation knowledge and the perceived urgency of wildlife conservation.While the findings indicate a positive correlation between zoo visitation and enhanced conservation awareness, multivariate analysis demonstrated that socio-demographic factors-particularly age-significant impacts visitors' enjoyment levels.This highlights the necessity for zoos to implement age-specific considerations in their design and programming to optimize visitor experiences.The study suggests that while zoos hold the potential for fostering conservation awareness, targeted age strategies are crucial to maximize their educational impact across diverse demographics.