Zoo and aquarium visits influence people to change behaviour and be more sustainable

• Visiting zoos and aquariums can influence visitors to change their behaviour and act more sustainably, a new study by researchers at the University of Sheffield suggests
• The study showed zoo and aquarium visits can make people more knowledgeable and positive about conservation, leading to changes in behaviour such as checking to see if the products they buy in the supermarket contain sustainable palm oil 
•  With more than 700 million visitors worldwide each year, this study highlights the opportunity that these institutions have to influence how people act towards conservation and the potential to contribute to achieve global conservation goals

Visiting zoos and aquariums can influence positive behavioural changes and attitudes, a new study has found.  

Led by researchers at the University of Sheffield in collaboration with Chester Zoo, the study showed that, on average, people know more about conservation, feel more positive about conservation and are more likely to take action after visiting zoos and aquariums. Behavioural changes included things such as checking to see if the products they buy in supermarkets contain sustainable palm oil.

Researchers brought together findings from more than 50 studies in more than 38 zoos and aquariums worldwide, to analyse the effect on visitors’ conservation knowledge, beliefs and behaviour. 

The new study, which is the first of its kind, will help zoos and aquariums like Chester Zoo to assess how well they are meeting their targets on influencing the people who visit them.

Lead researcher, Xavier McNally, from the University of Sheffield, said: “It is widely accepted that human actions are negatively impacting the global environment and that we can make a difference by changing small things in our lives.

“Millions of people visit zoos and aquariums globally, and this creates an opportunity to shape people’s beliefs about conservation and empower them to help protect the environment by making small changes in their lives.

“It’s thought that if we can make different decisions around the house or in the supermarket then we can help conserve wildlife and the environment they live in. Even small actions, like avoiding products that contain unsustainable palm oil in the supermarket, can make a big difference.”

Image credit: Chester Zoo

Charlotte Smith, Director of Conservation Education at Chester Zoo said:

“For a long time, zoos have been preventing the extinction of the world’s most precious species, championing the natural world, connecting people with nature, and showing how we can all help wildlife thrive. It’s fantastic to see the conservation impact of zoos recognised through this research led by scientists at the University of Sheffield.”

Zoos and aquariums aim to educate their visitors and support conservation efforts. With more than 700 million visitors worldwide each year, this study highlights the opportunity that these institutions have to influence how people perceive and act towards conservation.

The findings also show how zoos and aquariums can contribute to global conservation targets set by the United Nations and countries attending the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) as well as empowering people to live more sustainably in the future. 

Further research will use methods from psychology and behavioural science, to reveal how zoos shape what people think. 

Researchers believe people's behaviour can be predicted more easily if the research measures outcomes such as what people think the consequences of their actions will be or what other people think about them. The next step in this project will involve speaking to zoo visitors at Chester Zoo to learn more about their beliefs about conservation and ask them what they think about things they can do to help conservation.