THE IMPACT OF PRO-WILDLIFE BEHAVIOUR REQUESTS ON VISITOR EXPERIENCE

In recent years, zoos have begun to realise the potential collective impact of zoo visitors’ actions to support wildlife.  For example, Zoos Victoria’s 'They’re Calling on You’ campaign has lead to tens of thousands of visitors donating their old mobile phones and significant funds being sent to the Jane Goodall Institute for primate conservation. 

However, most visitors attend zoos for recreational and social experiences.  If visitors are asked to help too often, this could affect their zoo experience.  

Dr Liam Smith, Dr Pieter Van Dijk and Dr Jim Curtis from the Monash University Tourism Research Unit investigated whether Zoos Victoria’s pro-wildlife requests made visitors feel that their zoo experience was compromised and, if so, the point at which this occurred.

AIMS

Study One - To determine the point at which requests for different pro-wildlife behaviours affect visitors’ experiences.

Study Two - To determine the point where requests for the same pro-wildlife behaviour affect visitors’ experiences.

METHODS

Study One was conducted at Melbourne Zoo.  Ten different pro-wildlife behaviours were requested repeatedly by zoo staff during the study period. Late in the afternoon, the researchers intercepted visitors as they dispersed following a presentation and asked them to fill out a survey on:

• How many requests they could recall during their visit
• How the requests affected their visit
• The maximum number of times they felt the zoo should ask them to undertake different pro-wildlife actions

Study Two focused on repeated requests for the same behaviour – purchasing beads from the Safari Shop at Werribee Open Range Zoo to assist Kenyan communities and wildlife.  Visitors were told about the program and asked to buy beads by keepers, guides, ticket office staff, signs and displays. Visitors were intercepted as they exited the zoo and asked the same questions as in the first study.

RESULTS

The number of requests was defined as crossing a visitor’s personal threshold if the number of requests recalled by an individual was greater than the maximum number of times he/she felt the zoo should make a request.

Both studies found that some visitors’ personal thresholds for requests were crossed.  However, these numbers were low (3% in Study 1 and 9% in Study 2).  In contrast, many visitors in both studies said that being given an opportunity to act in support of wildlife improved their zoo experience (87% in Study 1 and 46% in Study 2), while most of the remainder said the number of requests had no affect on their experience (12% in Study 1 and 52% in Study 2).

PROJECT OUTCOMES

This study concluded that most visitors are quite happy to be asked to participate in pro-wildlife behaviours.  While some individuals’ personal thresholds were crossed (particularly in Study Two where visitors were repeatedly requested to buy beads to help wildlife), crossing this threshold had little bearing on their overall zoo experience. The fact that the vast majority of visitors found the requests either did not affect or improved their experience suggests that zoo visitors are generally receptive to multiple requests to undertake pro-wildlife behaviour.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

- on this research, see:

Smith, L. D. G., Van Dijk, P., and Curtis, J. (forthcoming). When does the zoo start to nag? Testing the limits for pro-wildlife behaviour requests.  Journal of the International Zoo Educators' Association.

- on the Monash University Tourism Research Unit - click here 

- on Zoos Victoria's Conservation Campaigns - click here