Abstract
Zoos and aquariums have a long history of providing conservation education to students and teachers. As the conservation work of zoos and aquariums has grown, so have the opportunities to connect students and teachers to the work of these scientists. This chapter highlights a number of exemplary zoo and aquarium programs that connect students and teachers to scientific resources, career opportunities, and firsthand experience doing conservation science. These examples are not exhaustive of all the connections to scientists that zoos and aquariums provide, but rather they are representative of the types of experiences and subsequent outcomes that are possible. The chapter concludes with a discussion of opportunities for the future, including recommendation for robust evaluation and research of these programs.
TopEducation At Zoos And Aquariums
The premise for zoos and aquariums dates back to 3,000 B.C. as civilizations in Egypt, China, and India attempted to house live animal collections, primarily of exotic species not commonly encountered in these native lands. Around the time of the European Renaissance, these animal collections evolved into menageries where a diverse range of species was arranged taxonomically for public viewing. The primary purpose at the time was recreation and entertainment with very little educational or scientific intent present (Kisling Jr., 2001). It would not be until the mid-19th century that these menageries transformed into zoological gardens more reminiscent of the settings found today. The zoological garden was seen as a more advanced menagerie, one with naturalistic holding areas and arranged ecologically or geographically. With this change also came improved education, conservation, and research. In 1929, the New York Zoological Society’s Bronx Zoo was the first zoo to recruit docents specifically for the task of working with teachers and their classrooms (Kisling Jr., 2001). Soon after, zoos and other informal science institutions began to hire teachers as staff to conduct educational programs at their facilities. Today more than ever, zoos and aquariums are being asked to demonstrate their scientific and educational value to the community at large (Carr & Cohen, 2011).
During the 1970s, the number of zoos and aquariums was flourishing in the United States, and the Association for Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) was established to validate the field and provide a unifying organization with standard policies and procedures (Kisling Jr., 2001). Today, AZA defines a zoo or aquarium as:
a permanent institution, which owns and maintains wildlife, under the direction of a professional staff, provides its animals with appropriate care and exhibits them in an aesthetic manner to the public on a regular basis. The institution, division, or section shall further be defined as having as their primary missions the exhibition, conservation, and preservation of the earth’s fauna in an educational and scientific manner (2013, p.3).
These settings have progressed from arenas for entertainment to conservation-oriented organizations playing a key role in the survival of threatened and endangered species. In addition to conservation and research conducted by zoos and aquariums, their animal collections also inspire and educate visitors. The live animals housed in naturalistic exhibit spaces provide a unique opportunity for visitors to observe and experience wildlife firsthand. Zimmerman (2009) states:
…live animal exhibits are a zoo’s heart and its organizing principle. They are fundamental in helping people to understand and care. The best exhibits are not only cognitive tools, but also powerful esthetic experiences almost magically connecting their municipal visitors with the beauty of distant nature (p.15).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Education: The teaching and learning of concepts, facts, and issues.
Zoos: A visitor-based institution caring for and engaging people with both terrestrial and aquatic animals and environments.
Science: Study of the physical and natural world and engaging in processes to gain understanding of surroundings and phenomena.
Conservation: Working toward the protection and sustaining populations of animals and environments.
Aquariums: A visitor-based institution caring for and engaging people with aquatic animals and environments.