Conservation Education: The Signage Used in Eleven Swedish Zoos

Area of Science:

• Zoological education
• Conservation science
• Museum studies

Background:

• Zoos play a crucial role in education, research, and conservation.
• Conservation education is increasingly emphasized in zoo outreach programs.
• Systematic evaluations of zoo educational content, particularly signage, are scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the content of species signage in Swedish zoos.
• To assess the extent to which signage addresses conservation, animal biology, behavior, ecology, and animal welfare.
• To identify gaps in information provided to zoo visitors regarding conservation and animal welfare.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 404 species signs from 11 zoos in Sweden.
• Application of a predetermined evaluation protocol with binary criteria (yes/no).
• Assessment of signage content for information on species biology, ecology, conservation status, threats, visitor actions, and animal welfare.

Main Results:

• Most signs (88%) provided basic species information like body size and diet.
• Conservation information was partially included: 68% mentioned conservation status, 44% described threats.
• Information on visitor actions for conservation (17%) and animal welfare (e.g., enrichment, enclosure design) was very limited.

Conclusions:

• Swedish zoo signage effectively communicates basic species ecology but offers limited information on conservation actions visitors can take.
• There is a significant need to enhance signage content to better support conservation education and inform visitors about animal welfare.
• Improving signage is crucial for zoos to fulfill their educational mission in conservation and animal welfare effectively.