Quantifying the 60-Year Contribution of Japanese Zoos and Aquariums to Peer-Reviewed Scientific Research

Five ways to wellbeing at the zoo: improving human health and connection to nature

Good mental and physical health go hand-in-hand when identifying factors that lead people to experience a better overall quality of life. A growing disconnect to the natural world is worsening the mental health of individuals in many societies. Numerous scientific publications have evidenced that being in nature and access to green and blue spaces positively impact upon humans' physical and mental health. For many people, particularly those living in more urbanized areas, managed natural spaces and borrowed landscapes, such as those found in public parks, wildlife reserves and zoological gardens give the only opportunities for wider engagement with nature. Many zoos are designated green spaces and therefore human visitors can engage with native fauna and flora as well as exotic wild animals. This article reviews the UK Government's "The Five Ways to Wellbeing" concept, applied to zoos and aquariums and thus suggests how zoos and aquariums can use this framework to promote positive nature-connectivity experiences for their visitors and promote good wellbeing. The Five Ways to Wellbeing are Connect, Be active, Take notice, Keep learning, and Give. We illustrate how zoos and aquariums could model their approaches to educational and engagement roles, as well as design initiatives to reach out to local communities via the Five Ways to Wellbeing concept. We show that many of the positive programs and works conducted by zoos and aquariums lend themselves to further engagement with the Five Ways to Wellbeing structure. By taking such a structured approach in the design, implementation and evaluation of their activities, zoos can expand their abilities in connecting humans with nature and further add value to their living collections of animals and plants. By including Wellbeing as a defined aim of the modern zoo, it will be clear to all of those involved in their work, visitors, workers, stakeholders, that zoos are working to promote, protect and preserve positive wellbeing outputs for humans and animals alike.

By Bits and Pieces: The Contributions of Zoos and Aquariums to Science and Society via Biomaterials

Scientific research has long been recognized as one of the four pillars of the zoo or aquarium mission, alongside recreation, conservation, and education. This study sought to quantify a sample of zoos’ participation in scientific research via the provision of biomaterials from animals to outside scientists and the associated training of undergraduate and graduate students that resulted from these projects. A convenience sample of zoos provided data on their participation in biomaterials-related projects and a focused analysis of biomaterials-related research facilitated by the Saint Louis Zoo was conducted. In addition, the Association of Zoos & Aquariums’ conservation & science database was queried to uncover what research projects AZA members engaged in over the last five years that likely involved biomaterials research and training of students. Results demonstrate that zoos are making significant contributions to science by agreeing to participate in large numbers of biomaterials-related projects across different areas of focus involving a variety of animal species annually, with results applicable to human and non-human animals. Support of such research often involves student thesis projects, thus contributing to the education of future scientists.

The Role of Zoos and Aquariums in a Changing World

Zoos and aquariums have evolved significantly. From their origins as enclosures for the mere entertainment of the public, these institutions have undertaken new functions responding to the biodiversity crisis and social demands. Modern zoos and aquariums have the opportunity to educate people, contribute to species conservation, and produce animal-related research. However, there is increasing criticism toward the outcomes of their actions and the holding of species in their facilities. This review offers an integrated analysis of the state of knowledge about the role that zoos and aquariums play today. It describes their performance regarding their conservation, education, and research functions, highlighting general patterns and offering future perspectives. It identifies some challenges common to all these institutions, concluding that the way they keep up with the ever-growing social and environmental expectations will be decisive hereafter.