Good zoo/bad zoo: Visitor experiences in captive settings

Captive wildlife settings are a large and important segment of the wildlife tourism industry. They are also subject to considerable debate, much of which centers on whether zoos and sanctuaries deliver benefits that compensate the necessity of keeping animals in captivity. The views of the visiting public are an important factor in this debate. This study presents results from visitors who were asked to describe their best and worst wildlife tourism experiences. Three hundred sixty-three best experiences and 323 worst experiences occurred in captive environments, and these descriptions were analysed to determine the most frequently mentioned features of these experiences. Best experiences in captive environments commonly involved interaction with wildlife, learning, and viewing large numbers and varieties of wildlife. Worst experiences were dominated by poor management of captive animals, poor service or management of the facility, and threatening behavior from animals. Overall, the descriptive responses contain material that supports arguments on both sides of the great zoo debate, and provide direction for continued improvement of the zoo experience.