Research Paper Survey

Research Paper Survey
12-11-2011

Hi all. I am working on a research paper for a grad class, and I am hoping some of you on here can take a minute to answer a few questions to help me out with data compilation. Appreciate it!
1 - Are you a volunteer or paid zoo employee, and what zoo?
2 - What sort of informational displays work best in your zoo to get the message of conservation across to your patrons? Are keeper talks more successful than infographics?
3 - Are kids more receptive to the message of conservation than adults?
4 - What have you found that absolutely doesn't work in getting the message of communication across?

I have already done this survey at my local zoo and I can draw upon my own experience volunteering at 2 different zoos myself, but I'd just like a few more diverse opinions. I will not use any names unless you specifically say I can, and this is not going to be published anywhere, just between me and my prof.

Thanks to all that help!

15-11-2011

1. I am a Volunteer at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and a student
2. I find that Keeper talks are more effective, I find that very few people will read a sign or a poster, trust me I get alot of people that ask me what animal is in an exhibit when the sign is right there in front of them. For our keeper talks we ask questions, answer and allow people to feed our hippoes. Basically we get the people involved in some way whether them getting close to them or asking questions about them, or we will do it quiz style and make it fun. If you are having fun during the talk, the guests are having fun.
3. It really depends, of course toddlers to maybe late elementary school they will not really care. But it really depends on how well you deliver the message and how you deliver it.
4. Do not say what they are doing is wrong, instead educate them not only about the animal but about the environment and how the animals in it are important. Like beavers, how their dams create aquatic habitat that other animals benefit from besides the beavers that built it.

Hope that helps.

Thank You!
15-11-2011

Naomi91 -

Thank you so much! That really does help - believe it or not, I was a volunteer at CMZoo too! From May 08 - July 10. I volunteered up in Rocky Mt Wild, with keeper Rebecca Zwicker. I miss the zoo so much! Especially my beautiful moose, Tahoma and Zoya the tiger (she'll always be a fuzzy little cub to me).

Thanks again for replying. I can use all the data points I can get!

Andrea Palumbo

16-11-2011

Cool! I love the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, I like Pueblo as well but.. I like CMZ more. I started volunteering in the Aquatics back in 2009 and have been since, I thought it was going to be no fun at first, but it is a blast in there. I have done about 3 keeper talks on my own and assisted in 6 others and learned that if you have fun, and get the crowd involved that they walk away with more knowledge than if you are boring.

I am working on getting keeper assistant in that area.. no luck yet.