Zoos claim education as a central justification for keeping wild animals in captivity. What does the evidence say about whether zoo visits genuinely change attitudes and behaviours toward wildlife?
The educational justification for zoos sits in an ethically important relationship with the welfare costs of captivity. If zoo education produces genuine, lasting conservation behaviour change, it may partially offset the welfare burden on captive animals. The evidence, however, is mixed. Short visits produce modest attitude shifts that often fade without reinforcement. More promising are programmes that combine zoo visits with school curricula, ongoing engagement, and community conservation action. Zoos that are transparent about their conservation contributions, that maintain rigorous welfare standards, and that actively connect visitors to meaningful action offer the strongest ethical case. Those that cannot demonstrate welfare or conservation outcomes need to rethink their model.