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Education in zoos
Abstract
Education is one of the major functions of zoos worldwide. lt is performed on the levels of formal, non-formal and informal education. The formal educational goal is to assist fn the extension of the class room situation of the formal educational sector in order to enrich the syllabus. On the non-formal level zoos present courses, workshops and seminars to the public. Informal education in zoos is provided, for example, through nameboards, informative graphic displays, demonstrations and discovery objects.
Education in zoos reaches out to every single visitor. It cannot be aimed at children only, since research in America has indicated that the majority of zoo visitors consist of families or groups of friends (White and Harcellini, 1986). Ultimately, a zoo should find avenues to educate all, thus fostering an increasing awareness of the importance of environmental conservation.
In this article we will take a look at the various ways education is offered at zoos.
