A Tale of Two Zoos: a Study in Watching People Watching Animals
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A TALE OF TWO ZOOS: A STUDY IN WATCHING PEOPLE WATCHING ANIMALS David Frede A thesis submitted in the fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Museum Studies The University of Sydney August 2007 I love to watch the swallow skim The river in his flight; To mark, when day is growing dim The glow-worm’s silvery light; I love to hear the robin sing, Perched on the highest bough: To see the rook with purple wing Follow the shining plough. The sea-gull whiter than the foam, The fish that dart beneath; The lowing cattle coming home; The goats upon the heath. Edward John Breilsford. (1841-1921). ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FIGURES viii LIST OF PLATES xi ABBREVIATIONS xvii STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY xviii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS xix ABSTRACT xx CHAPTER 1 ZOOS ARE FOR PEOPLE 1 1.1 The zoo – a unique museum 2 1.2 The zoo – a niche for people 9 1.3 The zoo – a niche for research 15 1.4 Looking at visitors in the zoo – researching the niche 20 CHAPTER 2 CHANGING PERCEPTIONS OF ZOOS 25 2.1 Museums and menageries – change and transition 26 2.2 Forty centuries of keeping wild animals – change with time 32 2.3 Animal care and concern – change in attitudes 42 2.4 Exhibits and enclosures – change in ‘animal homes’ 48 2.4 Enrichments – a change in approach 53 2.6 Visitors’ thoughts and perceptions – change in appreciation 58 CHAPTER 3 RESEARCHING VISITORS IN THE ZOO 66 3.1 Research methods 68 3.2 Research sites – The zoos 74 3.2.1 Adelaide Zoo 79 3.2.2 Taronga Zoo 86 3.3 The animal exhibits 92 3.4 Monitoring visitors – collecting data 101 3.4.1 Tracking observations 102 3.4.2 Survey questionnaires 105 3.4.3 Additional questionnaires 107 3.5 Subjects 109 3.5.1 Numbers 109 3.5.2 Categories 110 3.6 Analytical method and experimental design 111 3.7 Validity and reliability of data 117 3.7.1 Randomness 117 3.7.2 Limitations 118 3.8 Terminology 120 iii CHAPTER 4 THE ZOO VISITOR: WHO’S WHO IN THE ZOO 122 4.1 The zoo visitor 124 4.2 Gender proportion 126 4.3 Age range 129 4.3.1 Children 132 4.4 Size of group 133 4.5 Category – who accompanies the visitors 136 4.6 Where visitors come from 139 4.7 Method of transport 144 4.8 Length of time spent visiting the zoo (hours) 147 4.9 Appreciation of the zoo 149 4.10 Memories of earlier visits 150 4.11 Reasons for visiting 154 4.12 Frequency of zoo visitation 162 4.12.1 Length of time spent in the zoo 165 4.12.2 Motivations for visiting 166 4.12.3 Ranking of the zoo 167 4.13 Summary 169 CHAPTER 5 THE ZOO VISITOR: WHAT VISITORS SEE AND DO 174 5.1 Viewing times 177 5.1.1 Distribution of viewing times 178 5.1.2 Gender 182 5.1.3 Group size 184 5.1.4 Categories 186 5.2 Half-life of viewing times 189 5.3 Factors influencing viewing times 191 5.3.1 Appearance of the enclosure 192 5.3.2 Animal activity 197 5.3.3 Keeper interaction with animal feeding 202 Penguin feeding 203 Lion feeding 205 5.3.4 ‘Zoo fatigue’ 207 5.4 Popularity of exhibits 213 5.4.1 Ranking index 214 5.4.2 Viewing index 218 5.4.3 Viewing ‘half-life’ 220 5.4.4 Popularity index 222 5.5 Summary 225 CHAPTER 6 THE ZOO VISITOR: WHAT VISITORS THINK AND SAY 230 6.1 Visitor perception of the Zoo mission statement 232 6.2 Visitor perception of the zoo 235 6.3 Visitor perception of the visit 237 6.4 Visitor perception of enclosures and animals 239 6.4.1 ‘Natural’ enclosures 241 6.4.2 ‘Happy’ animals 248 6.5 Animals visitors wanted to watch 256 iv 6.6 Exhibits most liked by visitors 259 6.7 Exhibits liked least by visitors 266 6.8 Case study: new enclosures 270 6.8.1 Adelaide Zoo 270 6.8.2 Taronga Zoo 275 6.9 Visitors’ thoughts relating to elephants 280 6.10 Summary 283 CHAPTER 7 VISITOR AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING 289 7.1 Signs and labels 293 7.1.1 Reading of signage 295 7.1.2 Perceived reading of signs 301 7.1.3 Perceived usefulness of signs 303 7.1.4 Satisfaction with signs 305 7.1.5 Suggested improvements to signs 306 7.1.6 New signage 308 Book graphics 312 7.2 Enrichment 316 7.2.1 Visitor perception of enrichment 319 7.2.2 Awareness of enrichment 322 7.2.3 Appreciation of enrichment 324 7.3 Feeding live prey to zoo animals 332 7.4 Summary 342 CHAPTER 8 A CONFLUENCE OF STREAMS 348 CHAPTER 9 CONCLUSION 374 REFERENCES 390 APPENDIX A SURVEYS 417 APPENDIX B TABLES 434 APPENDIX C MISCELLANEA 467 v LIST OF TABLES Page 3.1 Selected enclosures for study at Adelaide and Taronga Zoos 93 4.1 Proportion of adults and children visiting Adelaide Zoo 127 4.2 Proportion of adults and children visiting Taronga Zoo 127 4.3 Mean age of visitors to the zoos 129 4.4 Size of groups visiting the zoos 133 4.5 Duration of visiting times in the zoos 148 4.6 Mean number of reasons for visiting the zoos 154 4.7 Features of frequent and infrequent visitors to the zoos 168 5.1 Viewing times at exhibits 177 5.2 Visitors to exhibits 179 5.3 Ranking of exhibits by visitors 215 5.4 Viewing index for selected exhibits 218 5.5 Half-life for selected exhibits 220 5.6 Popularity index of selected exhibits 222 6.1 Ranking of zoo 236 6.2 Satisfaction ratings: Natural and realistic appearance of enclosures 241 6.3 Satisfaction ratings: Happy appearance of animals 248 6.4 Attracting power and holding power of interactive recording 255 7.1 Percentage of viewers who actually read signs at Adelaide Zoo 295 7.2 Percentage of viewers who actually read signs at Taronga Zoo 296 7.3 Observed time for reading of signs in the zoos 296 7.4 Perceived reading of signs by visitors in the zoos 301 7.5 Perceived time for reading of signs by visitors in the zoos 301 7.6 Visitors who perceived signs as useful 303 7.7 Attracting power (A.P.) and holding power (H.P.) of signs at Adelaide Zoo 309 7.8 Attracting power (A.P.) and holding power (H.P.) of signs at Taronga Zoo 310 7.9 Reading behaviour of visitors. Graphic books at chimpanzee enclosure 313 7.10 Viewer perceptions of enrichment 320 7.11 Visitor perceptions of reasons for enrichment usage 325 7.12 Mean viewing times at sun bear exhibit at Taronga Zoo 329 7.13 Agreement of visitors to feeding of live prey to captive carnivores 340 vi 8.1 Features attracting the attention of visitors in the zoos 364 8.2 Components of a meaningful zoo experience 370 vii LIST OF FIGURES Page 1.1 Annual attendance at four selected museums in Sydney 11 3.1 Annual attendance at Adelaide Zoo 77 3.2 Annual attendance at Taronga Zoo 77 3.3 Advertisement for Adelaide Zoo 80 3.4 Plan of Adelaide Zoo, 1883 81 3.5 Schematic Plan of Adelaide Zoo 94 3.6 Schematic Plan of Taronga Zoo 95 4.1 Gender and age proportion of visitors to the zoos 128 4.2 Age range of visitors to the zoos 130 4.3 Age range of visitors to the zoos 131 4.4 Size of groups visiting the zoos 134 4.5 Proportion of group size of visitors to the zoos 135 4.6 Percentage of observed category groups visiting the zoos 136 4.7 Place of origin of visitors to the zoos 139 4.8 Distribution of metropolitan visitors to Adelaide Zoo 141 4.9 Distribution of metropolitan visitors to Taronga Zoo 142 4.10 Distribution of international visitors to the zoos 143 4.11 Mode of transport to the zoos 144 4.12 Duration of visiting times in the zoos 147 4.13 Satisfaction ratings of the zoos 149 4.14 Reasons for visiting the zoos 155 4.15 Reason for attending the zoo: Specific animals 158 4.16 Frequency of visiting a zoo 163 4.17 Frequency range for visiting a zoo 164 4.18 Time spent in the zoo compared with frequency of visitation 165 4.19 Number of reasons for visiting zoos compared with frequency of visitation 166 4.20 Mean ranking of the zoos in terms of frequency of visitation 167 5.1 Percentage of viewing times in the zoos 178 5.2 Viewing times at exhibits – Gender 183 5.3 Viewing times at exhibits – Group size 184 5.4 Viewing times at exhibits – Category groups 186 5.5 Half-life of viewing times at Adelaide Zoo 190 viii 5.6 Half-life of viewing times at Taronga Zoo 190 5.7 Mean viewing times at exhibits – classification order of naturalistic appearance 194 5.8 Viewing times at exhibits in Adelaide and Taronga Zoos. Animal activity 198 5.9 Distribution of viewing numbers during feeding sessions at penguin exhibit 204 5.10 Distribution of viewing numbers during feeding sessions at lion exhibit 206 5.11 Influence of ‘zoo fatigue’ on viewing times – Adelaide Zoo 209 5.12 Influence of ‘zoo fatigue’ on viewing times – Taronga Zoo 209 5.13 Viewers who passed by zoo exhibits 211 5.14 Mean ranking of exhibits – classification order of naturalistic appearance 217 6.1 Satisfaction ranking: Components of mission statement 233 6.2 Satisfaction rating of Adelaide and Taronga zoos 235 6.3 Satisfaction rating: Components of actual zoo visit 237 6.4 Satisfaction ratings: Enclosures and animals 239 6.5 Ranking of enclosures – natural classification 242 6.6 Satisfaction rating: Happy appearance of animals at Adelaide Zoo 249 6.7 Satisfaction rating: Happy appearance of animals at Taronga Zoo 250 6.8 Animals visitors wanted to see 256 6.9 Animals visitors liked best 259 6.10 Reasons visitors liked exhibits 262 6.11 Features liked by visitors 265 6.12 Exhibits liked least by visitors 266 6.13 Reasons visitors least liked exhibits 268 6.14 Comparison of percentage of appreciation of visitor likes and dislikes to exhibits 269 6.15 Comparison of mean ranking score for old and new exhibits at Adelaide Zoo 271 6.16 Comparison of satisfaction ratings for old and new exhibits at Adelaide Zoo 272 6.17 Satisfaction rating: Happy appearance of tigers and orang-utans at Adelaide Zoo 273 6.18 Comparison of mean ranking score for old and new exhibits at Taronga Zoo 276 6.19 Comparison of satisfaction ratings for