Visitors’ Perception of the Roles of Zoos in Conservation in Three Selected Zoos in South West Nigeria

• I. O. O. Osunsina

  Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

  Author

• O. Osunsina

  Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna, Nigeria.

  Author

• H. A. Oyede

  Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

  Author

• A. A. Ogunjinmi

  Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.

  Author

• B. Ibiyomi

  Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

  Author

The Zoo is one of the ex-situ methods for the conservation of endangered wild animals. Also, the roles of zoos in human entertainment can not be overemphasised. This study was therefore carried out to examine visitors’ perception of the roles of zoos in wildlife conservation in three Zoos: Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta Zoo park, University of Ibadan Zoological garden and the Obafemi Awolowo Botanical Garden. The data for the study were collected with a well-structured questionnaire administered to three hundred and five (305) randomly selected respondents. The respondents were made up of 273 visitors and 32 staff members in the three zoos. The Data obtained were analysed using descriptive statistics (percentages, frequency and mean), while the relationship between respondents’ demographic characteristics and their perception of the roles of zoos was presented using multiple regressions. The results showed that the majority of the visitors to these zoos were women (51.3%) and the majority of them were in the age range of 16-25 years. Most of the respondents indicated that zoos are important in the conservation of animals (mean=4.47, SD=0.71) and encouraged zoos to increase animal collection (mean=4.39, SD=0.76). The results showed that the staff are concerned about the dignity and welfare of animals in captivity (mean=4.50, SD=0.72). The result showed that there is an association between education (χ2 = 21.575 p=0.001) and the perceived role of zoos in conservation. The study concluded that an increase in the number of visits to zoos could increase their perception of the roles of zoos in conservation. It is therefore recommended that zoos should provide incentives such as zoo vouchers, gift vouchers and zoo membership benefits that will stimulate visitors’ interest in zoos.

1. I. O. O. Osunsina, Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

   Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

2. O. Osunsina, Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna, Nigeria.

   Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka, Kaduna, Nigeria.

3. H. A. Oyede, Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

   Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

4. A. A. Ogunjinmi, Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.

   Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.

5. B. Ibiyomi, Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

   Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, College of Environmental Resources Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

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