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Close Encounters at Wellington Zoo
6 February 2004
In February 2004 the animal trainer and conditioner at Wellington Zoo Trust began working with the Learning and Interpretation Team to provide close encounter learning experiences with a range of animals.
The purpose of the close encounter programme is to present up close to visitors a small range of birds, reptiles and/or mammals so as to connect people with wildlife and enhance learning and an appreciation of these and other animals. This advocacy based encounter is led by the animal trainer working in tandem with an educator, and allows the animal(s) to freely exhibit a range of natural behaviours suited to the specific learning outcomes of each group.
These encounters take place in Wellington Zoos Living Room which easily caters for single class groups. The encounter is therefore experienced as a relatively formal and personal learning experience where students share the same indoor space as the animals moving around or between them.
Many of the species encountered in this programme are protected or endangered in the wild. The messages delivered during these encounters will, it is hoped, prompt a change in attitude toward the human-initiated hazards faced by these animals in the wild, and prompt young visitors and their schools (or families) to initiate or contribute to some form of conservation in their own local environment.
The programme has been very favourably received by school groups. Seeing [the birds] alive in action was powerful learning for students said one teacher evaluation. Live birds a highlight! said another. Continue interaction with live animals -great! said yet another report.
It is very important for the programme and Wellington Zoos vision that visitors perceive our encounter animals as advocates for learning and conservation, and it is reassuring that initial feedback indicates up to 92% of teachers believe these encounters meet the specific learning outcomes of their students.
Wellington Zoo looks forward to developing this new initiative even further while promoting best practice in learning and conservation advocacy.
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