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Doctor of Philosophy / Zoological gardens, or zoos, keep and display wild animals, mainly for the purposes of education, conservation and biological research. However, it is evident that a significant component of zoos is the vast number of people who visit them, since without the support of visitors, zoos would not be financially viable and would cease to exist. This research investigates the behaviours of these visitors and develops an understanding of their awareness relating to what they see and do while they are in the zoo, along with their motivations for visiting. The study focuses on two major metropolitan zoos in Australia: Adelaide (in South Australia) and Taronga (in Sydney, New South Wales). A brief historical account contextualises changes, raising awareness of the significance of visitors to the livelihood of zoos. More and more zoos are integrating into their management routines different programmes that relate to the care and welfare of the animals. Despite recent growth in scientific attention, which has focused on human-animal relationships, little research has been conducted relating to the human visitor in the zoo. To date, decisions made by administrators have been based upon assumptions of the visitors’ understanding of the work of zoos rather than on actual quantitative findings. This empirical research is significant in that it uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to appraise factual data and information. The data from unobtrusive tracking observations at different exhibits, combined with the results of questionnaire surveys, are used to explore and assess the perceptions of visitors. In developing a demographic profile of the people who visit zoos, this work considers the motivations and the frequency of visitors. Various factors that influence the viewing patterns of visitors are explored to assess the popularity of exhibits, and the perceptions of visitors relating to animals and enclosures are investigated, to assess the diverse levels of satisfaction. Case studies explore the perceptions and understandings of visitors towards the use of enrichment items, the use of signs and labels, and a hypothetical approach to the feeding of carnivores in zoos. The results are important in that they contribute essential knowledge that describes the perceptions of a wide range of people who visit zoos, along with their expectations, since it is crucial for these institutions to maintain their popularity with the public.

Knowledge of visitor impacts is critical for sustainable tourism management in national parks. The focus of past tourism impact research on national parks is either on bio-physical impacts (conducted as recreation ecology research) or on social impacts (human dimensions, including environmental perception and crowding). Research integrating these two dimensions has been rarely conducted. This research aims to fill this gap through the integrative approach that attempts to understand current biophysical impacts of visitor activities in a national park, and it examines how visitors perceive these impacts. The primary objectives of this dissertation are 1) to provide a synthesis of existing of bio-physical impacts of visitor activities in the Khao Yai National Park (KYNP) and 2) to examine visitors’ perception of those impacts. Also, the factors affecting visitors’ perception are analyzed. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this study. Previous impact studies conducted in KYNP were reviewed. A visitor survey was conducted between December 2008 and February 2009. The questionnaires were distributed to 628 domestic and 40 international visitors. The 38 KYNP official interviews were completed. Based on previous impact research in KYNP, the most common bio-physical impacts include soil compaction, removal of humus layer, erosion, plant damage, soil and root exposure, water quality deterioration, disturbance and feeding wildlife. Other environmental impacts include noise pollution and garbage accumulation. The results indicate that more than 30 percent of visitors do not recognize the negative results of their activities. With the exception of vegetation and water impacts, overall, visitors perceive the impacts as less severe than the actual impacts. Environmental impacts are rated differently by the KYNP officials, domestic, and international visitors. Also, significant differences were found among birders, hikers, and campers. The key factors influencing impact perceptions include income level, education level, residential location, park visitation experience, length of stay in KYNP, recreation activity, frequency of activity, group type, and group size. It is suggested that both the quality and the quantity of visitor impact research are needed to construct the body of knowledge of impacts in KYNP. A long-term impact monitoring is required to sustain the ecological integrity in KYNP.

Doctor of Philosophy / Zoological gardens, or zoos, keep and display wild animals, mainly for the purposes of education, conservation and biological research. However, it is evident that a significant component of zoos is the vast number of people who visit them, since without the support of visitors, zoos would not be financially viable and would cease to exist. This research investigates the behaviours of these visitors and develops an understanding of their awareness relating to what they see and do while they are in the zoo, along with their motivations for visiting. The study focuses on two major metropolitan zoos in Australia: Adelaide (in South Australia) and Taronga (in Sydney, New South Wales). A brief historical account contextualises changes, raising awareness of the significance of visitors to the livelihood of zoos. More and more zoos are integrating into their management routines different programmes that relate to the care and welfare of the animals. Despite recent growth in scientific attention, which has focused on human-animal relationships, little research has been conducted relating to the human visitor in the zoo. To date, decisions made by administrators have been based upon assumptions of the visitors’ understanding of the work of zoos rather than on actual quantitative findings. This empirical research is significant in that it uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to appraise factual data and information. The data from unobtrusive tracking observations at different exhibits, combined with the results of questionnaire surveys, are used to explore and assess the perceptions of visitors. In developing a demographic profile of the people who visit zoos, this work considers the motivations and the frequency of visitors. Various factors that influence the viewing patterns of visitors are explored to assess the popularity of exhibits, and the perceptions of visitors relating to animals and enclosures are investigated, to assess the diverse levels of satisfaction. Case studies explore the perceptions and understandings of visitors towards the use of enrichment items, the use of signs and labels, and a hypothetical approach to the feeding of carnivores in zoos. The results are important in that they contribute essential knowledge that describes the perceptions of a wide range of people who visit zoos, along with their expectations, since it is crucial for these institutions to maintain their popularity with the public.