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Reconstruction of area of former foundry to an exhibition exposition.

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Zoos frequently deploy outreach programs, often called "Zoomobiles," to schools; these programs incorporate zoo resources, such as natural artifacts and live animals, in order to teach standardized content and in hopes of inspiring students to protect the environment. Educational research at zoos is relatively rare, and research on their outreach programs is non-existent. This leaves zoos vulnerable to criticisms as they have little to no evidence that their strategies support their missions, which target conservation outcomes. This study seeks to shed light on this gap by analyzing the impact that live animals have on offsite program participants' interests in animals and subsequent conservation outcomes. The theoretical lens is derived from the field of Conservation Psychology, which believes personal connections with nature serve as the motivational component to engagement with conservation efforts. Using pre, post, and delayed surveys combined with Zoomobile presentation observations, I analyzed the roles of sensory experiences in students' (N=197) development of animal interest and conservation behaviors. Results suggest that touching even one animal during presentations has a significant impact on conservation intents and sustainment of those intents. Although results on interest outcomes are conflicting, this study points to ways this kind of research can make significant contributions to zoo learning outcomes. Other significant variables, such as emotional predispositions and animal-related excitement, are discussed in light of future research directions. / Educational Leadership

Thesis (M.S.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2004. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Aug. 26, 2005). Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Martin Frick. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-42).

Babblers together with the close related Timallidae are not very common inmates of the zoological gardens. In the Czech Republic they are only bred in the zoological gardens in Ohrada, Pilsen and Prague. The breeding in the zoological gardens is not generally very successful. The zoo in Prague with its number of species owns the largest collection of these birds in Europe. In the past the breeders in Prague were the first ones in Europe who managed to raise for example Rufous-fronted Laughingthrush, Sunda Laughingthrush, Barred Laughingthrush or Sumatran Laughingthrush (Black-and-white Laughingthrush). As the first ones in the Czech Republic they were able to reproduce the critically endagered Blue-crowned Laughingthrush (Courtois's Laughingthrush). The Blue-crowned Laughingthrush is so rare that for several years it was not clear at all if they still live in nature. In the year 2000 they were rediscovered in the number of 240 pieces. The quantity of them in the zoological gardens all over the world does not exceed 100 pieces. The zoo in Chester does a European breeding book of these pieces. Some birds in Prague reproduce repetitively and they prove that the right method of the breeding was found. Hopefully this method would lead to the birth of the securing population in the care of humans. This securing population is very important for the protection of these birds. The attempt of this work is to assess the links between the results of the breeding and their conditions, the comparison of the nesting activities of the two chosen species of babblers, then the summarizing of the expansion and the results of the breeding of the individual species and also the processing of the expansion, the development of the quantity and the problems of the protection of the babblers in nature. The following facts were found out: the breeding of the birds in the exposition or in its environment does not have an essential influence on their nesting activity. However, for the nesting activity it is more important if they are a newly formed couple or a couple paired for a longer time and at the forest babbler it is the female that has an important role in incubation period. However, at the Sumatran Laughingthrush there is a frequent changing in different time intervals. The work also shows that only 5 species out of 12, that showed the nesting activity, are able to build a nest without the help of the keepers. That can be attributed to their closer relational breeding and also to putting the higher number of artificially reared individuals into the breeding.