How Happy Do These Animals Look? Exploring Factors Influencing Children’s Perceptions of Animal Welfare at the Zoo

TL;DR

This study explores how children and teens judge animal welfare at zoos, finding that emotions and perceptions strongly influence their assessments.

Contribution

The study reveals that children's animal welfare assessments are influenced by emotional state, phylogenetic closeness, and perceived enclosure quality.

Findings

Fish received the highest welfare and enclosure ratings despite being less evolutionarily close to humans.

Positive emotions in participants correlated with more favorable animal welfare assessments.

Children recognized the importance of natural behaviors and species-specific environments for animal welfare.

Abstract

Understanding how children and adolescents perceive animal welfare in zoos is important for improving both animal care and educational programs. This study examined how 254 children and adolescents aged 7 to 18 assessed six animals in their enclosures at a zoo: a monkey, a parrot, a caiman, a frog, a fish, and a tarantula. Participants were asked about the animals’ needs (n = 254) and how they felt emotionally, how they perceived each animal’s welfare, and how they rated the animals’ enclosures (n = 113). Participants understood animal welfare as more than just providing food or water; they also recognized the importance of natural behaviors and proper environments for each species. Participants’ ratings were influenced by their emotional state, their overall impression of each animal’s welfare, and the evolutionary closeness of the species observed. Interestingly, fish received the highest environmental and animal ratings, even higher than mammals and birds. Participants who reported positive emotions gave more favorable assessments. We concluded that emotions and individual perceptions play key roles in how children and adolescents assess animal welfare, providing valuable insights for zoo educational efforts.

Understanding how children and adolescents perceive zoo animal welfare provides insights into public views on captive conditions. This study used a mixed-methods approach to investigate these perceptions. A total of 254 participants (aged 7–18) were surveyed, with 113 completing the full circuit, which included species from distinct phylogenetic groups: monkey, macaw, caiman, frog, fish, and tarantula. Qualitative analysis (n = 254) evaluated children’s recognition of animal needs, whereas quantitative analysis (n = 113) examined how phylogenetic distance, participants’ emotional state, and overall welfare perception influenced animal and environmental assessments—a structured survey evaluating perceived animal health, enclosure conditions, and behavioral expression. Participants’ understanding of animal welfare extended beyond basic needs, recognizing the importance of species-specific behaviors and appropriate environments. Environmental and animal assessment scores were significantly influenced by species, participants’ emotional states, and overall welfare perceptions: fish received the highest scores, positive emotions were associated with higher ratings, and a better overall welfare perception correlated with more favorable assessments. We inferred that phylogenetic distance, emotional state, and general welfare impressions shaped how children and adolescents evaluate animal welfare. The study supported zoo-based educational strategies and reinforced the role of zoos in promoting welfare awareness and conservation-oriented attitudes.

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