Abstract
Today zoos position themselves as conservation centres, having undergone a paradigm shift from their previous incarnations as first menageries and then zoological gardens (Figure 1 – Rabb, 1994). Influencing zoo visitors to effect changes in their behaviour in support of wildlife conservation is central to this conservation role, and with over 700 million visitors worldwide per annum (Moss et al., 2014) zoos have the potential to reach a large audience. This short article briefly outlines how zoos are currently engaging with behaviour change and considers, with reference to a current research project, an alternative framework for addressing this agenda. It also presents preliminary findings from this research, which raise important issues regarding how we understand the experience at the zoo and other wildlife attractions.