Circuses | Zoo Field Trips | Zoo Checklist

Planning a Trip to the Zoo?

Some points to consider

A field trip to a zoo can be a great way for students to observe animals and feel a connection with wildlife. But what is the overall impression that children will be left with? While some major zoos are world-renowned for their housing of animals and their rehabilitation of injured wildlife, others leave a lot to be desired.

Many of the so-called “roadside zoos” have minimal standards and less than knowledgeable staff. A study done in 2000 by World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and ZooCheck Canada found that while many zoos were providing very good facilities and offering enrichment activities, others were grossly inadequate. In some cases, bears were being fed junk food and stale bread, and safety precautions were non-existent. Students viewing such a location on school time may get the impression that these standards are acceptable.

It’s important for teachers to be certain of the educational goals of such a trip, and to ensure that the experience will meet those objectives. For instance, if the aim is to study diversity of animal life and how interactions with biomes affect that diversity, then seeing a lion inside a 10 foot square cage will work against that goal. If studying animal life cycles, then viewing a captive situation where the normal way of life is disrupted will also give an inaccurate impression.

You can add a critical thinking component to your field trip by getting students to evaluate the zoo or field trip. Use our Zoo Field Trip Checklist to help your students (and yourself) critically evaluate the conditions faced by the animals.