A SURVEY AT THE SUZHOU ZOO

Cameron with young zoogoers in Suzhou, August 2012

Last year in Shanghai, Cameron's final school project involved exercising her conversation skills. She was supposed to talk with five Mandarin speakers and designed a brief survey exploring their attitudes toward dogs. Being Cameron, she ended up interviewing 50 people in a shopping mall, then analyzed demographic information for a class presentation and made conclusions based on age and gender.

This year in Suzhou, Cameron chose a similar project, with a twist. During her independent study for High Tech High, she had interviewed Chinese families visiting the San Diego Zoo about their perceptions of similarities and differences with Chinese zoos.

Cameron interviews Chinese tourists at San Diego Zoo in May 2012 

In Suzhou, she followed up with a 50-person survey at the Suzhou Zoo. 

Cameron with children at Suzhou Zoo, August 2012

Among other queries, Cameron asked visitors what, if anything, bothered them about animal care at the zoo. She found that very few visitors noticed things that Cameron perceived as deficiencies, such as an animal lacking water. 

Cameron interviews families at Suzhou Zoo, August 2012

She also took a tip from a student survey, designed by Dr. Chia Tan of the San Diego Zoo, measuring attitudes of primary school children in rural Guizhou Province, and asked each person to name their favorite animal. Interestingly, most people had difficulty naming a favorite animal, even while at the zoo, as if they hadn't ever considered it! 

Just one more cultural clue to aid Cameron in understanding the evolution of Chinese attitudes toward animal welfare, the influence of zoos on those attitudes, and the development of effective conservation education programs for Chinese children. 

~ Posted by Pam Hughes