Factors Affecting Zoo Visitors’ Conservation Beliefs and Knowledge of Large Carnivores in 2009 and a Dozen Years Later

Teaching in a formal learning environment mainly focuses on gaining knowledge, and scarcely the development of pro-environmental attitudes. Knowledge can also be gained informal institutions, such as zoos, their potential use general public education should not neglected. This paper explores factors influencing conservation beliefs zoo visitors about brown bears, grey wolves, Eurasian lynx. The study undertaken Zoo Ljubljana (Slovenia) consisted surveys performed 2009 (n = 613) 2021 257). levels knowledge influenced both supporting opposing three large carnivore species. gender factor was less uniform: lynx were demonstrated, but only bear wolf. indicates that has most significant influence beliefs, thus highlighting importance educational communication activities management actions regarding varied suggests species-specific encouraged.