Inspiring Future Conservationists through a Junior ZooKeeper Program

The recent decline in children’s engagement with nature due, in part, to our increasingly urbanized lifestyles, may produce future leaders less inclined to value and protect wildlife. Sunset Zoological Park in Manhattan,... [ view full abstract ]

The recent decline in children’s engagement with nature due, in part, to our increasingly urbanized lifestyles, may produce future leaders less inclined to value and protect wildlife. Sunset Zoological Park in Manhattan, Kansas, has been a cultural and educational asset to the community for more than 80 years and is passionate about facilitating up-close explorations of wildlife as part of their mission to inspire conservation of the natural world. The Junior ZooKeeper program is a participatory summer career-shadowing opportunity for 10 -13 year olds, which allows them to re-engage with nature and discover career opportunities in wildlife conservation. This qualitative study assessed the cognitive and affective impacts of the Junior ZooKeeper program on participants. A total of seven group interviews (45 min each) of participants (n = 25) were conducted June – August 2016. Interviews were coded by three reviewers to identify themes expressed by participants. Emergent themes included a positive shift in thinking about wildlife, positive perceptions of science-based careers, and a greater understanding of the role of zoos. Results support the importance of immersive nature-based opportunities for education and exploration, and highlights the potential for similar career-shadowing opportunities to inspire today’s youth to become future conservation leaders.