Education Is Entertainment? Zoo Science Communication on YouTube

Abstract

YouTube is the dominant online video-sharing platform and offers zoos an opportunity to engage a vast audience with conservation content. As there is limited research evaluating how zoos currently utilize YouTube, we cataloged and evaluated the content of 20 zoological organizations (focusing on the top 1000 most viewed videos from each channel) from 2006 to 2019. Separately, educational content in a subsample of the most viewed and recently produced videos from three zoo-YouTube channels was catalogued and evaluated for the period 2016 to 2019. We found that channels are becoming more focused on producing entertainment, rather than education-based content and not reflecting the taxonomic diversity of their animals. Videos containing conservation content may not be the most popular with the YouTube audience (making up only 3% of the most viewed videos), but there is evidence that outputs are becoming more conservation orientated, with more conservation-focused videos being produced over time. Zoos may be engaging with large audiences via YouTube, but should carefully consider how they represent different taxonomic classes and how they can create educational material in interesting and accessible forms.

Animals of Instagram: taxonomic bias in science communication online

“…It should be noted that as McClain [2019] focused only on marine taxa, this comparison is limited. Other studies have found stronger audience preference for mammals [Hausmann et al, 2018;Kidd et al, 2018;Llewellyn and Rose, 2021;Rose, Hunt and Riley, 2018]. However, these studies also found that several non-taxonomic variables can influence audience engagement, including the use of colourful or novel material, content that evokes awe, or positive or emotive reactions [McClain, 2019] or the promotion of interesting behavioural or physical traits [Kidd et al, 2018].…”

“…Other studies have found text to influence public engagement with Instagram posts [Jarreau, Dahmen and Jones, 2019], suggesting that both image and textual content should be taken into account when examining audience engagement on Instagram. Audience sentiment and engagement with online content can also be influenced by variables such as how close or far away the subject is [Jarreau, Dahmen and Jones, 2019], the tone (humorous or serious) of the post [Lenda et al, 2020], novelty [Kidd et al, 2018;McClain, 2019] and entertainment value [Lessard, Whiffin and Wild, 2017], length [Llewellyn and Rose, 2021], whether it contains breaking news [Jarreau, Dahmen and Jones, 2019;Lessard, Whiffin and Wild, 2017], as well as significant events like the rediscovery of species thought to be extinct [Lennox et al, 2020]. In their search for the most 'Instagrammable' bird, Thömmes and Hayn-Leichsenring [2021, p. 2] found that blue colours as well as "interestingness, idiosyncrasy, and the situational context all play their part in the aesthetic appeal of bird photos to the human observer".…”

Zoo-Led Initiatives and Their Role in Lemur Conservation In Situ

“…Nevertheless, overall, we believe that a greater effort should be undertaken by each zoo to enhance dissemination and public engagement about lemur conservation projects. In any case, more zoos certainly mean more communication initiatives [ 25 , 26 ].…”

Expanding the role of the future zoo: Wellbeing should become the fifth aim for modern zoos

“…Social media is a powerful tool for the wider dissemination of information that emphasizes the importance of engagement with biodiversity conservation and welfare in the zoo ( Light and Cerrone, 2018 ; Rose et al, 2018 ; Llewellyn and Rose, 2021 ). Targeted and thoughtful use of social media can promote wider conservation objectives to audiences that may otherwise be hard to reach, and promote access to biodiversity/conservation education information in a more accessible manner ( Bezanson et al, 2022 ).…”