St. Louis Zoo's "Sea Lion Sound"

This summer was an exciting one for the sea lions at St. Louis Zoo!  On June 30, 2012, a new, state-of-the-art PGAV-designed exhibit and amphitheater was officially opened after years of design and construction--on the very spot of their old exhibit.  Located in what is referred to as the 'Historic Basin', Sea Lion Sound anchors the core of the zoo, right at the major crossroads for north-south circulation and the eastern spur.  The exhibit was the first to be completed from the most recent master plan also completed by PGAV. Below is a fly-through video of the Sea Lion Sound original design.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS6wrJnSPas]

The $18 million project features a large exhibit with both underwater and overwater views, a large open-air, shaded amphitheater and show pool (complete with sea lion slide!), holding facilities and underground LSS yard.  Exhibit viewing is completely unique to sea lion exhibits in the United States, and features a 23 foot tall flat panel as well as the crown jewel, a 35 foot long acrylic tunnel.  The show pool is also fronted in acrylic to allow both underwater and overwater enjoyment.

Recently, I was able to interview a PGAV staffer who was instrumental in the creation of Sea Lion Sound, Rosey Masek-Block, about the specifics of the project.

DZ: What was your official role in the project, Rosey?

RMB: Construction Administrator.  I attended weekly meetings with the CM [Construction Manager] and GC [General Contractor] to address any questions or concerns that had come up.

DZ: What was the most challenging aspect of your job?

RMB: Providing answers quickly when unforeseen conditions arose.  A lot of times there would existing site conditions, weather conditions, or delayed deliveries that would affect what was going on.  Any long delay in an answer would delay the construction.

DZ: What was the most satisfying?  

RMB: Seeing the Sea Lions happily swimming and performing.  Also attending the shows incognito and having the public sit by you and express how excited they were that THEIR zoo has something this new, beautiful, and exciting.

DZ: That must be so amazing! Now, let's get into some specifics.  How big is the total project area?

RMB: The total construction site is about 1.5 ares.

DZ: How many animals will be living here, and what species are they? 

RMB: Right now there are 10 California Sea Lions and 1 Harbor Seal.  3 of the Sea Lions were born at the STL Zoo.  It was designed to accommodate 10-15 sea lions.  {Steve Bircher, curator, says the zoo may adopt or breed sea lions in the future, but has no plans to take in any additional seals.}

DZ: How many gallons are in the total system?  How many per pool?

RMB: The entire system is roughly 250,000 gallons.  All the pools are linked together, but roughly the main exhibit pool makes up about 190,000.

DZ: How big is the Exhibit, in area?

RMB: The Exhibit itself is about 11,000 square feet.

DZ: How many seats in theater?

RMB: There are approximately 830 seats, give or take a few, as it is bench style seating.

DZ: What were the design goals for the project?

RMB: I wasn’t on the design team for this [project] in the beginning, [but according to them] there were a few main things we were hoping to achieve: To provide the feel of the Pacific northwest in the rockwork, buildings, and surroundings (mimicking the natural habitat). To keep the profile of the exhibit as low as possible--we still wanted to preserve as much of the views looking up/down historic hill as possible. To provide an up-to-date filtering system to reduce water waste, and to provide an entertaining and playful environment for the animals and the people.  The tunnel needed to be low enough to provide enough space for animals to feel comfortable on both sides of the exhibit.  After all, they sometimes express just as much curiosity looking at the people as the people do looking at them.

DZ: That's absolutely true.  Sometimes we underestimate the power of the visitor as a form of animal enrichment!  Is there a conservation message?  How is it presented (show or exhibit?)? 

RMB: Water Conservation is probably the biggest.  Originally the old exhibit was a dump and fill pool.  The new system filters the water rather than replacing it.  {Dr. Jeffrey Bonner, Zoo President, recently stated that since the species of sea lions and seals living in this exhibit are not endangered, he believes this exhibit to be more about educating guests about the animals rather than about conservation.}

DZ: What were the main components to the design…theater, exhibit, holding, what else?

RMB: The Life Support Systems Basement.  Most people can’t tell that under the little holding buildings is a 2 story basement containing all the equipment needed to keep the exhibit healthy and beautiful.  Also providing shade for the public as well as the animals was a huge part of the project.

DZ: What other animal projects have you worked on?  Do you think of yourself as a zoological designer or just an architect that happens to have worked on animal projects?  

RMB: I’ve been a part of STL Zoo Bear Design and the design team for a project at Columbus Zoo.  Right now I would consider myself an architect working TOWARDS becoming a zoological designer.

DZ: What a great way to think about it!  You've certainly gotten some significant experiences under your belt!

RMB: I enjoyed being part of the process – I feel really proud when I take people to my local zoo and can say I was part of helping make it great.

Thanks for your time and dedication, Rosey!  Congratulations everyone who contributed to this wonderful project.

August Animal of the Month: Manatee

Oh, the lovely sea cow.  Once believed to call to sailors, as would a mermaid or, say, a siren, this slow moving, blubbery beauty of the order Sirenia was our focus in August.  A favored friend of Florida, the West Indian Manatee is now endangered and relatively rare in captivity.  Learn all about this sweet creature here.

ATTENTION: This will be the last Animal of the Month that will be posted to the blog.  In the future, I will send out the fact sheet via email.  If you are interested in receiving them, please contact me.

Glacier Run Wins TOP HONORS!

You may have already heard the wonderful news, but if not, Designing Zoos is proud to announce that Louisville Zoo's PGAV-designed Glacier Run received the Top Honors award in Exhibit Design on Wednesday, Sept. 12 at the annual AZA Conference in Phoenix. As mentioned before, this exhibit is near and dear to my heart as it is the first exhibit in which I was deeply involved.  I was even a part of the interview team--and as such, did some on-site visitor research at Detroit Zoo and at Louisville prior to meeting the zoo for the first time!

We're so proud of the innovation and teamwork required to concept, design, construct, and maintain the guest and animal experience, and inspired by the dedication and insight of the Louisville Zoo staff.  It truly is a wonderful exhibit!

If you haven't visited, get yourself there!  And be sure to share photos with us!

AZA 2012: Day 1--Why Zoos and Aquariums Matter

Before the Icebreaker antics at the Science Center, before the Keynote address, before the Exhibit Hall opens, and before most attendees even arrive, the AZA Conference offered an all-day workshop focused on perceptions of zoos and aquariums. Led by the upbeat, funny and fabulous ladies of various zoo and aquarium education departments (Vicki, Danni, and Jill), the eight hour workshop dove into two large visitor research projects commissioned by the AZA several years ago.   After multiple table shuffles during workshop activities, participants meet and engaged with each other exposing everyone to multiple points-of-view of the zoo industry (and, POVs of non-industry experts from the likes of NSF, Petsmart, and California Science Center, to name a few).

The basic premise of the workshop was simple: We cannot appropriately address the needs of our stakeholders & visitors  (experientially, educationally, emotionally, etc) without having an accurate profile of their perceptions.

First, we tackled stakeholders.  We discussed visitors, educators, volunteers, media, spiritual leaders, politicians, and field biologists.  The most intriguing results are below:

VISITORS: Guests see zoos and aquariums as experts on animals, but have not made the connection to their expertise in science or conservation in general.  For example, they will call the zoo for information about the cougar spotted in the hills behind their house, but will not seek out the zoo for information about rain forest depletion.

EDUCATORS: Teachers value zoos as an educational experiences, but the vast majority do not understand how to use the zoo in their own classroom.

POLITICIANS: Zoos and aquariums are a trusted educational resource, but politicians by and large do not have an understanding as to what is being taught.

MEDIA: News outlets generally turn to zoos for information about animals and about human-animal interactions.  For example, media set up camp at Columbus Zoo during the sad Zanesville events, but rarely turn up to cover successes in conservation such as critical births or releases of rehabbed animals.

VOLUNTEERS: Although they may have joined the zoo volunteer program initially to help with animals, volunteers understand their role to be critical in the education of children.

SPIRITUAL LEADERS: Overall, religious leaders hold a surprisingly positive attitude toward zoos and aquariums  lauding institutions for their educational value, particularly for children.  Many participants cited examples of religious groups regularly visiting the zoo, using their facility as a place of worship, and utilizing educational programs (some with one caveat: Don't use the "E" word...evolution).

FIELD BIOLOGISTS: Generally, scientists understand the value of the opportunity to teach visitors about animals and their plight in the wild.  However, most have some level of distrust in the institutions, due to the perceived lack of serious research occurring at zoos as well as disappointment in the level of information being disseminated to visitors.

Finally, we discussed the visitor more deeply.  As shown time and again, the prime visitor segment is family.  Beyond that, visitors can be broken down into categories based on motivation.

EXPLORERS: Visitors whose primary drive is curiosity and the desire to dig deeper.  This segment generally defines the majority of zoo visitors.

PROFESSIONALS / HOBBYISTS: These visitors are those with specialized knowledge who utilize the zoo either as a case study or as a place to practice their field.  Think zoo designers visiting zoos or photographers photographing cute otters.

FACILITATORS: These visitors are motivated by the desire to fulfill the needs of others.  Mommies (and stay-at-home dads) are a great example of facilitators.

EXPERIENCE SEEKERS: Think of these folks as hoarders.  They have a checklist of places and experiences, and visit in order to check each one off their list.  They seek the biggest, best and most popular.  Theme park enthusiasts are typical experience seekers.

SPIRITUAL PILGRIMS: These visitors have a special connection to nature and appreciate the wildlife for their beauty and nature as a place to calm, meditate and recharge.

As designers, we must consider each of these visitor types and provide at least one experience for each.  An experience too heavy in one or another of these types will be unsuccessful, especially in relation to the institution in which you work.  Every zoo and aquarium's visitor profile is slightly different, and before design begins, a visitor evaluation may be in order.  The workshop introduced several evaluation tools and provided templates for use.

At the end of the day, I was overwhelmed and tired.  But all in all, it was useful and applicable to designers--even if you have already read the studies.  My one complaint is the title of the workshop--I don't believe we really discussed 'why zoos and aquariums matter' at all.  I would've liked to hear more about how institutions communicate the answer to this question to their stakeholders.  So far, we've only just asked the question.

DZ visits the Lemur Conservation Reserve

After a quick email exchange and phone conversation with Patti Walsh, Director of Research and Operations at the Lemur Conservation Foundation, a visit to their Lemur Reserve was in order.  Located just outside Myakka City, FL, a town with little more than a farm store and a yellow light, the Reserve is over 100 rural acres of mixed pine and oak forest.

The Foundations’ 44 lemurs have free-range within two fenced-in forested yards, 10 and 13 acres each.  Compatible breeding groups are rotated between these two yards and holding facilities near the yards.  The holding facilities have both indoor stalls (of various size, but averaging 8’ x 8’) immediately adjacent to outdoor, fully enclosed yards.  These yards are approximately 20’ x 10’ x 8’ tall, and are elegantly appointed with all manner of lemur fun, playtime equipment.

Within each large forested yard, lemurs have the option to hang out in a holding facility featuring a geodesic dome which provides respite from the weather.  The domes are made from Styrofoam, covered in plaster, and offer insulating qualities in both the heat of summer in central Florida and the chilly temperatures that sometimes occur during winter.  The domes are located between two elevated outdoor stalls, and allow indoor transfer between the two outdoor yards for maximum flexibility and in case of emergency.

Currently, the Reserve features a small on-site clinic space—really little more than a room with veterinary supplies, and each holding building has its own small kitchen space.  The 13 acre yard holding building’s kitchen is slightly larger allowing for the bulk of food storage, but with fresh produce donations occurring twice weekly, no large cooler space is required.

The Reserve was opened in 2000 with 32 lemurs and continues to grow with successful breeding on-site.  The lemurs are often lent to other institutions for breeding as directed by the SSP. Long-term plans include the addition of another forest yard but is limited by both funding and growth of currently scrubby shrubs and seedlings.  In the short-term, the Foundation is looking forward to enlarging the clinic space to enable more procedures to occur on-site, rather than transporting, as they do now, to a local veterinarian, nearly 45 minutes away.

Ultimately, the goal of the Reserve is to return lemurs to the wild, but for now, it is used as a breeding facility and base for research.  The lemurs here are interested in people, and several came from their patrols in the forest to check me out from their perches high in the trees.  Those housed in the holding facilities ran to say hello.  So amazing!

If I could suggest anything for this special place, it would be to create an experience that the public at large could enjoy—right now, only researchers and special guests are allowed.  This would represent one version of the future of zoos as visualized by some designers.

DZ's First Give-Away!

Congratulations blog-friend, Erin Hendon!  Wear this T with pride! It's simple!  Just Like our Facebook post (or page) in the next few days, and you'll be entered to win this fabulous DesigningZoos.com exclusive t-shirt!  Ladies size L (runs a little small, so more like M).  Wear it with pride, but be prepared for attention--and lots of questions!  Especially if you are a man.

Enter by Liking the Facebook post here.

Designing Zoos featured on Zoo Tails!

Recently, I was interviewed by Nick over at Zoo Tails for a feature about this crazy profession I know and love.  Zoo Tails is a great place to find info about all things zoos including zoo maps, zoo photos, construction updates and more!  Check it out.  Thanks to Nick for highlighting DZ!

The Second Year Begins!

We've actually been meeting for 3 months now, but the second class of the PGAV Zoological Design Specialty Development Group (ZDSDT) is officially underway. This year, in addition to the inaugural group that graduated in 2011, we've added a few new faces.

Eileen Ostermeier has been passionate about zoo design since she was a child, when she wanted to be either a zoologist or an architect.  She studied architecture at Washington University in St. Louis and later received her Masters in Landscape Architecture from The Ohio State University, where she focused on habitat design and restoration.  She has been with PGAV for nearly 4 years and is currently working on a large Africa expansion for the Columbus Zoo.

Cray Shellenbarger  received his Master of Architecture degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.  His thesis focused on the conscious and subconscious experience of space.  This led him to projects that focus on the experience of the occupant as the primary driver of design. After hearing about the Zoo Design SDT here at PGAV, he became fascinated with how the animal experiences the zoo.  He also finds the ethical issues within zoo design extremely important.

Russell Dow has been a long time zoo and aquaria fan starting with trips as a child to Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.  It wasn’t until he had his own children that his love for animals came back to him.  Seeing how his children respond when discovering new,  unexpected things within the exhibits or about the animals  is amazing.  Russell has been at PGAV for 3 years, and in that time, he's had the opportunity to work on some zoological parks and destinations confirming my interest in the area of enrichment, education and conservation.  His background is in Interior Architecture, Environmental Graphics, Graphics and Interpretive design.  He is interested in also taking some classes in Zoology when his children are elementary age.

Emily Howard, one of the ZDSDT's senior advisers and Vice President at PGAV, has loved being around all kinds of animals since she can remember; from growing up on her grandparents’ farm to volunteering at the local zoo in the summertime. Now, as a zoo and aquarium designer, she gets to blend two of her biggest passions: animals and design. She's been having fun at PGAV for 14+ years.

Keep watching the website for updates on our activities, articles, and lectures.  It's gonna be a great year!

July Animal of the Month: Rhinos!

Last month we tackled the untackle-able, rhinos.  These tanks of the African savanna are powerful and thick-skinned, but how much space do they need in captivity?  Do they like to hang out in mud holes with other rhinos, or spend their days grazing alone in contemplation?  Learn more here!

Elephant Ethics

Once again we are reminded of the many shades of grey we face regularly in the zoo and aquarium industry as a decision on the future of elephants at the LA Zoo was handed down from the CA Superior Court last week. The suit, brought against the zoo by a well-meaning real estate agent, Aaron Leider, demanded that elephants be banned from the zoo and relocated to a sanctuary.  Judge John Segal ultimately ruled that elephants may remain at the zoo, but the zoo must essentially clean up its act, stating, among other things, that the zoo must ban negative re-enforcement tools, such as bull hooks and electroshock.  However, the zoo discontinued use of these tools years ago.

The judge’s 56-page decision berated the zoo, essentially pointing out inadequacies of captivity and lack of understanding of how captivity affects the elephants.  He writes: “The Elephants of Asia exhibit at the Los Angeles Zoo is not a happy place for elephants.”

Aside from the obvious question (who is this judge to assert whether or not an elephant is happy?) the lawsuit brings up questions with which we are often faced—and are rarely brave enough to answer.  Is captivity ever good enough?  Should animals only be in the wild?  How much interaction with humans should captive animals have?

To me, there are no perfect answers.  But, we need to remind ourselves that the zoo industry is constantly evolving—an evolution that is sometimes slow, but on the whole clearly visible.  As we continue to understand the needs and psychologies of animals, both in and out of captivity—as any scientist worth his or her salt will tell you, they are different!—captive environments and lifestyles will change.  Nothing in life is completely static.

I am not afraid of these confrontations, of these questions, of these indignations.  They push us to examine.  They push us to improve.  And maybe one day we will no longer have the need for zoos and aquariums, but at the rate we as a species are destroying habitat, captive environments may be the only sanctuaries left.

Future of Zoos Symposium: Article Links

Several of the presenters have shared their presentations from the February symposium via Zoolex.org. "Managed exchanges of specimens with wild populations" by Monika Fiby

"Design and architecture: Third generation conservation, post-immersion and beyond" by Jon Coe

"Beyond the animal: Exhibiting and interpreting nature" by David Hancocks

Symposium: Future of Zoos

In February, the Buffalo Zoo and Canisius College hosted a special symposium entitled "The Future of Zoos."  Unfortunately, we here at Designingzoos.com completely missed that this symposium was occurring, but luckily, our friend, founder of Zoolex.org, and symposium presenter, Monika Fiby, shared her thoughts.

Impressions by Monika Fiby monika@fiby.at, monika@zoolex.org How will zoos look in 50 to 100 years from now? This was the theme of the "Future of Zoos" symposium held at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York. American animal behavior experts, conservationists, zoo directors, and international zoo design visionaries were invited to share not only what they think will be, but also to articulate what should be.I was attracted by the program, the list of participants and the proposed presentation topics. There are not many opportunities to meet with experts for a philosophical discourse. Others obviously thought the same and also made there way to Buffalo in February, which is really not the best time for a visit up North. The weather was as cold as expected and ineffective heating and ventilation systems challenged my fitness. On the other hand, excellent organization and care by staff and volunteers made sure that we never waited anywhere in the cold and could not get lost. We enjoyed a welcoming atmosphere and the time we were awarded for unusual talks with unusual people. Our host, Michael Noonan, is professor of animal behavior at the Canisius College Institute for the Study of Human-Animal Relations and director of the college’s new graduate program in Anthrozoology, that examines the relationships between people and their companion animals, animals in art, literature, science, agriculture and zoos. Co-host was the Buffalo Zoo. The format of the symposium was formal presentations with some open discussion inbetween. The audience, about 100 zoo interested students and professionals, were invited to submit questions to the moderator. The symposium was video taped for compiling and publishing a printed document about the presentations and discussions. Symposium participants were asked to present their vision on following subjects: Anticipating the Nature of Future Zoo Visitors: The Demographics of Future Zoo Visitors Donna Fernandes, Buffalo Zoological Gardens The Expectations of Future Zoo Visitors Jesse Donahue, Saginaw Valley State University Beyond the Animal: Exhibiting and Interpreting Nature David Hancocks, Author, Architect, Zoo Director Emeritus The Size and Shape of Future Zoos Jeffrey P. Bonner, St Louis Zoo Decentralizing Functions: The Proliferation of Institutional Forms Kenneth Shapiro, Animal & Society Institute Design and Architecture: Third Generation Conservation, Post- Immersion and Beyond Jon Coe, Jon Coe Design An Anthrozoological Perspective: Zoos Can Imprison Us/Zoos Should Liberate Us Paul Waldau, Canisius College The Role of Zoos in Conservation Is Conservation a Viable Mission for Future Zoos? Kevin Murphy, The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore Managed Exchanges of Specimens with Wild Populations Monika Fiby, ZooLex Zoo Design Organization The Diminished State of Wildlife: How Zoos Might Respond William Conway, Wildlife Conservation Society The Changing Educational Role of Zoos Keith Winsten, The Brevard Zoo Zoos as Resources for Scientific Research Donald Moore, Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park The Expanding Mission of Zoos: New Socio-Cultural Roles Erik Trump, Saginaw Valley State University The Future Regulatory Environment James F. Gesualdi, Attorney at Law Species Selection in Future Zoos: Some Species Do Not Belong In Zoos Catherine Doyle, In Defense of Animals Standard-based Decision Making Susan Margulis, Canisius College Cloning the Extinct: Ecological Prosthetics or Eco-ethical Minefield? Jeffrey Yule, Louisiana Tech University Bioengineered Life: Moral Implications for Future Zoos John Fraser, New Knowledge Organization Ltd The Role of Robotics in Future Zoos Michael Noonan, Canisius College Many statements remained undisputed, while others were highly controversial. Although we were asked to prepare visions for a far distant future, most discussions revolved about the current situation in the US and short term trends. I summarized, what I considered interesting points from my personal perspective as an Austrian landscape architect and zoo designer with an international perspective. I studied in the United States, participated in several American zoo conferences and have known several participants for a long time. On the other hand, I have been working in Europe, Africa and Asia. I therefore focus on trends and visions that I believe are relevant on a global scale. General trends Urbanization, diversity, the demand for customization, all time media-use and nature-deficit disorders are trends that make zoos a prime location for family shared experiences and unstructured play. The divide between elite and working class will become more important in the future. Scientific findings dissolve the differences between animal and man. Feelings, emotion, empathy, tool use, self-awareness and collaboration are not distinctive features, but gradual differences. Climate change and lack of corridors between habitats trap wild animals. Conservation efforts so far have mostly been driven by species' importance, body mass and representation of biological distinctiveness. Compelling visions Zoos have too many functions (conservation, education, entertainment) and need to change and focus. Zoos will become less ark and more museum, less global and more local, less urban and more park. Performing art, virtual experiences, environmentalism and political mission will become more important. Institutions will decentralize and become managers of animal experiences. These experiences will be less predictable and more open ended than today. Zoos thus will continue to develop into many different forms: reserves, protected areas, safaris, parks, sanctuaries, rehabilitation centres, breeding centres, theme parks, virtual zoos. etc. The development is not linear, but happens parallel at different speed in different places. Cohabitation with semi-wild animals in urban, agricultural and forestry landscapes will also develop. The boundaries between managing animal populations in semi-wild, free-range and captive situations will blur. The translocation of wild animals - such as elephants in Malaysia - into semi-wild conditions will continue. The difference between ex-situ and in-situ will blur. Semi-natural settings for observing semi-wild animals will become common tourist attractions. Education Zoos are not the right location to promote behaviour change because this takes time. Zoos' strengths are authenticity (real animals, real people, real projects, real stories, real experiences), various levels of engagement (signs, programs, websites), customization (media, programs), and connection with local nature. There is a demand for conservation action that zoos can answer with local conservation projects. The boundaries between formal and informal education are blurring. Welfare Reducing animals to objects of entertainment and education is in conflict with allowing them as much sovereignty as possible. New technologies such as motion detectors may help to give captive animals more control of their environment. Physical interaction with wild animals may get replaced by virtual touch. Since no technology replaces the real animal experience and effective monitoring of touching is not possible, domestic animals are the first place for direct interaction. Stress indicating devices may help to manage touch animals. In the future, more people may get involved in animal management decisions such as transfer, euthanasia, rescue and reintroduction since it has become easier to identify individual animals. Rescue and reintroduction may become common practice of zoos and aquariums in collaboration with welfare activists. There is no contradiction between conservation and welfare. Animal care improves with science. Welfare research for zoo animals is more difficult than for farm animals because their living conditions are much more varied. Welfare should become the main consideration when keeping animals. Husbandry should provide optimum physical and social environments. No more locking in of animals in winters, no more concrete floors, no more "wrong" animals in zoos. Orcas, chimpanzees, elephants may not be allowed in zoos in the future and more species may follow. But, where will they live? Conservation Restoration costs much more than conservation. Conservation helps to avoid extinction. But, reproduction is expensive and not sustainable in zoos. Zoos cannot be arks because of space problems and small animal populations. Reproduction planning should be top-down. Thus, large scale breeding centres, translocation, reintroduction for genetic augementation might become more common. Zoos should narrow the range of display animals, spezialize and focus, and eventually replace sanctuaries. On the other hand, diverse collections and breeding are useful for keeper training. Cloning may become a tool for restoring extinct species, but also for creating chimeras. Cave bear, woolly mammoth, dodo and Tasmanian tiger may be recreated, because their DNA is available. A Pleistocene collection is imaginable. Genetic engineering may be used to customize animals, such as lions that behave like cats. Summary Overall, the symposium was inspiring and exciting and many wished that there will be similar events in the future. The opportunity to discuss with experts from various disciplines on an abstract level was considered useful: Self-reflection and uncovering assumptions may help us to give up disfunctional human centricism.

New Media Follow-Up: Visitors Online

In a study conducted by climate change education research group, CLiZEN, current zoo and aquarium visitors are highly engaged in digital media on a regular basis.  The inaugural study was intended to collect background information on zoo-goers for use as the group develops educational recommendations specific to climate change.  However, these results have larger educational and marketing implications, as was discussed earlier in this previous post. From the study:

"Research Topic: Zoo and aquarium visitors have access to and experience with virtual social networks and other Internet technology platforms.

To determine the potential for usage of technology platforms as effective climate change education resources for zoo and aquarium visitors, visitors were asked if they use mobile technology to access the Internet and whether they regularly use any social networks or gaming systems.

1. Most visitors have access to a hand-held Internet connection during their visit to a zoo or aquarium
2. Overall, 60% of visitors regularly use Facebook.
   • Usage of Facebook varies considerably based on visitors’ ages. For visitors age 18-24 years old, 84% use Facebook, whereas visitors age 60 years old or more, only 28% use Facebook
3.  Twenty-five percent of visitors regularly play Nintendo’s Wii gaming system (Figure 25).
4.  In addition, almost half of survey respondents indicated they regularly play at least one type of electronic game.
   • Older visitors, however, may not be as likely to utilize these resources (approximately 20% of the sample)."

To read the full study, click here.

Hot Topic: Integrating Mobile Media into the Guest Experience

Every so often, a new idea has so much traction its all anyone can talk about.  The new idea at AZA this year?  Integration of mobile technology into the guest experience.  Big words.  Simple ideas. 8:30 a.m. Saturday.  Many people have left the conference by now.  Others are simply too tired from a long week (or a long Friday night out) to even imagine dragging themselves out of their comfortable Omni Hotel bed into the chilly gray Atlanta morning to listen to non-industry experts talk about Macro Trends.  But not me.  I'm there in room A305 along with a smattering of other over-achieving, artificially awake zoo and aquarium professionals.

Our reward this morning?  The Vice President of Marketing Strategy and Insights at Coca-Cola, Stan Sthanunathan, and Heather Baldino, the Senior Vice President of Network Marketing and Operations for Turner Broadcasting System.  Big wigs.  Real, world-class big wigs.  For us zoo folks, practically marketing gods.

This session was named Macro Trends in the Zoo and Aquarium Industry.  Not technology trends or social media marketing.  Trends.  But what did both of these big wigs have to tell us?  Get connected to your audience.  And not in the touchy-feely sorta way.  In the digital way.  And its got to be a two-way street.

Stan talked about the importance of this as a means to respond to the changing market.  Today's biggest changes?  Shifting demographics (the world is getting older), shifting economic center (its China and India, not the great West), sustainability as a core value (especially with limited resources of water and petroleum), the emerging middle class (expect an additional 800 million by 2020), the connected world (think "world news in a matter of minutes, if not seconds"), and a focus on well-being (the US is fat).

As the world changes, zoos and aquariums must adapt and evolve in our relationships with our market.  Baldino pointed out that on-demand entertainment (like Netflix, YouTube, Roku, XBox 360, iPhone, iPad, etc) has skyrocketed in the last two years alone causing a steep decline in non-electronic sources of entertainment.  People who like media, use media.  All kinds and all the time.  People are "watching CNN at home on the couch with their smartphone, pulling stats from the CNN website, investigating things they see on TV."  The younger generation are even more dependent on media, and much more adept at digital multi-tasking.

So, how do we increase our share of the entertainment time budget of our audience?  How do we expand the experience to before and after their visit to our parks?  Digital media, and more specifically:  mobile media.

Depending on the source, between 28-38% of the US population carries a smartphone.  Smartphone users access the internet (or some internet based app) at least four times a day, according to Baldino.  More than half of the US population accessed Facebook in June 2011.  These users are not just kids.  In fact, the majority of these users are between the ages of 25 and 54.  What does that mean for zoos and aquariums who tend to focus on content for kids?  It means an opportunity for developing a social experience within the family.

According to Baldino, most of the users of the Cartoon Network's website and Facebook pages are adults on behalf of their kids.  They don't access the pages FOR the kids, they access the pages WITH the kids.  These experiences can enhance the zoo visit by "amplifying and extending the experience."

Of course, it also presents an opportunity to reach out to our heretofore untapped resource of "adults with no kids" market, which as shown in our PGAV Zoo-Goer study, is interested and does exist.

But how do we do that?

On Friday afternoon, a large, happy group of conference attendees met to address exactly that question.  Currently, QR code integration and direct texting are the hottest methodologies in use at zoos and aquariums.  But, Mobile Excursions, LLC CEO, Dan Shropshire, recommends utilizing hybrid apps for smartphones.  Only 20% of the top 80 attractions by attendance are using apps at all, and he thinks its mostly due to price.  Hybrid apps are useful to zoos and aquariums with limited budgets as they utilize web content already created thereby bypassing the resource intense content creation phase.

Craig Leonardi, Lead Product Manager Industry Solutions at AT&T, points out that if you want to delve into smartphone apps and mobile web, you must have easy navigation, big buttons, an editor's eye to content, and ensure proper formatting.  If you don't deliver these things, your guest may use the app once and never return to it.  That obviously won't help us achieve our goals!

Leonardi goes on to suggest the use of QR codes.  If you've been asleep for the last year or so, QR codes are the funky black and white squares you see on almost every print ad out there.  You'll see them on products and packaging, too.  I've seen them on Pepsi cups at the Milwaukee County Zoo.  As a consumer, you simply download a QR reader app onto your smartphone, then scan the code with your phone's camera, and you are instantly connected to some specific web content related to that particular brand or attraction.  The Pepsi cup took me to a web-only commercial parodying and besting Coca-cola's famous polar bear ads.

The nice thing about QR codes is that any zoo can utilize them with minimal cost as free QR code generators are accessible and easy to use online.  All you need is a computer, a printer, and a video uploaded to YouTube.

That's exactly what Santa Barbara Zoo is doing right now.  Using a QR code generator called Kaywa, the Zoo is able to easily create expanded content for its guests.  And they've even utilized a fan video, which has gone mildly viral.  And I'll admit, I'm slightly obsessed with it.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgt49R9d-XM]

If you're going to use QR codes, Leonardi suggests taking advantage of your guests' downtime.  Meaning, any time they are standing in line, sitting down, or otherwise not actively engaged in an activity, make these opportunities available.  Dean Noble from the Santa Barbara Zoo went so far to suggest using them at exhibits that are known to be snoozers.  If you're animals aren't all that active, offer a code linking to a cool enrichment or training video.  It won't replace the live animal interaction, but it'll offer another aspect of the animal that the guest is not currently getting to enjoy.

As for texting, Monterey Bay Aquarium is utilizing a simple scheme to help visitors see cool things throughout their visit.  Everyone loves watching the critters get fed.  So, through a voluntary program where guests opt-in to direct texting for one day, the Aquarium, via text message, suggests guests make their way to certain exhibits minutes before an unscheduled feeding is to occur.   The Aquarium can use this system to selectively send guests to one exhibit or another based on attendance and crowding that day, ultimately helping to distribute guests throughout the Aquarium more efficiently.

With all these cool things zoos and aquariums are doing now, we have to understand that currently, today, right now, usage of these apps, QR codes, and direct texting is very low.  According to both Shropshire and Mike Chamberlain at Monterey Bay, usage hovers between 1.5-2% of attendance.  However, as trust of these new technologies increase over time, usage should also increase.

In order to succeed in integrating these technologies into the guest experience, Baldino suggests that the digital reward must be interactive and short.  According to her, smartphone users are looking for quick info, tidbits, immediate gratification.  She calls it "snacking."  If the content is too long, you'll lose the audience's attention.  She went on to say interactivity is absolutely key to digital content especially for kids.  Things like polls and voting, the ability to collect electronic prizes, like badges or digital animals, and share their collection with friends, photo tagging, games and live chats enable the audience to get involved, to interact, to connect.

"Digital is here to stay," said Baldino.  It should serve to amplify your product, not be the core experience.  It should engage and connect customers.  Many times, especially the older generations, feel digital experiences are alienating and isolating, which is the polar opposite of what we are trying to achieve in the zoo and aquarium world.  But according to Baldino and Stan, digital is actually community-building.  People tell each other about videos and apps, they send each other links, and talk to each other online.  "Its the new water cooler," said Baldino.  "If you're going to take advantage of Facebook, do it now."

AZA Friday Opening Session: The Importance of Zoos and Aquariums

The importance of zoos and aquariums seemed to be the underlying theme of Friday's AZA National Conference morning general session which featured talks by several prominent zoo and aquarium personalities including AZA President & CEO, Jim Maddy, AZA Chair of the Board and St. Louis Zoo Director, Jeff Bonner, and keynote speaker, CEO of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, John Racanelli.

Racanelli's bold rhetorical question still lingers with me:  "How is there still a question as to why zoos and aquariums matter?"

The U.S. boasts 225 AZA accredited animal facilities.  That's 225 zoos and aquariums, and variations thereof, that have dedicated themselves to achieving the highest husbandry standards possible,fostering an environment for serious scientific inquiry, creating wholesome, fun, educational family experiences, and supporting long-term conservation programs both in-house and in the wild.

In fact, America's accredited zoos and aquariums invest nearly $115 million annually in direct support of wildlife conservation efforts.

Unlike other non-profits with similar expenditures (ie WWF), supporting conservation efforts is NOT the primary reason zoos and aquariums exist.  According to Racanelli, they exist to create social and emotional bonds to wildlife, to inspire {a love of nature}, and to do these things in a manner that the public respects.

Cynthia Vernon, VP of Education, Guest and Research Programs at the world renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium once told Racanelli that people come to aquariums to "find social time, not to be educated."  So how do we create bonds and inspire the guests in a respectful way that allows them to satisfy their need for social experiences?

Racanelli suggests to educate when the guest is open to listening.  This means inserting the educational aspect while the audience is inspired, not after, as is often the case in a traditional exhibit.  Think about it.  How often do you see the interactives and informational graphics tucked away in a corner or gathered together as you exit?  How often do you feel compelled to explore these educational options?  How often are you watching the animals wishing you knew the answer to "what the heck is that walrus doing?"

Racanelli suggests that we "rethink how we do what we do."  We need to build a movement.  In order to do so, we need to understand who our audience is today and tomorrow.  Today's audience may still be Boomers, but Millenials are a major segment and will only continue to grow.

Millenials are "selected, protected and connected."  Selected, as in parents today are making a conscious decision when to have their children and exactly how many to have.  Additionally, they are protecting them from the world's dangers like at no time before (ie must be in car seats until they're 4' 9"?!?! No more lying in the back of the station wagon watching the streetlights pass overhead!).  And of course, they are the permanently wired generation.

Check out this link for more Millenials info.

Other interesting and little known info about our current audience?  Hispanic, non-English speaking families are more likely to recognize that humans are the primary threat to oceans than caucasian families.   And they are willing to pay more for seafood that is caught responsibly.

So how do we change with the ever-changing visitor market?  Be controversial! says Racanelli.  We're often so focused on not being the center of controversy (the target of animal rights smear campaigns) that we forget the old celebrity adage:  Any press is good press!  Of course, we only want good press when it comes to animal welfare and conservation, but the point is still valid.  Be bold.  Be confident.  Get the audience's attention!

They sure got mine.

Designing Zoos at the AZA Conference!

I probably should have announced this BEFORE actually getting to the conference so that I might have had a chance to meet a reader or two, but, as they say, hindsight is 20/15, right?

It's Friday, and the AZA National Conference in Atlanta, GA has been in full swing since Wednesday.  I, however, just arrived last night, and thus today is my first, and only, full day here.   The Conference is jointly hosted this year by the Georgia Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta.

What makes this conference special is the fact that it is all about getting things done and sharing knowledge.  Unlike many other professional conferences, whose main draw is a large exhibit hall unveiling new technologies and new products, the AZA Conference is 3 full days filled with concurrent sessions about topics ranging from (picking randomly from the conference program...) "Zoo Elephants: Towards a Sustainable Population with Excellent Welfare" to "The More We Work Together: Successful Departmental Collaboration within Zoos and Aquariums" and "Aquariums, Social Media, and New Initiatives to Engage People with Climate Change."  Additionally, the Conference serves as a meeting place for the very active committees present within the AZA, with multiple days dedicated to these closed door sessions.

I will be documenting the sessions I attend, so keep alert!  And if any of you attended a session that I didn't cover and would like to share your thoughts, please let me know.

New AZA Elephant Policy Requires Protected Contact

Announced last month, the AZA has instated a new safety policy for keepers working with elephants.  This new policy essentially eliminates the option of free contact for accredited zoos.

For those who are unfamiliar with the terminology, “free contact” refers to the husbandry practice whereby keepers and animals share the same space with no barriers between them.  This allows keepers to easily train behaviors without impediment, but generally requires use of the controversial bullhook—essentially a stick with a metal hook and pointed end.  “Protected contact” is the opposite.  All elephant areas must have barriers to protect keepers from harm.  This limits direct keeper animal contact and decreases likelihood of injury.

Because of this policy change, some zoos will have to make operational and husbandry changes by 2014, and will of course also cause some need for facility changes, namely the inclusion of additional barriers and dedicated keeper walks within barns.

Perhaps the most controversial effect of the policy change will be the implied elimination of elephant interactions such as rides and possibly some shows.  However, most zoos have already eliminated these types of free contact situations, and many zoos have switched to protected contact years ago.

Personally, I believe this is only a positive change as ultimately it will serve to protect both the animals and the keepers.  But as we know, for some, change is a difficult pill to swallow.  Hopefully those institutions not meeting the new policy requirements decide to pour themselves a nice big glass of water, and join us here in the future.

July Animal of the Month: Bottlenose Dolphins

They could be the happiest animals on the planet, or the most mischievous...Either way, they are the focus of the Zoo Design Animal of the Month fact sheet.

We were inspired by our incredible field trip to the Georgia Aquarium this week where we met with some awesome folks and very talented dolphins, the stars of the Aquarium's new "Dolphin Tales" show.

More to come on our field trip, but for now, just sit back and 'soak in' the good stuff about dolphins.

Dolphin SDT AotM July

June Animal of the Month: African Lions!

Panthera leo!  Who doesn't love the king of beasts?  According to PGAV's nation-wide poll, no one!  Big Cats have recently been identified by zoo-goers as their favorite animals at the zoo, and by a wide, wide margin.  Because of this, we wanted to share some interesting facts about one of America's most beloved critter! Infosheet here: Lion SDT AotM June

Georgia Aquarium Opens "AT&T Dolphin Tales"

gaq dolphin logo

The newest addition to the massive Georgia Aquarium is a $110 million PGAV Destinations-designed home for eleven dolphins called "Dolphin Tales".  Opened April 2, 2011, the dolphin mecca includes a spectacular new show, an 1800-seat theater, new holding pools, an exhibit area, and a spacious lobby for watching the dolphins before the show or during a special event. We talked with architect Tom Marschner about his role in the massive project.

DZ: What was your official role?

TM: Construction Administrator for PGAV.  [I] assisted the Client and Contractor during construction as questions and changes arose.

georgia-aquarium

DZ: What was the goal of the project?

TM:  Create a world-class indoor dolphin theater on a small 1 acre pie shaped site adjoining the existing Aquarium.

DZ: What was the most challenging aspect of your job?  

TM: Figuring out all of the intricacies that come when you are connecting to an existing building.  There are things [that] don’t show up on the existing drawings or that have changed in the years since the original building was built that [the] design needs to adjust to.  Most of the time there is only a day to figure it out in order to not hold up the construction.

DZ: What was the most satisfying?  

TM: When the first dolphin was placed in the exhibit, followed closely being at the opening and seeing guests enjoy the space.

GAQ Dolphins 1

The project, which began in late 2008, includes 1.3 million gallons of water between the five pools.  The show pool is 29’ deep, and only one of the three holding pools is visible from the exhibit area.  This allows the Aquarium to give the dolphins a break from ‘work’--giving them downtime from being watched by guests through a window or from the more strenuous activities of the show.

gaq dolphins

In addition to the show, the Aquarium showcases its efforts with dolphin and ocean conservation through several graphic panels and an oversized video screen.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

gaq show 2

Marschner is obviously proud to have been a part of the design and construction team on this project.  Before this, he was also deeply involved with the Brookfield Zoo’s Great Bear Wilderness.  But when asked if he now considers himself a zoo designer, he humbly responded, “I consider myself an architect with lots of zoological design knowledge.”

Thanks, Tom!