Wildlife veterinarians are necessary for zoonotic diseases and species loss management, and there is a rising interest to enroll at veterinary schools with the wish to work in zoo and wildlife medicine. However, teaching wildlife is challenging due to the difficulty faced by universities to work with wild animal specimens. The aim of the present…

Might interacting with relatively wild forms of nature help move our world away from its largely domination-oriented and destructive sensibilities? Toward broaching this question, this study used an Interaction Pattern Approach to model child-nature interaction in a Hong Kong nature program. Observational video data were collected of 54 children…

Laboratory-based "practical" classes are an essential component in teaching molecular biology for undergraduate students. Universidad Regional Amazonica Ikiam is a higher education institution located in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, a high biodiversity place, including amphibians. Based on this, we have established a practical…

Nowadays, citizens collaborate increasingly with scientists in citizen science (CS) projects on environmental issues. CS projects often have educational goals and aim to increase citizens' knowledge with the ultimate goal of fostering positive attitudes toward science. To date, little is known about the extent to which CS projects strengthen the…

This study sought to explore the implications for individuals who experienced awe while in the presence of wildlife. A conceptual framework was adapted that integrated the theory of emotional learning with experiential learning theory. In-depth interviews brought into focus the resultant learning stemming from experiences of wildlife-inspired awe.…

This study examines the effectiveness of images on warning signs that communicate risk and risk avoidance in public spaces. Specifically, I compared data from 749 survey responses to determine whether the use of images can increase the effectiveness of a warning sign in a public space. Although the findings indicate that image-based warning signs…

Given that conservation education is a primary goal for zoos, it is important to study how changes in exhibit design in the same facility (with the same animals and visitor base) can impact short- and long-term conservation knowledge, attitudes, and behavior (KAB) amongst visitors. However, there is very limited research on this topic. Our goal…

In 2014, urban wildlife refuge managers throughout Southern California responded to a challenge issued by United States Fish and Wildlife Service's (USFWS) leadership to connect the urban dwelling population in the region with wildlife and urban refuges. Five years later, the SoCal Urban Wildlife Refuge Project's reach and impact are significant.…

To understand both immediate and longer-term effects of a short duration, interpretive wildlife tourism program, we studied responses from participants in a sea turtle watch program. This program comprised an interpretive presentation followed by an opportunity to view a nesting loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). We conducted 37 programs in…

Children's connection to nature increasingly is of interest in education, psychology, urban planning, and other related fields. Research findings emphasize the central importance of early connections due to resulting benefits for environmental awareness, knowledge, social-emotional learning, health, and wellbeing. To more clearly conceptualize the…

When schools swiftly transitioned to virtual learning, program partners across this established out-of-doors environmental education project were challenged to rethink and retool the learning experiences from place-based programs to virtual learning, as most Project-supported programs were delivered outside of the traditional classroom. Meeting…

This article explores whether presenting conservation issues in a manner that makes connections with intertwined issues of violence, economics, social issues, and politics elicits more engagement than does presenting the conservation issues in isolation. Survey data were collected concerning African elephant poaching for ivory and the effect of…

The prominence of socioscientific issues (SSI), that combine society with science, in education has grown in recent years. The northern bald ibis is important for science and society since it is an endangered species, it only inhabits one region in Turkey and has a limited population worldwide. This study aims to ascertain the impact of the…

An experiential education program was designed to target risk perceptions and preventative measures that make people feel comfortable in human-coyote interactions. The research was conducted in a Canadian national park where a coyote caused a human fatality in 2009. Based on previous research, we explored the effects of an experience-based coyote…

Local communities play a key role in the sustainability of any conservation program. We evaluated the impact of an environmental education program for school children in the surroundings of the Delta du Saloum Biosphere reserve (Senegal) dedicated to the conservation of African charismatic fauna with the critically endangered Western Derby eland…