Examining Human-Animal Interactions in Zoos and Aquariums
A special issue of Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens (ISSN 2673-5636).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 783
Special Issue Editors
Interests: conservation psychology; zoo studies
Interests: human–animal interactions; visitor studies; conservation education
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Many zoos and aquariums place an emphasis on creating connections between their guests and the animals. The development of a bond between humans and animals is complex, often being influenced by the environment, social contexts, and the specific intervention employed. While much is known about the outcomes of the human–animal bond, human–animal interventions, and general human–animal interactions in situations involving companion animals, there is a need to explore these phenomena across diverse taxa. It is established that human–animal interactions have a direct influence on the visitor experience, education outcomes, animal wellbeing, and job satisfaction in zookeepers. However, more evidence is needed to provide zoological managers with the strategies to increase overall effectiveness in these interventions that benefit both humans and animals. Through this Special Issue, we aim to continue the conversation surrounding human–animal interactions within zoological spaces and how zoological managers can use evidence-supported practices to achieve mission outcomes through human–animal interactions. Likewise, we hope to increase the capacity for evaluating these experiences in zoos through papers using novel methods or examining the effectiveness in measuring the outcomes of human–animal interactions. Contributions that also use companion animal cases as a base to draw parallels or a potential application in zoological spaces are welcome.
Dr. John Fraser
Dr. Brian Ogle
Dr. Marie Suthers
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- human–animal interaction
- human–animal relationships
- animal–visitor interactions
- anthrozoology
- zoo
- aquarium
- ambassador animals
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