Giant panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca exhibits are popular attractions for zoos and wildlife parks. However, it remains to be investigated whether such exhibits enhance visitor knowledge about pandas and broader conservation issues. We conducted questionnaire surveys at giant panda exhibits at three city zoos and five wildlife parks in China. Although visitors were generally interested in the giant panda, this was not reflected in their post-exhibit knowledge of giant panda biology. Socio-demographically, men were more knowledgeable of giant panda biology than women. Knowledge correlated positively with respondent level of education. Younger respondents (< 45 years) knew most about giant pandas and expressed an interest in learning more about them using social media. The most informed respondents had visited other giant panda exhibits previously. Respondents were generally satisfied with the giant panda exhibits (mean score 4.44/5). Wildlife parks delivered a better educational outcome than city zoos. We recommend approaches to improve the visitor experience further and to leverage public interest in broader conservation engagement and action in China.

Visitors to zoos can be a potential source of stress to captive-housed primates, resulting in increased abnormal behaviour and intra-group aggression. Finding a way to screen primates from human visitors may be one method of decreasing stress and enhancing animal welfare. For this study, the behaviour of six zoo-housed gorillas was studied for one month during standard housing conditions (control condition) and for a further month following the installation of a camouflage net barrier to the viewing area of the exhibit (barrier condition). Visitors’ (n = 200) perceptions of the animals and the exhibit were also recorded during each condition. The net barrier had a significant effect on some components of the gorillas’ behaviour. The gorillas exhibited significantly lower levels of conspecific-directed aggression and stereotypic behaviours during the barrier than the control condition. The net barrier also had a slight effect on visitors’ perceptions both of the animals and of their exhibit. The gorillas were considered to look more exciting and less aggressive during the barrier than the control condition. The exhibit was also considered to be more appropriate for visitors following the introduction of the camouflage netting. Overall, the addition of a screen such as camouflage netting could be considered a positive change, resulting in a reduction in those behaviours typically induced by large groups of visitors and an improvement in public perceptions of the animals and their environment.

Sixty years have passed since occupiers in England and Wales were placed under a statutory duty to keep visitors to occupied premises reasonably safe. The legislation, however, did not detail the exact operation of this duty of care. The case law, expected to fill in the gaps, has arguably developed without sufficient consistency and/or predictability. This apparent confusion can be remedied through applying a systematic test to the question of whether a breach of duty has occurred. The test follows the verification that the case falls within the field of occupiers’ liability because of the presence of a danger attributable to the state of the premises. It consists of three consecutive stages which ask: (1) whether the risk of injury was foreseeable; (2) whether the occupier could reasonably have been expected to have addressed this very particular risk; and (3) whether any remedial action the occupier actually took was appropriate.

We estimated visitors’ willingness to pay (WTP) for a variety of environmental attributes in a protected area of the Atacama Desert, a biodiversity hotspot in northern Chile. By using a choice experiment, WTP was estimated for the protection of the following attributes: animals (mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds), pollinating insects, plants (cacti and woody shrubs), soil quality and pristine landscapes. Visitors placed economic value on all of the attributes. The marginal mean WTP/visitor for the single levels of variation in the attributes ranged from US$4 (for supporting research on foxes) to US$26 (for maintaining soil quality) per visitor per month. These results can contribute to deciding which attributes are likely to be successful at raising funds for conservation. Our approach may be relevant to protected areas of the world with high conservation values, little funding and a lack of large, charismatic species.

Although environmental and heritage interpretation aims to connect humans with their natural and cultural heritage, and has the potential to contribute to a vision of sustainable living, it often falls short of engaging and inspiring its audiences. Some interpreters advocate the use of artistic approaches to create more affective (imaginary-emotional-sensory-aesthetic) experiences. One approach considered compatible is drama. Powerful dramatic experiences can embed interpretive stories in the emotions and leave enduring impressions. Drama is accepted as an interpretive tool overseas, yet it is under-utilised in Australia. How can it be used to strengthen interpretation in this country? This paper presents the outcomes of research investigating the perceptions of ten Queensland practitioners of dramatised interpretation regarding drama's strengths, limitations and value as a tool in interpretation. The authors contend that drama has much to offer interpretation, although further evaluative studies are clearly needed.

Background: There is no published research on attitudes of psychiatrists towards children visiting parents who are acutely-unwell and inpatients in psychiatric hospitals. Nor is there information on facilities available for such visits.

Objectives: (I) To assess the attitudes of Irish psychiatrists towards children visiting. (II) To determine the availability of child-friendly facilities within admission units.

Method: A questionnaire was posted to every consultant psychiatrist accepting acute adult admissions in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Results: The response rate was 69%. Ninty-seven per cent were in favour of children visiting. Almost half felt that decisions on visits should depend on the particular situation, considering the child, parent, ward, etc. However, only 11% of units had a room/area designated for children visiting. 90% had no facilities they considered child-friendly on their unit. A majority felt that arrangements for children visiting were inadequate.

Conclusions: This topic is of interest to psychiatrists, and can be contentious, particularly when considering supervision of, and legal responsibility for, children visiting. Guidance on these issues would aid psychiatrists and hospital management. Poor facilities and infrequent visits may be a factor in the early development of stigma towards mental illness. Further research, improvements in facilities and staff training in liaison with children are needed.