20.500.12556/RUL-137127 Factors affecting zoo visitors’ conservation beliefs and knowledge of large carnivores in 2009 and a dozen years later Teaching in a formal learning environment mainly focuses on gaining knowledge, and scarcely on the development of pro-environmental attitudes. Knowledge can also be gained in informal learning institutions, such as zoos, and their potential use in general public education should not be neglected. This paper explores factors influencing the conservation beliefs of zoo visitors about brown bears, grey wolves, and Eurasian lynx. The study undertaken in Zoo Ljubljana (Slovenia) consisted of surveys performed in 2009 (n = 613) and in 2021 (n = 257). The levels of knowledge and education influenced both supporting and opposing beliefs about the three large carnivore species. The gender factor was less uniform: both supporting and opposing beliefs about lynx were demonstrated, but only opposing beliefs about brown bear and wolf. The study indicates that knowledge has the most significant influence on conservation beliefs, thus highlighting the importance of educational and communication activities in management and conservation actions regarding large carnivore species. The varied gender influence suggests that species-specific educational activities should be encouraged. large carnivores conservation beliefs knowledge zoo visitors true false true Angleški jezik Ni določen Članek v reviji 2022-06-01 14:47:51 2022-06-01 14:47:52 2022-09-15 04:14:39 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2022 0 0 17 str. iss. 2, art. 890 Vol. 14 2022 0000-00-00 Zaloznikova Objavljeno NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 59 2071-1050 10.3390/su14020890 98095107 sustainability-14-00890-v3.pdf sustainability-14-00890-v3.pdf 1 4C3CA82773523455E6157BC68AD0C431 f586775ba9447417ec963e2fd6c7f882016dc59b92d40525cce09a3e6afc4c54 29e5b698-e1a9-11ec-8aca-00155dcfd717 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=156970 https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/2/890 1 e77b8458-e1a8-11ec-8aca-00155dcfd717 https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=156969 Biotehniška fakulteta 0 0 0