Why do people like (or dislike) zoos? Perceptions are stronger predictors than environmental values

Abstract Background The UK public holds a wide range of overall impressions of zoos: some people view them as important venues for conservation, education and research, while others see them as entertainment institutions that restrict animal freedom. Aims In this study, we aimed to understand the drivers of public impression of zoos, defined as individuals' overall evaluative judgements of zoos as institutions. We focused our analysis on two psychological domains: perceptions (perceived animal welfare and perceptions of modern zoo roles) and environmental values (nature identity and connection to wildlife). We also examined whether perceived animal welfare plays a central role by mediating the effects of the other factors. Methods A representative UK sample of 350 participants, including both recent zoo visitors and non‐visitors, completed an online questionnaire via Prolific. Structural Equation Modelling tested how the four factors predicted overall zoo impression, with zoo familiarity (recent visit experience) and media tone (media portrayal of zoos) included as controls. Results Results show that overall impression of zoos was shaped far more strongly by perceptions than by environmental values, which showed no significant effect. Perceived animal welfare emerged as the strongest predictor, fully mediating the influence of perceptions of modern zoo roles. Conclusion These findings reaffirm the centrality of welfare perceptions while also identifying an underexplored pathway: strengthening public awareness of modern zoo roles as a potential lever to improve welfare perceptions and overall impression of zoos.