Understanding tourists' perceptions of animal welfare, governance, and conservation : evidence from the Panda Base

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Fennell, David and Guo, Yulei and Butler, Richard (2025) Understanding tourists' perceptions of animal welfare, governance, and conservation : evidence from the Panda Base. Animals, 15 (24). 3548. ISSN 2076-2615 (https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15243548)

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Abstract

Wildlife viewing has long been a central feature of tourism. However, growing concerns over the welfare of animals involved have raised critical questions about human management and the use of wildlife. In response, scholars have developed frameworks to assess and guide the operations of animal-based attractions. This paper applies such a framework to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China, empirically examining visitor perceptions of animal welfare management practices. Drawing on survey data from over 1000 visitors, the study finds that, overall, tourists hold positive evaluations of the Base’s governance, welfare, and conservation practices. However, these perceptions are influenced by factors such as prior exposure to panda-related social media and individual knowledge of animal welfare, highlighting the role of mediated experiences in shaping visitor judgments. The findings underscore the need for further research on ethical wildlife tourism practices and suggest that engaging and empowering tourists—through education, participatory evaluation, and digital platforms—can enhance both public awareness and the effectiveness of conservation and welfare initiatives.

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