| Summary: | Conservation is the number one goal of modern zoos and aquaria. Public education is the
primary means through which zoos and aquaria attempt to fulfill their conservation goal.
Yet, nearly two decades after its initial adoption, conservation education fails to be
effectively translated into practice. This thesis argues that the entertainment paradigm in
which zoos and aquaria have traditionally operated is at odds with their contemporary goal
of conservation education, thus continued adherence to this entertainment paradigm
prevents zoos and aquaria from effectively implementing conservation education. The
thesis proposes an alternative paradigm in which conservation education may be
successfully achieved. Killer whales present an ideal case example through which to
explore the impact of the entertainment paradigm on conservation education. Since they
were first displayed in 1964, these animals have been consistently presented in a show
format. Today, the Vancouver Aquarium is the only institution in the world to present
killer whales outside the context of a show. This thesis uses examples from the Vancouver
Aquarium to describe how innovations within an alternative paradigm resulted in the
Aquarium's unique approach to killer whale interpretation and animal care, and how these
innovations have been successfully implemented into the practice of conservation education
in the Vancouver Aquarium's public galleries.
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