Zoo Ethics

In Zoo Ethics students find themselves sitting on a Zoo Ethics Board faced with a real-life dilemma. After an introduction to the purpose of the modern zoo and the different stakeholders and decision makers present, students are given a number of dilemmas and asked to put themselves in the shoes of these individuals to come up with a solution. Students discover the complexity around ethical decision making as well as how ethics can change with culture, time and perspective.

Age: KS4(14-16 years old)

Duration: 50mins

Capacity: 35 students

Indoor workshop

Azizi a zebra foal at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

Intended learning outcomes:

Students will be able to:

List the different areas of ZSL, the ZSL vision and purpose
Work in groups as an ethics committee to decide on a particular zoo related topic
List the different people involved in making ethical decisions at a zoo
Discuss the different perspectives involved in making decisions in a zoo

Online Teaching Resources:

Support your students' learning before, during or after a visit with our online teaching resources .

Specification Links:

AQA GCSE Biology (8461)

4.7.3.1 Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of all the different species of organisms on earth, or within an ecosystem.
A great biodiversity ensures the stability of ecosystems by reducing the dependence of one species on another for food, shelter and the maintenance of the physical environment.
The future of the human species on Earth relies on us maintaining a good level of biodiversity. Many human activities are reducing biodiversity and only recently have measures been taken to try to stop this reduction

4.7.3.1 Maintaining biodiversity

Students should be able to describe both positive and negative human interactions in an ecosystem and explain their impact on biodiversity.
Scientists and concerned citizens have put in place programmes to reduce the negative effects of humans on ecosystems and biodiversity.
These include: •
- breeding programmes for endangered species
- protection and regeneration of rare habitats

OCR GCSE (9-1) Gateway Science Biology A

B6.1 Monitoring and maintaining the environment

B6.1b describe both positive and negative human interactions within ecosystems and explain their impact on biodiversity
B6.1c explain some of the benefits and challenges of maintaining local and global biodiversity

Edexcel GCSE (9-1) Biology

Topic 9 -Ecosystems and material cycles

9.9 Explain the positive and negative human interactions within ecosystems and their impacts on biodiversity, including:
- fish farming
- introduction of non-indigenous species
- eutrophication
9.10 Explain the benefits of maintaining local and global biodiversity, including the conservation of animal species and the impact of reforestation