Zoos work a great deal with conservation and recreation, but another area of great importance is the role of zoos in research and education. Many school classes visit Parken Zoo, and we provide education for everyone from preschool children to university-level adults. Among other things, we have the Eco Friends concept, where students learn about the environment and how our choices can be connected to endangered animals on the other side of the world. We also collaborate with nature vocational schools throughout Sweden, both by serving as a practical work experience (APL) placement where students learn about working in a zoo, and by holding courses and training sessions on-site.

One of our partners is SLU Uppsala, who recently had two of their students from the Ethology and Animal Welfare programme here to study and write their student theses. One student, Evelina, studied the behaviour and enclosure utilisation of jaguars. The other student, Elin, studied the enclosure utilisation and social behaviours of red pandas. Studying animal behaviour in zoos can, among other things, help us develop enclosures and learn how to work to ensure the animals thrive as well as possible. It can also form the basis for studies of wild populations and in-situ work.