Educação ambiental em zoológicos: tendências, avanços e lacunas na produção científica

Abstract

This study presents a bibliometric analysis of international scientific production on the role of zoos as non-formal spaces for environmental education aimed at basic education, covering the period from 2016 to 2025. Using the bibliometrix package in R, 91 articles indexed in the Web of Science database were analyzed based on indicators such as annual publication volume, geographic distribution of authors, co-authorship networks, most productive institutions, keyword frequency, and emerging thematic trends. The results reveal a steady growth in scientific output on the topic, with the highest concentration of publications in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Zoos are predominantly portrayed as complementary educational environments to formal schooling, with potential to promote ecological literacy, engagement in conservation practices, and the development of pro-environmental attitudes among children and adolescents. Emerging themes such as animal welfare, visitor perception, active learning methodologies, and educational impact assessment indicate a diversification and maturation of research in the field. The analysis highlights that zoos are consolidating themselves as strategic environments for critical environmental education, contributing significantly to strengthening environmental awareness and conservation policies within the context of basic education.