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The benefits to the community from marine mammal public display facilities, either in 

 direct payments and taxes, other generated revenues, economic multipliers, employment 

 opportunities, tourism, business and infrastructure growth, are significant financial ones. More 

 difficult to evaluate, yet equally important, is the community identity and civic pride that comes 

 from being the home to each of these zoos, aquariums, oceanariums and marine life parks. 



HI. Public Attitudes Toward Zoos and Aquariums . 



An October 1992 nationwide poll by the Roper Organization showed that Americans 

 believe public display facilities play a positive role in protecting animals and wildlife and in 

 educating the public about the animals and environmental conservation. Four in ten Americans 

 said they have visited an aquarium, animal theme park, or zoo in the past year. 80% said they 

 enjoyed going to public display facilities and one in six actually contributed financial support. 



There is near unanimous agreement (92%) that public display facilities play an important 

 role in educating the public about marine mammals and their environment. 91% of the people 

 surveyed agree that aquariums and zoos provide children with an important opportunity to learn 

 about wild animals and are important in educating children about these animals. 



These findings by the Roper Organization were confirmed in a recent Canadian poll. 

 Eight often people surveyed by Decima Research considered public display facilities to be 

 educational. 



Perhaps the most significant finding of the poll was that 86% believe if the public leams 

 about animals at zoos and aquariums, they are more likely to become concerned about protecting 

 these animals and their habitat. Interestingly, two thirds of the public consider it important, if 

 mot essential, to entertain visitors while they learn about animals. 



The vast majority of people surveyed feel that aquariums and zoos play an important role 

 in preserving animals and that studying animals in captivity helps develop sound conservation 

 programs for animals. Further, the public credits public display facilities with most of the 

 successes that have been realized in saving endangered species. 



The public supports the public display of marine mammals as an important tool in 

 conserving marine mammals and their environment. 



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