A zoo is generally a visual experience, and by default there are many things blind people cannot enjoy. However, there are many ways zoos can be made an enjoyable experience for blind people. These are not specific to blind people, rather, things which can be enjoyed to all visitors.
When a zoo doesn’t have much to touch, it can be a frustrating experience for blind people. Why would they go there anyway? There are many reasons. They want to take their sighted kids, accompany their sighted siblings or join a school trip. Touching things in a zoo is not only inappropriate, but can also be dangerous with certain animals. Therefore it is important to provide activities that can be enjoyed by all.
Feeding animals
Many zoos provide the experience of feeding animals. While in most cases it is not an ideal scenario to experience a full-size animal, there is a lot to enjoy. Feeling the nose of an animal, feeling their breath, hearing their voice or the sound of eating. There is a lot to experience about how animals eat. It is important to do it safely, and hopefully the feeding experience the zoo provides is not harmful to the animals, such as overfeeding them.
Petting zoo
Probably the most exciting thing in a zoo without vision is a petting zoo. This is an experience blind people can fully enjoy, and get a sense of what animals look like, particularly when these are animals they otherwise cannot touch in their lives, such as stingrays, lamas or goats. Such petting zoos are generally set up for children, but they can also be a lifetime experience for blind adults.
Statues
There are certain animals which are dangerous to interact with, but a zoo is the perfect place to set up different realistic looking animal statues, which blind people can touch and get a sense of what those animals look like. An example would be the Budapest Zoo, where I had a chance to feel many of the above. The exhibit was set up for children as a game to guess what animals these things belong to, but it was a fascinating experience for me as a blind adult.
Sounds
Some animals are more talkative than others, but a zoo is a perfect place to hear what animals sound like. If you are lucky, sometimes you can hear a lion or an elephant that is much more impressive to hear in real life than from a recording. It doesn’t have to depend on luck though, birds, monkeys or seals can be heard more often. But other sounds can also be interesting, such as animals running or splashing in the water.
Gift shops
The giftshop is not only a way of supporting the zoo financially, but if it is done well, it can be educational. It could be extremely exciting to touch realistic looking toy animals. Of course, it is hard to know how real they are, but a good example is the Columbus Zoo in Ohio. It is impossible to have statues available for all animals one can’t touch, but it is definitely doable to sell dozens of realistically looking toy animals.
Conclusion
It is only the matter of imagination and creativity to make a zoo enjoyable for blind people. With little effort, it can be made fully enjoyable. However, there is one thing to keep in mind. Let people know what is available to experience by touch only. I have been to many zoos where I had to find things that could be interesting to me, and when I couldn’t find it, it was a frustrating experience. However, once you take the time to make a zoo as tactile as possible, advertise these features in distribution materials or on the web site for example. Let local schools for the blind know what’s available, or advertise it in groups for parents of blind people. When a zoo is enjoyable by touch, it does not only attract blind individuals, but their families and schools as well.
