Social Innovation Strategy of Semarang Zoo to Build Conservation Awareness Through Public Education

Abstract

This study aims to analyze how Semarang Zoo employs social innovation strategies to build public awareness of wildlife conservation through public education programs. Using a qualitative descriptive approach with a case study method, data were collected through observation, interviews, documentation, and literature review involving Semarang Zoo management, educators, and visitors. The findings reveal that Semarang Zoo develops conservation education through innovative outreach programs, including Zoo to School, Zoo to Mall, Car Free Day education campaigns, animal shows, and interactive learning activities. These initiatives extend conservation education beyond the zoo environment and create opportunities for direct public engagement with wildlife conservation issues. From a social innovation perspective, the study demonstrates how conservation education can be delivered through collaborative, participatory, and experiential approaches that respond to the challenge of limited public conservation literacy. The findings also indicate several constraints, including uneven visitor engagement and challenges in sustaining public participation over time. This study contributes to the social innovation literature by illustrating how educational communication strategies can function as socially innovative mechanisms for expanding conservation learning in community settings. Rather than confirming long-term behavioral change, the findings suggest that such programs have the potential to strengthen public awareness and engagement with conservation issues, highlighting the need for further research on their long-term impacts.