Authors: Pollastri, Ilaria; Muzzo, Alessia;Biasetti, Pierfrancesco ;Vogt, Gregory;Manenti, Raoul ;de Mori, Barbara;

South African animal facilities offer visitors several different types of Animal-Visitor Interactions (AVIs), in which visitors come into close contact with wild animals. Understanding the implications of AVIs for animals, people, and conservation needs an accurate ethical analysis. This study explores the ethical dimensions of AVIs in South Africa by means of a participatory approach based on the Ethical Matrix (EM) tool. A participatory approach was used to collect information about value dimensions and potential conflicts from stakeholders. A one-day workshop with members from five stakeholder groups (owners and managers, veterinarians, academic researchers, governmental representatives, and keepers) has been held. A dedicated survey has been filled in by 14 employees of animal facilities and by 173 visitors who participated in AVIs. The outcomes were used to tailor and refine the EM, providing a map of the ethical standings concerning AVIs. Results show that ethical acceptability is linked to different animal welfare and management issues, and highlight the importance of cooperation between stakeholders, suggesting that attention to animal welfare should be carefully considered. The structured approach based on the Ethical Matrix proved to support an informed decision-making, facilitating a multidisciplinary approach to assess biodiversity conservation, education, and AVIs management.