The charity operating Edinburgh Zoo has urged the Met Office to enhance how weather forecasts are displayed on popular apps, claiming "misleading" predictions are costing it up to £40,000 daily.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) highlighted that many widely used applications show a rain icon for an entire day, even if wet weather is only anticipated for a brief period in the morning or evening.
This, they argue, causes people to rely on a "quick glance" at their phone and wrongly assume it will be wet all day, deterring them from visiting.
The body, which manages Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park, cited research showing unfavourable forecasts can result in a 30 per cent fall in visitor numbers across both locations.
Ben Supple, RZSS deputy chief executive, said: “Many people decide how they will spend their day based on the weather and a quick glance at their phone.
“Our concern is that many sites display a rain icon for the entire day even if wet weather is only forecast for a short period early in the morning or late at night.
“Unfortunately, this can create the misleading impression that the whole day will be wet and put people off visiting.
“During the school holidays this can reduce visitor numbers at Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park by 2,000 people and cost our charity up to £40,000 in a day, which is enough to feed all our penguins for more than a year.”
RZSS has joined calls for discussions with the Met Office, government and major weather app developers to explore improvements to how forecasts are presented.
Mr Supple continued: “We greatly value the Met Office’s expertise and want to work together to ensure the public has the information it needs to make quick but informed decisions about how to spend their time.
“Practical improvements could include splitting weather icons into day and night conditions, adding short summaries such as ‘showers early followed by brighter weather’, or indicators showing how many hours of dry weather are expected.
“This matters because every visitor to our zoos helps fund vital conservation work, including efforts to save Scotland’s wildcats.”
The campaign is supported by the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (ASVA).
Michael Golding, the organisation’s chief executive, said: “There is a clear link between the weather and people visiting zoos, wildlife parks and other outdoor attractions, so it is vital the public does not receive mixed messages.
“Accurate weather information is essential for decision-making, particularly for families, older visitors and people with additional needs who often have to plan further ahead.
“This campaign is about helping charities like the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland do even more to protect wildlife and connect people with nature.”
Tabitha Aldrich-Smith, Met Office associate director for communications and engagement, said: “Our weather forecasts – including on our app, YouTube channel, and website – offer a variety of ways for people across the UK to stay informed about the weather.
“We are committed to providing accessible forecasts tailored to make the most of the UK weather.
“Recognising that days out are an integral part of our culture, we aim to support the outdoor industry, from attractions to festivals, as they prepare for the season ahead.
“We look forward to ongoing collaboration with the tourism sector.”
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