Jobs Involved With Wildlife

Have you always dreamed of pursuing a career that interacts closely with wildlife? Working wildlife jobs could give you the experience of a lifetime. There’s certainly no shortage of demand, and there are plenty of options to consider.

Maybe Steve Irwin got you interested in wildlife jobs, or maybe you have fond memories of Sea World. Or maybe you just can’t get enough of Blue Planet.

If the theme song from Wild Kingdom runs through your head every time you walk through the zoo, it might be time to take the leap and figure out what kind of wildlife jobs are available to you.

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Many wildlife jobs work with the many species that are inhabiting our planet. When it comes to wildlife jobs, choosing one depends on your interests and experience levels. Here are 15 interesting wildlife jobs that could have you looking forward to going to work each day.

Working with wildlife, these veterinarians help heal, rehabilitate, and take care of wild animals. These medical practitioners specialize in treating many different species, including amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles.

These licensed professionals can be seen working in the field, or an office location.

Wildlife vets have a whole arsenal of skills at their disposal. When baby animals are abandoned, wildlife veterinarians are qualified to foster the infant until it is strong enough to be released. Working wildlife jobs such as a wildlife veterinarian is a great way to get experience caring for rare and endangered wildlife infants.

These professional animal health providers can perform dentistry, surgeries, and give animals medications and vaccines. These vets also see animals for routine checkups, health exams, and changes in behaviors.

All wildlife veterinarians graduate with a doctor of wildlife medicine degree or a DVM degree. The DVM degree requires intensive studying of both small and large species.

Zookeepers are responsible for the zoo’s daily upkeeping, and keep the zoo running smoothly. Zookeepers manage the zoo’s inner workings. The zookeeper’s duties include cleaning enclosures, administering medications, feeding, and monitoring behavioral changes.

This wildlife jobs unique opportunities may include assisting in reproduction or match-making endangered species in captivity. Zookeepers also help to educate their community about species conservation and awareness.

Most zookeepers have a least a two-year degree in animal science, zoology, or biology.

The aquatic parks all over the world that keep aquatic mammals usually staff marine mammal trainers as well. Marine mammal trainers are responsible for training and teaching the mammals to do certain behaviors to hand signals and whistle commands.

Marine mammal trainers are responsible for daily enrichment activities and also for day to day care of the animals in their charge. Spending every day with these sentient creatures often results in lifelong bonds between the trainer and their animal companions.

Most marine mammal trainers have at least a two-year degree, although it is not mandatory to have one.

Herpetologists are specialized biologists that study and work closely with reptiles and amphibians. This wildlife job’s duties include collecting samples in the field, educating, analyzing, and researching about species.

A herpetologist may play a role in teaching as a professor or may need to travel to fulfill researching responsibilities. This research could include ecology, behavior, genetics, physiology, health, and reproduction.

These specialized biologists usually have a four-year graduate degree or a Ph. D.

Wildlife biologists duties, as with many of the wildlife jobs on our list, entails a wide variety of responsibilities. Wildlife biologists have a firm understanding of habitats and the organisms that inhabit them.

Biologists stay busy studying behaviors, biology, and ecosystems of animal populations. These scientists may spend time on the field observing, trapping, relocating, or tracking specimens. Biologists analyze and compile their data for future use in scientific journals, articles, and publications.

To be a wildlife biologist, you must at least have a bachelors degree. Wildlife biologists usually have a degree in wildlife management or other fields such as biology, zoology, and animal science.

Ichthyologists are another type of biologists. These biologists study rays, sharks, and fish. Ichthyologist’s duties may include a wide array of varying responsibilities.

Some ichthyologists study in a college, aquarium, government facilities, zoos, and universities. Many ichthyologists spend their time in the field, directly studying fish, rays, and sharks in their natural habitat.

Regardless of the location, Ichthyologists responsibilities include monitoring behaviors and habitats, identifying fish, observing reproductive habits, and maintaining quality tank environments.

These biologists analyze and present their research and findings to colleges, scientific journals, and other industry professionals. To work as an Ichthyologist, you must at least have a bachelors degree. Many Ichthyologists have a degree in marine biology, zoology, or other related fields.

Zoo curators are responsible for managing the zoo. Curators not only manage the zoo as a whole, but they also manage zoo staff members and the animals it houses. It is possible for a facility to employ more than one zoo curator to meet the zoo’s needs, like exhibits and operations.

The zoo curator has responsibilities such as selecting and obtaining new animals. Curators also are responsible for writing up the care guidelines that the staff abides by in the zoo.​

The curator is responsible for ensuring that the facility abides by all state regulations and guidelines that the zoo must follow.

When it comes to your resume for applying for wildlife jobs like zoo curating, it helps to have a resume with a broad background of experience. You can start as a zoologist, or an animal curator, and potentially work your way up the ladder to be a zoo curator.

If you’re aspiring to work wildlife jobs, this job requires that you have a least a four-year degree in animal science or a related field such as zoology.

Aquarists, as the name suggests, work with aquariums and the finned friends that inhabit them. Aquarists are responsible for caring for fish and mammals that are held in captivity in aquariums, museums, and government facilities.

The duties of an aquarist include maintaining proper qualities of water, monitoring temperature, restoring equipment, feeding, and caring for the fish. Duties may also include designing tank exhibits and providing demonstrations and displays in which the aquarists teaches the audience about the species.

This is a very physically demanding job requires long periods spent in tanks in full scuba gear, so this job may not be for everyone. If this job sounds like it may interest you, you will need a bachelors degree in a field such marine biology.

If you find insects interesting, consider wildlife jobs like entomology. Entomologists study the characteristics and behavior traits of bugs. Entomologists responsibilities include collecting, maintaining, and monitoring bug populations. Entomologists spend time observing population behaviors and making future predictions.

It is not uncommon for entomologists to decide to study a particular species of bugs, such as bees, beetles, or spiders. They may even specialize their field further by choosing to study a specific species of spider, such as the jumping spider.

Entomology takes a minimum of a four-year degree in entomology or other related fields.

Zoo educators are responsible for educating the community about conservation through the zoo’s collection. Educators teach the public about the benefits of conserving and protecting a species through captivity.

The zoo educator may meander throughout the park and answer questions the public may have about the zoo’s inhabitants. The zoo educator may also give seminars, presentations, and lead guided tours throughout the park.

Most zoo educators have at least a four-year degree or bachelors degree in zoology or other related fields.

Primatologists are biologists that study primates. Primatologists research, observe and conserve primates such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. These biologists may have to camp out for long periods alone in the wild to catch glimpses of their specimens.

Zoos aren’t the only place you’ll find a primatologist, laboratories, and other companies employ primatologists to ensure their primates stay healthy as well.
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When these biologists aren’t cooped up inside, they are in the field camping out, observing, and monitoring primates in their natural habitat. Primatologist job positions require graduating with a four-year degree in zoology, biology, or other related fields.

Fish and game wardens are responsible for maintaining and upholding local state regulated laws relating to wildlife. While fish and game wardens can enforce the law, they are also responsible for helping injured wildlife and conducting area surveys to monitor species population.

When a crime is committed against wildlife, fish and game wardens are the professionals called into action. Fish and game wardens are responsible for investigating crimes against wildlife. Game wardens may also have to track, investigate, and prevent poaching.

To be a fish and game warden, you will need to have a two to a four-year degree in wildlife management, or other fields such as law enforcement.

Zoologists are biologists that research and study a wide range of wildlife species. Zoologists are responsible for various duties such as studying animal interaction with one another, and animal interaction with their environment.

These biologists ensure the wildlife’s wellbeing, research, observe, and analyze data. Some zoologists work in fields such as animal management or spend time educating others as professors. Zoologists may narrow down their field of study by branching off into groups of animals like birds, mammals, reptiles, or fish.

If zoologist is the wildlife job for you, you need a bachelors degree to start. Zoologists graduate studying zoology, biology, or other related fields in animal science.

Marine biologists work closely with various marine and aquatic species. Some marine biologists focus on and become experts on a specific species like orcas, or dolphins. Marine biologists may work as professors that educate in school and colleges; they may also work in the field, laboratory, or government facilities.

If marine biology is your forte, you need a four-year bachelors degree in a field such as marine biology, zoology, or other related animal science.

Apiarists are professional beekeepers, don’t worry, the specialized suits will keep you safe. Beekeepers manage the colonies that produce our precious honey and beeswax.
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Apiarists are qualified to separate, manage, and construct new colonies of bees. You don’t have to hold a degree to delve into beekeeping, but many beekeepers do. After all, you have to know how to take care of your bees if something goes awry.

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All of these listed wildlife jobs can be rewarding and fulfilling. Nothing beats a cramped office job than pursuing your career passion. Having trouble narrowing down your wildlife jobs to choose from? Ask yourself, which animals do you think you would enjoy working with the most?

Pick a field that captivates your passion, and tell us all about your top choices in the comment section below!

Featured Photo by capri23auto from Pexels