| If you love animals and you also enjoy(ed) studying | | | | information that's gathered by someone else), and |
| science in school, a career in animal related science | | | | ecotoxicologists (who examine the effects of |
| might interest you. | | | | chemicals or environmental stresses on plants and |
| But before you get out your lab coat and protective | | | | animals, which in turn helps define acceptable |
| eyewear, note that there's a vast array of careers in | | | | environmental standards in communities and the world). |
| this field that goes far beyond a laboratory or | | | | Much like biologists, ecologists can find work in both |
| microscope. | | | | public and private sector with a bachelor's degree, |
| In fact, other than a career in ecology or biology, most | | | | while those with a master's degree and/or certification |
| of the careers in this area of expertise have only two | | | | from the Ecological Society of America will find more |
| things in common-working with animals, and a | | | | career options. |
| background/education in science. | | | | Those wishing to help educate future generations of |
| Biology focuses on animals (both endangered and not) | | | | biologists and ecologists can enter academia, which |
| and natural habitats/vegetation, studying everything | | | | requires a teaching credential and study focused on |
| from raptors, to endangered amphibians and other | | | | whatever area to be taught (biology, anatomy, etc.). |
| animals, to protected trees and grasslands/wetlands. | | | | Educators not only teach classes, but also deal with |
| Biologists also write reports, represent clients in city | | | | education bureaucracy such as faculty meetings, |
| county council meetings, and sell their abilities to some | | | | school board meetings, department budgets, curriculum |
| degree. In the private sector, biologists often work with | | | | development and more. |
| land developers, and in the public sector, biologists are | | | | Generally speaking, the higher up a teacher climbs the |
| often employed by the state in which they reside or | | | | teaching ladder (elementary school, middle school, high |
| the federal government. Some biologists are also | | | | school, college), the more pay they earn, the more |
| employed in academia. | | | | responsibility they have, and the more education is |
| In most cases, biologists need at least a bachelor's | | | | required of them to be considered for the teaching |
| degree and often years of experience in a | | | | position. |
| subspecialty such as aquatic biology (micro-organisms, | | | | Another possible animal science-related career is |
| plants, and animals that live in water); fisheries biology; | | | | zookeeper. Zookeepers, who deal with the day-to-day |
| ornithology (the study of birds); marine biology (salt | | | | care and feeding of wild animals in zoos and animal |
| water organisms); limnology (fresh water organisms); | | | | parks, are also tasked to watch for changes in |
| botany (plants and their environments); microbiology | | | | behavior and health of their charges, as well as work |
| (the growth and characteristics of microscopic | | | | with veterinarians when problems arise. Zookeepers |
| organisms- bacteria, algae or fungi); and physiology (life | | | | also often speak to both media and the public in an |
| functions of plants and animals, both in the whole | | | | effort to educate about issues related to the zoo they |
| organism and at the cellular or molecular level, under | | | | work for. |
| normal and abnormal conditions). | | | | Most zookeepers had to work their way up the ladder |
| Ecology is similar to biology, but emphasizes living | | | | to get where they are now, but all share a background |
| creatures and how they relate to the environment. | | | | in general biology, zoology, ecology, environmental |
| Most ecologists assess creatures in their natural | | | | studies, ethology and animal husbandry, as well as a |
| habitats, write reports, and sometimes, speak to the | | | | bachelor's degree in one of those fields. Most |
| public about issues. There are several specializations in | | | | zookeepers have worked with animals for years, |
| this area, including animal behavior, population biology, | | | | either as volunteers at a zoo or animal shelter or |
| conservation biology, marine ecology, ecoinformatics | | | | veterinary hospital, or in an internship or externship. |
| specialists (who use technology to manage scientific | | | | |