Wildlife Biologist

Wildlife biologists are scientists who study wild animals to understand how they interact with other animals and their habitat. They may also manip­ulate wildlife populations and their habitats (for instance, by planting food sources) in an effort to conserve these valuable resources. The job of a wildlife biologist involves a variety of outdoor activities such as observing, capturing, and measuring animals, or measuring and manipulating their habitats. An equally important part of the job involves developing man­agement plans; collecting and analyzing data; documenting activities; and

Biologists take samples from a drugged polar bear for data about pesticides in the Hudson Bay area of Manitoba.

communicating with other professionals and the public. Private landown­ers occasionally hire wildlife biologists, but most are employed by federal or state fish and game agencies (e.g. Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Ser­vice). In addition to a solid foundation in biology, a wildlife biologist needs a good background in chemistry and mathematics (especially statistics), and must be able to communicate clearly both orally and in writing. Anyone interested in a career as a wildlife biologist should earn a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Management and should also gain experience through part-time or seasonal employment in the field. Opportunities for career advancement are significantly enhanced by earning a master’s degree and those individ­uals interested in research should consider acquiring a doctoral degree (Ph.D.).

References

Anderson, Stanley H. Managing Our Wildlife Resources, 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999.

Leopold, Aldo. A Sand County Almanac. New York: Oxford University Press, 1949.