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There are many directions to take when choosing a career with wild animals:


Veterinary Schools


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Animal Behavior
 

The study of animal behavior is the scientific study of 
everything that animals do, whether the animals are 
single-celled organisms, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, 
reptiles, birds, humans, or other mammals. It involves 
the investigation of the relationship of animals to their 
physical environment as well as to other organisms, and 
includes topics such as how animals find and defend 
resources, avoid predators, choose mates and reproduce, 
and care for their young.
 
People who study animal behavior are typically trying to 
answer one or more of the following four kinds of 
questions about behavior (often referred to as 
"Tinbergen's four questions," after the animal 
behaviorist Niko Tinbergen who first described them):

* What is the cause of the behavior? 
* What mechanism is underlying it? 
* What "triggered" it just now? 
* How did the behavior develop within the individual's lifetime? 
* What function or functions does the behavior serve? 
* How did the behavior evolve over time? 

Answers to questions about the causes of behavior include 
both the external stimuli that affect behavior, and the 
internal hormonal and neural mechanisms that control 
behavior. Questions about the development of behavior 
focus on the ways in which behavior changes over the 
lifetime of the animal, and how these changes are 
affected by both genes and experience. Questions about 
the functions of behavior focus on both the behavior's 
immediate effect on the animal and on the behavior's 
adaptive value in helping the animal to survive or 
reproduce successfully in a particular environment. 
Finally, questions about the evolution of behavior focus 
on the origins of behavior patterns and how these change 
over generations.
 



Zoos
 

Working at most zoos will surround you with wild animals, 
however, don't expect to have much contact with many of 
the animals. They typically are not handlable. Focus is 
on care, education, and study. Lots of hard work and very 
rewarding. There are AZA (American Zoo and Aquarium 
Association) members that will periodically have job 
openings that do not require a college degree. But the 
odds are that without a degree, you will not get the 
position because of the fierce competition. Pensacola 
Junior College offers a two-year associate degree 
program in Zoo Animal Technology that combines academic 
courses on campus with practical, hand-on classes at 
AZA-member The ZOO in Gulf breeze, Florida. If you're 
interested, contact the Dept of Biological Sciences at 
(850) 484-1168 and request an application packet.
 


Veterinary
  

Exotic vet work is highly specialized. Vet school, in general, 
takes as long or longer than medical school. There are many 
different species to learn about. Working with exotics is a 
relatively new field and they are learning more and more. Most 
exotic vets have a domestic practice and do exotics on-call. 
Some do exclusive exotic work for a zoo. You have to take into 
consideration that it can be frustrating because, as opposed 
to the trainer/handlers, the animals are very negative toward 
the vet. Conditioning tells them that every time this guy 
comes around, they aren't feeling well or it's going to be an 
uncomfortable/scary experience. Extremely challenging and 
rewarding, and less competitive than less specialized careers.



Rehabilitation/Research

This is the field that is a labor of love. Low pay, high 
expenses. Most rehabbers are non-profit organizations 
and are often focusing on fund raising. Breaking into 
this field is simplest by contacting the local wildlife 
rehabber in your area and doing volunteer work. Research 
includes getting grants to study and/or write about wildlife.



Trainer/Handler
 

These positions are generally in fields such as parks that 
hold animal shows, circuses, and filmwork. The training 
required to get there primarily is experience. By starting 
low (cleaning cages or working consession stands) and 
working your way up to apprenticeship. Most trainers 
appreciate teaching their employees with their own methods. 
Therefore, it requires the least amount of schooling. 
However, it also requires much time spent doing work for 
little or no pay in the beginning years.



Government Jobs
 

On a national level there is the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 
and the Animal Welfare Division of the U.S.D.A. Every state 
has a "Fish & Game" department (each state has their own 
title for it). And counties have Animal Control offices. All 
of these dept's employ biologists, wardens, veterinarians, 
etc. Generally, they will all require a college degree. 
Contact the gov't agency and request their hiring 
requirements, proceedures, and available openings.


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The School For Feild Studies

Since their founding in 1980, over 10,000 college 
and high school students have conducted hands-on, 
community-focused environmental field work in SFS 
programs around the world. Their website will help 
you discover how you can live and study in some of 
the most beautiful and threatened ecosystems in the 
world while earning college credit. SFS offers Fall 
and Spring semester programs and 30 day Summer courses 
at their field study centers in Australia, British 
Columbia, the British West Indies, Costa Rica, Baja, 
Mexico and Kenya. Please take this opportunity to 
learn more about how you can be a part of an SFS 
team addressing critical environmental issues while 
gaining the opportunity for hands on field experience, 
cross cultural learning, environmental knowledge, 
and personal growth.

We are accepting applications for Summer and Fall 2003.
Call their Admissions Department at 1-800-989-4418 

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Sea Education Association

The Sea Education Association (SEA) in Woods Hole, MA 
provides undergraduates with an opportunity to 
participate in an academic study-abroad program 
called the SEA Semester. The program combines 
intensive research in the areas of oceanography, 
maritime studies, and nautical science with hands-on 
experience aboard a traditional sailing ship. Piloting, 
celestial navigation, and practical seamanship are 
learned together with oceanographic sampling techniques 
and marine laboratory procedures. Critical thinking, 
problem-solving, team-building and leadership skills 
are emphasized throughout the program. SEA Semester is 
appropriate for students in marine biology, geology 
and physical science, environmental studies, American 
studies, and most other areas within the liberal arts and 
sciences. Academic credit for SEA Semester is obtained 
through Boston University.

Sea Education Association 
P.O. Box 6, 
Woods Hole, MA 02543 
Phone: 1-800-552-3633 
Fax:   508-457-4673 

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Southampton College

Marine Science Program

Southampton College has an internationally acclaimed 
Marine Science Program, that attracts students from 
around the world. The marine and environmental programs 
have produced 35 Fulbright Scholars in the past 25 years. 
The College’s unique seaside location, research vessels 
and on-campus marine station provide access to a variety 
of habitats, both coastal and oceanic. A dedicated 
faculty provides exciting off-campus learning opportunities 
through the Co-op and Internship Programs. Four Marine 
Science degree options are available: Marine Biology, 
Oceanography, Marine Vertebrate Biology, or Marine Chemistry.  
These programs provide a solid introduction to the 
fundamentals of science with specialized marine courses 
in your area of interest.


Interdisciplinary Psychology Biology

Psychobiology is the study of brain-behavior relations. 
Recent advances in technology for studying psychology's 
relation to the biology of the nervous system have 
contributed to the amalgamation of the two academic 
disciplines. Topics studied are as diverse as: whale and 
dolphin behavior, psychosomatic illnesses, structure and 
function of the nervous system, and animal learning. The 
Psychobiology laboratory is used for experimentation in 
neurophysiology, electrophysiology, and animal learning. 


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