There are many kinds of scientists in the world, each with a very unique and specific field of study. For those who enjoy researching and working with animals, the field of a zoologist is one of the best choices.
To be a zoologist one must first go to a college or university and study under a field of natural science for a Bachelor of Science in either Biology, Animal Science, Pre-veterinary Medicine, Ecology and Evolution, Animal Behavior, or Fish and Wildlife Management. Most zoological positions require first having one of these degrees, but experience is also very important. Just knowing about animals isn't enough to get a position working with the animals, because such jobs require more than just basic knowledge.
To get a foot in the door of a zoological career it is a good idea to start off as a volunteer somewhere with the animals you'd like to work with, while working on your degree or even before as many places will accept volunteers still in high school. An animal shelter or veterinary clinic is a good place to work with domesticated animals, and zoos, nature centers, and wildlife rehabilitation centers are a great place to work with wildlife. For those who don't mind travel and working in the field, there are also many internship programs for doing animal research like bird banding or species counting sponsored by universities.
A zoologist is considered an animal specialist and is often called on to identify difficult species or provide information about an animal's specific characteristics of behavior, diet, or natural habitat. Because there are so many animals, it can be difficult to know enough to consider yourself an expert in all of them, and zoologists will further specialize themselves based on the particular animals they like to work with and study. A marine biologist, for example, will have focused their studies on species within the ocean, particularly whales, dolphins, and sharks. An ichthiologist specializes in fish, a mammologist in mammals, an ornithologist in birds, an entomologist in insects, and a herpetologist in amphibians and reptiles.
One of the most important things that a zoologist must learn is how to classify animals based on their similarities in behavioral, genetic, and physical characteristics. Those who work on nothing but this are known as taxonomists and they are constantly striving to understand the various species relationships. They are specialists in the theory of evolution and are often the first to find and identify new species.
A zoologist is constantly making observations and asking new questions in order to better understand the animals with which we share our world- their habits and behaviors, their similarities and differences, their intelligence and cognitive abilities, and so much more. Zoologists are frequently up close and personal with animals many of us will only see in zoos, and they use their knowledge in order to help improve the lives of these animals, save endangered species, preserve wild lands, and ultimately come to a better understanding of ourselves.
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