Careers Working with Zoo Animals and Wildlife

A woman in field gear crouched down examining a creature in her hand. She is a great example of someone who has a career working with wildlife.

Don’t put yourself in a box—there are dozens of career options to explore that work with zoos and wildlife.   A career working with wildlife is a rewarding job. You can see how your actions directly influence the lives of animals around the globe. Each one of the occupations listed below involves being an animal advocate…

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How Conservation Affects Biodiversity 

Conservation is the sustainable use of Earth’s natural resources. Preserving the world around us allows future generations to enjoy the environment we love. This includes protecting and monitoring soil, water, air, animals, plants, and energy use. Conservation consists of the planned management of these factors. Ecosystems can become imbalanced when these elements are unregulated.  What…

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Global Threats to Shark Populations 

Offshore impact such as underwater noise and wind energy development has led to the decline of shark populations in many areas. In fact, elasmobranch abundance (sharks, rays, and similar animals) has declined globally by 71% in the past 50 years.  To the average person, this may not seem like an issue that requires an immediate…

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What are zoonotic diseases?

COVID virus

Zoonotic diseases are diseases and infections that are naturally transmitted between animals and people. The CDC recognizes over 150 of these diseases! Impacted animals can be wild or domestic, from the fish in the water to the monkeys in the trees. According to the CDC, scientists estimate that more than 6 out of every 10…

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What is wildlife conservation?

Wildlife Conservation is the practice of protecting and preserving wildlife and their natural habitats to maintain healthy populations and prevent extinction.   Why is this important? We are all connected. Everything has its purpose in the animal kingdom, and losing one species jeopardizes other species (including humans!) Without the plants and wildlife, the food chain will…

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What Does Endangered Mean?

baby mountain gorilla on the back of its mother

If an animal has reached endangered status on the IUCN Red List, that means that their natural populations have dropped so significantly that the species populations may not be able to grow quicker than they decline. Animals in danger of being extinct will affect all populations, including humans.   Animals are becoming endangered due to: Many…

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Animals That Are Extinct (from this century)

Caribbean monk seal anatomy

You’ve probably heard of a species going extinct, but what does that mean exactly? The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorizes all species. There are several categories for classifying species: Not Evaluated (NE), Data Deficient (DD), Least Concern (LC), Near Threatened (NT), Vulnerable (VU), Endangered (EN), Critically Endangered (CR), Extinct in the Wild…

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Why should you not feed wildlife?

please do not feed the animals signage

It’s tempting to feed wildlife or at some point, and it seems like an innocent action. Whether it’s tossing bread to ducks or giving squirrels your leftovers, feeding or touching wildlife is always harmful and sometimes illegal. So, why should you not feed (or touch) wildlife? Human food is not healthy for wildlife Wild animals…

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Canine Distemper (CDV) in Wildlife

What is Canine Distemper? If you have a dog, you’ve probably heard of canine distemper (CDV) and vaccinated your dog for it. It is highly contagious and causes difficulty breathing, coughing, and pneumonia. In addition to those symptoms, it can cause neurological symptoms that are very similar to rabies. Saliva, urine, feces, and other respiratory…

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Our Ecosystems Need the Little Guys!

Termite Mound in Namibia

The world’s ecosystems are incredible to observe. Each species has a role, much like an office! Also like an office or any workplace, there are the big fries and the little fries. Our ecosystems consist of animals, insects, plants, and microorganisms all working together to balance the Earth. Curious how the little fries affect the…

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