How to become A Wildlife Conservationist

• Conservation Scientist
• Nature Conservation Officer

What do Wildlife Conservationists do?

A Wildlife Conservationist would typically need to:

• Conduct wildlife surveys, focusing on endangered wildlife on land and in the sea
• Identify scientific information that is useful for conservation; apply theoretical knowledge to practical problems in the environment
• Oversee forestry and conservation activities to ensure compliance with government regulations and habitat protection
• Specialize in habitat conservation by taking samples for testing, planting seedlings and trees, and providing the right of access by maintaining footpaths and bridleways; build supporting structures for eroding lands
• Specialize in marine conservation by focusing on water-related sustainability of species and clean water supply
• Create strategic partnerships to improve resource management; develop programs that address ecosystem conservation at a local, state and international level
• Improve the ecosystem through widespread conservation planning; develop proactive relationships to aid attention to the cause
• Continue to identify and adapt the information for the conservation rhetoric so that people empathize with the environment
• Ensure that every sentient creature benefits from a healthy ecology by writing articles, papers, and reports; make presentations and give lectures at schools and other public spaces to increase public awareness
• Provide exhibitions, guided walks and resource centers to educate visitors
• Organize and perform experimental research that involves animals in natural or artificial conditions; research a post-secondary institution
• Work with private landowners, governments, and farmers to improve land for forestry purposes; protect the environment
• Advise farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers on how they can enhance their property for farming purposes and to control erosion
• Suppress fires and assess damage to the region’s trees, lands, and the environment caused by fires and logging activities
• Create funds to ensure wildlife conservation activities continue

Wildlife Conservationists work in a range of settings, including the field, offices, laboratories, and outdoors, sometimes doing fieldwork in remote locations. They may work alone or with the public, educating them about Wildlife Conservation. The dress code may vary according to the work environment and responsibilities. Dress smart and not over the top.

Wildlife Conservationists work irregular days and hours. Work schedules depend on access to wildlife, weather that may affect work outdoors, and events in the course of nature, such as a limited time-frame to research a species that is actively breeding or spawning. A large portion of work happens behind a desk, in the lab, or at meetings.

There are plenty of websites devoted to conservation and environment jobs. Still, if you know what you would like to do, it’s often easier to approach them directly.

Wildlife Conservationists are generally employed by:

• Governments
• Private Landowners
• Social Advocacy Organizations
• Not-for-Profit Organizations
• Private Companies
• Wildlife Charities
• Zoos, Safaris, & Parks
• Educational Organizations
• Rehabilitation Organizations
• Conservation Organizations

Professional associations and organizations are crucial for Wildlife Conservationists interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks excellent on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as a Wildlife Conservationist.

• Physically demanding work, including long hikes through dense woods and underbrush in all kinds of weather conditions
• Insect bites, poisonous plants, and other natural hazards
• Fire suppression activities involving prevention and emergency response
• Need for protective gear

When it comes to conservation and the environment, there is no substitute for experience. You may attend talks, meetings, events, and workshops. Or you may join a society or an expedition, become a Citizen Scientist, write a blog, volunteer, or intern with conservation organizations.

A great many people now working in paid jobs in this field, even directors of prominent international charities, started their careers as volunteers to demonstrate their serious commitment while developing a much clearer picture of the kind of work they wanted to do. Thereby, they gained practical experience and got a foot in the door.

Wildlife Conservationists get to hear about forthcoming job vacancies before the outside world hears about them and, of course, you’re already on site. Make yourself invaluable and indispensable and, given time, you may be offered a permanent position.

Universities offer degree courses made up of self-contained modules, making it possible to tailor a course to your own needs and aspirations. A background in Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, remote sensing, and other forms of computer modeling will come in handy.

Wildlife Conservationists need at least a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation, ecology, biology, forest resource measurement, ecosystem management, countryside management, environmental science, marine and fisheries science, genetics, biodiversity, or evolution.

Colleges offer accredited wildlife diploma online courses, in collaboration with employers, to improve employment prospects. Practical placements are offered with some courses to gain valuable hands-on experience with many animals.

Obtaining a master’s degree may be suitable for getting higher-level jobs in conservation. Usually, employers in the wildlife conservation industry prefer candidates with master’s and doctoral degrees, which require a great deal of research. A PhD is a unique vehicle to learn a useful variety of skills from project management to persistence and from applying for grants to in-depth knowledge of the chosen field.

Certification from an objective and reputed organization demonstrates competency in skills, typically through work experience, training, the passage of an examination, or some combination of the three. It can help you stand out in a competitive job market, increase your chances for a promotion or advancement, increase your confidence at work, and carry a significant salary premium of up to 18 percent.

The Wildlife Society (TWS) offers certification (renewable every five years) to its members, allowing them the opportunity to become associate or Certified Wildlife Biologists. Such certification programs seek to serve and protect the public welfare and are responsible for investigating individuals that practice outside of the program’s Code of Ethics. By protecting the public welfare, a profession earns trust and respect, which are the most important elements in securing a professional’s future.

One career path is to specialize in wildlife research and management. You may also choose to conduct research or work on policy issues, often after getting an advanced degree.

The first Wildlife Conservation movement was based on Environmentalists and, to a certain extent, on Scientists. Now, people and skills must diversify if Conservation is to be competitive and successful. If you cannot find the right opportunity, then make your own. Develop an idea for a field research project, ask for feedback (and give it due consideration), and then apply for funding from one organization. If you’re unsuccessful, improve your idea and try again.

The need to replace retiring workers should create opportunities for Wildlife Conservationists.

Like the resource it seeks to protect, Wildlife Conservation must be dynamic, changing as conditions change, trying always to become more productive. Keep abreast of the latest skills and knowledge by attending training courses, watching TED Talks, and being active in your chosen profession. Senior Conservationists are often drawn to the role so that they can increase their ability to create practical and elegant conservation solutions that suit many stakeholders' needs.

A Range of Jobs and Competition

The range of available jobs, both paid and unpaid, is vast and varied. Competition is incredibly fierce for paid positions with conservation organizations (large international groups such as Greenpeace/Friends of the Earth or much smaller community-based cooperatives or local wildlife trusts) and paid jobs working with charismatic megafauna such as big cats or whales and dolphins.

You Can Make a Difference!

A Wildlife Conservationist can make a difference. Your work may include the protection and rescue of animals from natural and human-made disasters, rehabilitation of injured and sick animals, monitoring wildlife habits, conducting ecological and wildlife surveys, wildlife education, wildlife management, working in zoos and safari parks, and, of course, Wildlife Conservation. Many of these roles have direct involvement with wild animals’ well-being, the impact of land use on wildlife species, and the scientific study of animals.

The Ups and the Downs

You may get to visit wild and exotic places. You will share novel experiences with like-minded people. Wildlife Conservation is not, however, a lucrative profession in terms of money. Conservationists also need to deal with the more challenging aspects of their careers such as facing harsh realities, making difficult decisions, and allocating limited funds to different uses.

Career Advice

Create your network, approach people, and contact organizations you would like to work for. Many jobs are never advertised but evolve through volunteer posts, personal contact, or word of mouth. Familiarize yourself with available jobs and chart out a multi-year plan to acquire the skills and experiences you will need. Maintain a professional LinkedIn profile and appear professional applying for any kind of job, voluntary, paid, part-time, or full-time.

Enclose a Self Addressed Envelope (SAE) when reaching out to organizations, research institutes, or individuals already working in your chosen field. Keep up to date and follow the progress of projects around the world through RSS feeds. Finetune your applications until the content, spellings, and grammar are perfect. Ace your interviews, using the STAR acronym (Situation, Task, Action, Response) to help convey your experience.

Mountain gorillas were expected to be extinct by the millennium, but today the total number in the wild tops 1,000 because of conservation efforts!

We will conserve that which we love; we will love that which we understand; we understand that which we are taught. Most Wildlife Conservationists work long hours, under challenging conditions, and earn less than many of their friends or family. However, if you want to dedicate yourself to helping wildlife, you will have one of the most rewarding careers of all; safe in the knowledge you are helping to make the world a better place.

Familiarize yourself with different cultures and languages if you intend to work in international locales. Work for free to gain a more permanent position or valuable transferable experience. Learn from your mistakes and start over. Perseverance is a virtue in your job search, not stress.