PhuturePriest Posted January 11, 2014 Posted January 11, 2014 Does anybody have any experience in these fields? I've always really loved animals and have always been deeply interested in wildlife (I have a soft spot for lions -- my dream is to lie down and snuggle with one), and I realized just recently you can actually get a degree in it and work with animals and work in conservation.
ToJesusMyHeart Posted January 11, 2014 Posted January 11, 2014 These were my plans before I discerned religious life.
PhuturePriest Posted January 11, 2014 Author Posted January 11, 2014 These were my plans before I discerned religious life. Awesome! What kind of animals were you interested in?
PhuturePriest Posted January 11, 2014 Author Posted January 11, 2014 Same as you. Big cats. + Polar bears. I always loved big cats and reptiles. And, of course, the cuteness of polar bears and penguins cannot ever be overstated. It's odd that I like polar bears, though, since I don't generally like bears and am not interested in any other breed than polar bear.
PhuturePriest Posted January 11, 2014 Author Posted January 11, 2014 Same as you. Big cats. + Polar bears. This man is living my dream: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB9RXjXoI7c
OnlySunshine Posted January 11, 2014 Posted January 11, 2014 Does anybody have any experience in these fields? I've always really loved animals and have always been deeply interested in wildlife (I have a soft spot for lions -- my dream is to lie down and snuggle with one), and I realized just recently you can actually get a degree in it and work with animals and work in conservation. I was going to do the EXACT same thing after watching Big Cat Diary and having a lifelong love for animals. However, I realized that most of the work is in a very difficult climate - Africa - which is something I'm not sure I could handle. I wouldn't want to spend all that money on a degree only to find that I can't tolerate the climate of the place where I would mostly work. BTW, I don't recommend snuggling with lions unless you want to wind up un-alive. ;)
NotreDame Posted January 11, 2014 Posted January 11, 2014 employment opportunities would be really, really limited with those types of degrees. Probably just government or non-profits dependent on the gov't. I met one person who had a masters in conservation. she was my snowboard instructor in Tahoe. Also, as someone who spends his vacations out in remote natural environments, I think most gov't 'conservation' I see is counter-productive and I'd find being employed by these groups in the area to be very frustrating. If animals are really something you enjoy, become a vet and volunteer on the side. If you can keep student loans down, this could be a really cool career. There are a myriad of volunteer oppty's both in rescue and in wildlife, so it would be there if you wanted it.
PhuturePriest Posted January 11, 2014 Author Posted January 11, 2014 I was going to do the EXACT same thing after watching Big Cat Diary and having a lifelong love for animals. However, I realized that most of the work is in a very difficult climate - Africa - which is something I'm not sure I could handle. I wouldn't want to spend all that money on a degree only to find that I can't tolerate the climate of the place where I would mostly work. BTW, I don't recommend snuggling with lions unless you want to wind up un-alive. ;) Watch the video above. He snuggled and he's alive. :P I was actually hoping to work in Australia, which I know is having conservation issues. If nothing else, I'll have a TV show and wrestle with crocks and teach people up-close about fuzzy things like spitting cobras. :P
PhuturePriest Posted January 11, 2014 Author Posted January 11, 2014 employment opportunities would be really, really limited with those types of degrees. Probably just government or non-profits dependent on the gov't. I met one person who had a masters in conservation. she was my snowboard instructor in Tahoe. Also, as someone who spends his vacations out in remote natural environments, I think most gov't 'conservation' I see is counter-productive and I'd find being employed by these groups in the area to be very frustrating. If animals are really something you enjoy, become a vet and volunteer on the side. If you can keep student loans down, this could be a really cool career. There are a myriad of volunteer oppty's both in rescue and in wildlife, so it would be there if you wanted it. I'd honestly rather make minimum wage working at a zoo than making millions as a vet. I'm just not interested in veterinary work.
CatherineM Posted January 11, 2014 Posted January 11, 2014 My first major was Zoology. I transferred to Forestry after the first semester. My first Bachelors was in Forest Management.
NotreDame Posted January 11, 2014 Posted January 11, 2014 I'd honestly rather make minimum wage working at a zoo than making millions as a vet. I'm just not interested in veterinary work. Why would you want to work at a zoo, but not be interested in being a vet? The two don't seem to go together.
PhuturePriest Posted January 11, 2014 Author Posted January 11, 2014 Why would you want to work at a zoo, but not be interested in being a vet? The two don't seem to go together. Learning about animals and teaching other people about them at a zoo is far different than sedating them and performing surgery.
NotreDame Posted January 11, 2014 Posted January 11, 2014 Learning about animals and teaching other people about them at a zoo is far different than sedating them and performing surgery. Except at a zoo you are mostly caring for animals, aren't you? And when you get out of your depth, you call the vet, right? You are thinking of being a tour leader. I'm thinking of the majority of real zoo jobs that deal with animals. Vets do a lot more than sedate animals, fyi. Good vets keep animals alive through many means from diet to supplementation, and medication, in addition to surgery.
NotreDame Posted January 11, 2014 Posted January 11, 2014 My first major was Zoology. I transferred to Forestry after the first semester. My first Bachelors was in Forest Management. Did you want to be a park ranger or something? I don't like many decisions from the BLM or park service lately - especially at some of my favorite haunts - but I still think being a ranger would be cool, at least for a few years.
PhuturePriest Posted January 11, 2014 Author Posted January 11, 2014 My first major was Zoology. I transferred to Forestry after the first semester. My first Bachelors was in Forest Management. None of the colleges I can find have a degree that specifically says "zoology". All I've found is life science, which says it can get you a job in zoology.
NotreDame Posted January 11, 2014 Posted January 11, 2014 None of the colleges I can find have a degree that specifically says "zoology". All I've found is life science, which says it can get you a job in zoology. https://www.google.com/search?q=zoology+major University of Florida for starters...
PhuturePriest Posted January 11, 2014 Author Posted January 11, 2014 https://www.google.com/search?q=zoology+major University of Florida for starters... Well, unfortunately, the University of Florida is just a little too far away. :P
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