Wildlife Research and Conservation?

Question

I would like to have a job that I have to do some kind of research about animals that is useful for conservation.

What kinds of classes would you recommend in High School and in college?

Is there an specific name for the kind of job described above?

What and where should I volunteer in to prepare for my future career???

PLEASE HELP!!!

Answer 1

Sounds like biology is what you're looking for.  Ecology would be right up there, too.  Science courses, math, and english because there will be reports to prepare .....

Volunteer as a land steward at a local park, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon, or even the National Forest Service.  Their websites and the local paper may list opportunities.  You rub shoulders with a lot of professionals and may end up with a very useful letter of recommendation plus the volunteer hours and experience can be useful on a resume.

Good luck!

Answer 2

In college, try a  Wildlife Conservation and Management degree. There aren't many high school classes I know of that deal with wildlife conservation, but there are similar environmental studies classes.

Answer 3

Study sciences as your main focus in High School - chemistry, biology and physics. If you're interested in wildlife research, then maybe do a degree in zoology, wildlife conservation and management, animal science or perhaps even marine biology if you want a more specialist area. Have a look on the internet at some colleges - most of their websites provide information about the courses on offer, including prerequisites.

This page might help - http://education.yahoo.com/college/essen...

In terms of voluntary work,  try and volunteer at a local animal sanctuary, maybe start working with domestic animals first and build your way up, or if you have a zoo nearby see if they take volunteers. If you have a bit more money, you could travel abroad with organisations like earthwatch (http://www.earthwatch.org) and i-to-i (http://www.i-to-i.com), who run expeditions fuelled by volunteers. Beware though, it's quite pricey, but the experience will provide you with great insight into the world of animal and environmental research, and will also look excellent on your resumé!

Also, try to learn as much as you can about the world of wildlife. For instance, I watch a lot of wildlife and environmental programs such as Planet Earth and Crocodile Hunter, and read magazines such as National Geographic to help build my knowledge. I find it's a great support to studies, and wont send you to sleep too quickly!