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Zoology And Conservation


PhuturePriest

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PhuturePriest

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.

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PhuturePriest

These were my plans before I discerned religious life. 

 

Awesome! What kind of animals were you interested in?

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PhuturePriest

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.

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PhuturePriest

Same as you. Big cats.

+ Polar bears.

 

This man is living my dream:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB9RXjXoI7c

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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.  ;)

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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.

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PhuturePriest

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

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PhuturePriest

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.

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My first major was Zoology. I transferred to Forestry after the first semester. My first Bachelors was in Forest Management.

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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.
 

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PhuturePriest

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.

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