Zoologist

What does a zoologist do?

Zoologists perform many varied tasks depending on their specialisation and the area they are working in. As part of research they could examine the relationship between animals and their environment, the growth, nutrition and reproduction of animals, or the prey and predators of an animal. They can study the behaviour, physiology, classification and distribution of animals. They may develop programs to control pests, or to manage wild animal populations.

Why does a zoologist do this?

Zoology is tackling some of the major problems facing the world and society today. Whether it is climate change, food security, environmental toxicology or species extinction, scientists in zoology are tackling these issues head-on.

The study of animals and communities provides insight into how we work. Zoologists can be involved with the conservation of threatened or endangered species, as the maintenance of biodiversity is considered extremely important to the health of an ecosystem. Animals provide us with food (and companionship!) so it is important to understand and protect them.

How does a zoologist do their job?

Zoologists can be required to prepare slides to study diseases, perform experiments on animals or care for injured animals. Depending on specialisations and employment, some zoologists will not work directly with live animals.

Where do zoologists work?

Zoologists work both inside and outside the laboratory. You could be conducting tests on specimens or working directly with animals.

Tertiary study

You could begin with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in:

Throughout your studies you could complete internships and work integrated learning programs to put your skills to the test in real world environments. You could also continue with graduate study in areas such as:

Companies that employ zoologists

As research scientists, zoologists are often employed in federal and state organisations such as:  In the private sector zoology graduates are employed as consultants for companies involved in conservation resource and wildlife management, and in technical and research positions in veterinary, agricultural, biotechnology and industrial research organisations, such as:

  • Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
  • EPA Victoria: Environment Protection Authority
  • CSIRO
  • Environment Australia
  • Department of Natural Resources and Environment
  • Parks Victoria
  • Agriculture Victoria
  • Ecology Australia
  • SLR Consulting