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I want to be a herpetologist or zoologist
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by bush_viper17 on September 4, 2004
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Hi, I want to became a professional herpetologist or a zoologist. What is the best path to take. Stupidly I quit school (Because my brother and friend died in a car accident and I didnt want to go back to school after that) but Im going to get my G.E.D.
1.What would be a good school in the southeast
2.What courses should I Take.
3.How long do you have to go.
4.What are choses after college.
thanks......Jeremy.
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RE: I want to be a herpetologist or zoologist
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by AquaHerp on September 4, 2004
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Jeremy,
Number one. Get back into school. Get your G.E.D. and then enroll into college. Georgia has many fine schools there and it does not have to be a big "brand name" school to get a sound education. A BS degree in Biology, Zoology, Animal Sciences, and so on, will be your foundation to getting into the professional realm of herpetology. Now, keep in mind that the animal feild pays poorly so as long as your willing to accept that, everything's groovy. Where abouts in Georgia do you live? Is there a zoo, museum or similar place nearby that you can volunteer at? This is another good place to network and meet people in the know.
Now, most importantly, never forget that some of the best herpetologists, both past and present, do not work professionally as a "herpetologist". Lawrence Klauber, the grandfather of rattlesnake knowledge, was a trained electrician and retired as such. Some of the best herp guys and gals I know do other things for a living. LOL..perhaps so they can actually afford to keep these animals. A good herp friend and coworker just left the field to go to nursing school. So, in essence, being a great herpetologist does not always mean being paid to do it. It's what you push yourself to learn, and then turn around and do with that knowledge that makes a great scientist.
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RE: I want to be a herpetologist or zoologist
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by bush_viper17 on September 5, 2004
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I live in north georgia. The closest thing to me that really deals with animals is Zoo Atlanta,Dauset Trails,and Ellijay Wildlife Rehabilitation Santuary. I plan to get my G.E.D. this winter and next spring get a job.(Carpet mills are the main work in north georgia and pays pretty good considering I wouldnt have any bills to pay except for college gas and food etc.) Ive been in contact with the reptile keeper at Zoo Atlanta for most of the summer and could probably volunteer there when I get my liscence. Thank you for responding,,,,,Jeremy.
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RE: I want to be a herpetologist or zoologist
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by Snakeman1982 on September 5, 2004
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These helped me along when I was curious about how to get started.
http://www.ku.edu/~ssar/career.html
http://www.labour.gov.za/docs/mycareer/alphabet/h/herpetolog.html
Another thing I did (and am still doing) is talk to people in the field I want to work in.
It all depends how far you want to go with herpetology, how much you want it, and what you want to do with it. Every year it gets much more difficult and there are more tasks on your shoulders. What type of herpetologist do you want to be? That will decide on what you need to do in order to get there.
If you are talking about becoming a herpetologist with a Ph.D, expect atleast 10 years of college. It doesn't end there either. Now most herpetologists are getting post-docs, etc... and then after all that you end up doing research and teaching at a University making 50K starting out. But you'll be one of the best in your field of study.
Sadly there isn't a degree in herpetology and there aren't that many jobs that specifically ask for a herpetologist. At the research and academic level you are a biologist first, and then you specialize in a field of choice. There isn't really a job market for just a herpetologist. You have to have a biological background in a specific field like physiology, ecology, or biochemistry. And even then there are seperations in that like population ecology, behavioral ecology, etc... So if you are a behavioral ecologist you might get a job and have snakes as your subject of choice. Once you get a specialization you need to get grant money to fund your research, which usually requires that you be associated with a museum or University. This usually means you have to acquire a Ph.D before you can get hired to a University.
If you aren't into going that far then there are several other choices such as zoos or research assistants. Research assistant is an interesting choice in that over the years you can work on several different projects under an expert in different fields of study. This is where a researcher with a good funding can hire you as a biologist to assist them with their research. But you usually need at least a bachelor's in biology or zoology to get accepted. The pay usually isn't great and it is also very competitive. The more education you have the better chances you will get.
The good news is that while you are in college you can usually get involved in some research. Most professors are doing research and are usually looking for cheap labor. You will certainly get involved in research during your graduate school years (master's and Ph.D) and are expected to publish your results in journals. But almost all the classes you will take will have little to do with just reptiles and amphibians. You will have to learn chemistry, physics, botany, birds, insects, and tons of other stuff. If you are lucky, you'll get to attend a University with a herpetologist on staff and maybe get to take a class in herpetology but most of what you do at the University won't be herp related until grad school. Even then you still have to take classes in unrelated courses to make you a well-rounded biologist.
Good luck,
Robert
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RE: I want to be a herpetologist or zoologist
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by Snakeman1982 on September 5, 2004
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If you want to work at a zoo, then find out who has the job you want. What type of work, education, background, do they have? And figure that you'll have to have a stronger background than them since it was less competitive whenever they got the job. If you want to be the curator of reptiles at a zoo, then find out what they require and what type of skills the people have who are at those jobs.
With the internet being so accessible, many people have their resumes or curriculum vitaes online. Try to find some.
Thought I'd add that.
Robert
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RE: I want to be a herpetologist or zoologist
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by AquaHerp on September 5, 2004
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The best way to get your foot in the door at a zoo is to have your degree and also some sound experience to draw from as well. Most zoos are looking to fill the open positions quickly with folks who can hit the ground running. This is why I also recommend volunteering and/or interning at the local zoo. Get to know these people. If they know you and are comfortable with your skills, it sure makes things much smoother when you put that resume in.
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