Defining wildlife is easy: animals that are wild, not domesticated. Think of a coyote rather than a dog.
But defining ecology? That’s a bit harder. Ecology is a subset of biology. It’s the study of organisms and how they interact with their environment.
So, wildlife ecologists study a species or group of wild animals and how they interact with their environment.
Learn more how wildlife ecology fits into the bigger picture of wildlife conservation from our very own wildlife ecologist, Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, co-host of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild.
Role of a wildlife ecologist
“My graduate school advisor used to say, ‘all a wildlife ecologist really does is count things,’” Dr. Rae said. “Although that is a major oversimplification, it’s rather true!”
Wildlife ecologists collect, analyze and keep track of wild animal data. They look at an animal’s movement and behavior and search for patterns or change over time.
“Without tracking patterns and changes in a wild animal, a population of wild animals, or an ecosystem, we wouldn’t know what is normal, what is abnormal and what trajectory we’re on,” Dr. Rae said. “Ecologists are some of the superheroes of wildlife conservation!”
Wildlife ecologists’ workplaces
While some wildlife ecologists like Dr. Rae work outdoors studying animals in their natural habitats, there are a variety of different workplaces.
You can find a wildlife ecologist in:
- Traditional office spaces using high-level software to analyze data
- Classrooms teaching concepts and techniques
- Laboratories processing genetic samples and generating conclusions about genetic diversity of species in a population
- Nonprofit and academic spaces writing scientific documents and influencing policies that impact wild animals and their habitats
- State and national government agencies
- TV shows, such as Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild (Learn what it’s like to host a wildlife TV show)
How wildlife ecologists work with wildlife conservationists
Wildlife ecologists and wildlife conservationists go hand in hand. Ecology is theoretical and conservation is applied. So, ecologists will interpret the data and make conclusions. Then, conservationists will come in and create a solution for any issues the ecologists find.
“Many ecologists do conservation work, and many conservationists have a background in ecology,” Dr. Rae said. “However, it’s not required to do conservation if you’re an ecologist and vice versa.”
How to be a wildlife ecologist
Interested in a career in wildlife ecology? Start with a broad scientific education. Take courses in chemistry, physics, earth science, etc.
“Once you dive squarely into wildlife ecology, there’s very little focus on many of the foundational sciences but understanding them really helps you understand ecosystems and larger systems better,” Dr. Rae said.
In addition, research the social histories of places you’re interested in working in. Head to your local library and check out books and DVDs to learn about the tribal and colonial histories.
“Understanding the history of people in many parts of the world can help us do better science in the present, with local peoples amplified and empowered,” Dr. Rae said.
If you think you’re up for a science career in wildlife conservation, but ecology isn’t for you, check out these other wildlife conservation jobs. And, if science isn’t your thing, there’s still a place for you in conservation. Discover how anyone can be involved in wildlife conservation.
