Careers in Wildlife Conservation: How to Make a Difference in the World

Welcome to the world of wildlife conservation! Whether you are an animal lover or are interested in human behaviour, there is a way for you to build your career in the wildlife conservation space. Wondering how? Let’s learn how to get started on careers in the field of wildlife conservation by studying these streams. 

Science

One of the most widely known ways of building a successful career in the field of wildlife is by studying the science stream, which includes studying Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Biology, and other subjects like Statistics. After you graduate from any of these fields, you will be able to complete your masters in wildlife and have a successful career as a wildlife scientist–wildlife biologist, wildlife ecologist, wildlife data analyst and so on.  

So, what do they do on a daily basis? 

• Wildlife biologists: By observing animals in the wild and collecting specimens, they gather information about how they behave, where they live and how their populations change over time. 
• Wildlife ecologist: They do ecological research to find out how wildlife populations interact with their environment. They also figure out how human activities affect wildlife habitats.
• Wildlife data analyst: They look at large datasets on wildlife populations and habitats and use statistical analysis to find patterns and trends. This helps conservation efforts by giving more information about how to protect wildlife.

Engineering

There are multiple ways to build a career in wildlife conservation as an engineering graduate. You can become an environmental engineer. 

Environmental engineers collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to create and improve engineering systems and procedures to avoid harmful consequences for wildlife, particularly in areas of interest like maintaining the connectivity and integrity of wildlife landscapes by developing or envisaging underpasses, overpasses and bridges so that wild animals can cross roads more easily. They also look at how wild animals move around to find the best places for wildlife passages. 

Civil Services

Civil services is one way of building a career in the field of wildlife conservation. Upon clearing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), you can select Indian Forest Service (IFS) and work in wildlife.

Officers of the Indian Forest Service (IFS) are in charge of managing wildlife populations, protecting wildlife habitats, stopping wildlife crimes and so on. You can also take the State Service Public Commission (SPSC) exam to pursue careers like Range Forest Officers (RFO), Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) and Sub-Divisional Officers (SDO). You can progress based on seniority, experience and performance in your career. 

Medicine 

You can also build a career in wildlife conservation as a veterinarian by practising wildlife medicine. A wildlife veterinarian typically works on wildlife health monitoring, disease prevention and treatment, translocation and conservation programmes. 

Humanities

Someone who is interested in humanities can also work in the field of wildlife conservation in a few different ways, like working in the area of conservation behaviour. These social scientists work in multidisciplinary teams and use frameworks from economics, psychology, sociology and anthropology to take community-based action that strengthens wildlife conservation efforts. 

Creative Pursuits

If you are interested in creative pursuits like writing, photography and videography, there is a place for you too. You can write informative articles, take pictures and create documentaries to spread awareness and contribute to conservation efforts. 

In short, it is possible to build a career in the area of wildlife conservation through a variety of approaches. You do, however, need to be passionate about wildlife, be adaptable and have good problem-solving skills, as most of the work happens in a diverse and unpredictable environment. You also need to be patient and follow ethical protocols that protect the rights of animals, along with national and international rules and regulations.