Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
Study the origins, behavior, diseases, genetics, and life processes of animals and wildlife. May specialize in wildlife research and management. May collect and analyze biological data to determine the environmental effects of present and potential use of land and water habitats.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Speaking
- Science
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Critical Thinking
Key knowledge
- Biology
- English Language
- Geography
- Mathematics
- Law and Government
- Administration and Management
- Computers and Electronics
- Administrative
What the work involves
- Study animals in their natural habitats, assessing effects of environment and industry on animals, interpreting findings and recommending alternative operating conditions for industry.
- Inventory or estimate plant and wildlife populations.
- Analyze characteristics of animals to identify and classify them.
- Disseminate information by writing reports and scientific papers or journal articles, and by making presentations and giving talks for schools, clubs, interest groups and park interpretive programs.
- Study characteristics of animals, such as origin, interrelationships, classification, life histories, diseases, development, genetics, and distribution.
- Perform administrative duties, such as fundraising, public relations, budgeting, and supervision of zoo staff.
- Organize and conduct experimental studies with live animals in controlled or natural surroundings.
- Coordinate preventive programs to control the outbreak of wildlife diseases.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Investigative, Realistic, Conventional.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree (72.4% of expert ratings)
- Related experience
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (37.9%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (37.9%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 4: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Low | Lower on contact with others than 77% of occupations compared | 62% of surveyed respondents chose “Contact with others most of the time” |
| Dealing with the public | High | Higher on dealing with the public than 60% of occupations compared | 41% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important” |
| Teamwork | Moderate | Higher on teamwork than 52% of occupations compared | 45% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Very high | Higher on freedom to make decisions than 88% of occupations compared | 64% of surveyed respondents chose “A lot of freedom” |
| Time pressure | Very low | Lower on time pressure than 84% of occupations compared | 57% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Conflict situations | Moderate | Lower on conflict situations than 51% of occupations compared | 46% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 64% of occupations compared | 64% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | Moderate | Lower on consequence of error than 50% of occupations compared | 33% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: very low
- Conflict situations: moderate
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: low
- Consequence of error: moderate
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 6.9%
- Contact with others about half the time: 10.34%
- Contact with others most of the time: 62.07%
- Constant contact with others: 20.69%
n = 29, Occupational Expert 08/2026
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 17.24%
- Important: 20.69%
- Very important: 41.38%
- Extremely important: 20.69%
n = 29, Occupational Expert 08/2026
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 0%
- Important: 13.79%
- Very important: 41.38%
- Extremely important: 44.83%
n = 29, Occupational Expert 08/2026
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 0%
- Limited freedom: 3.57%
- Some freedom: 32.14%
- A lot of freedom: 64.29%
n = 28, Occupational Expert 08/2026
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 7.14%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 57.14%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 28.57%
- Every day: 7.14%
n = 28, Occupational Expert 08/2026
Conflict situations
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 39.29%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 46.43%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 7.14%
- Every day: 7.14%
n = 28, Occupational Expert 08/2026
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 64.29%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 25%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 3.57%
- Every day: 7.14%
n = 28, Occupational Expert 08/2026
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 7.41%
- Fairly serious: 33.33%
- Serious: 25.93%
- Very serious: 22.22%
- Extremely serious: 11.11%
n = 27, Occupational Expert 08/2026
Is this career right for me? Find jobs with conditions you prefer
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O*NET-SOC 19-1023.00 · SOC 19-1023 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8