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Rapidmare In reply to Greyy-Wolf [2018-09-13 03:15:11 +0000 UTC]

Thanks for watching me! Wolf biology is incredibly rewarding and cool, but extremely challenging. A lot of people either like wolves a little too much or feel extreme, sometimes misguided hate towards them. I manage people as much if not more than I study and manage the wolves! 
I would love to do a trade, but am in the middle of my trapping season, trying to complete a master's degree and maintain a personal life at the same time and so I, sadly, have no time for art right now. Maybe when things get less hectic? 

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Greyy-Wolf In reply to Rapidmare [2018-09-14 00:27:10 +0000 UTC]

No worries work and school come before art. Good luck with everything.

I can understand that, upon taking intrest in wolves my own family has mixed feelings about them. I’m been studying them for years in independent research and try to educate others when they are brought up. At one point working at an animal store a hybrid came in to meet their new owner. The lady who had lived with the candid for nearly two months actually asked if I could speak with the family. Having prepared them for an average dog I ended up spending 30 minutes reteaching them that the low content was anything but a fully domesticated animal.

If you dont don’t mind me asking do you have any tips and advice for being a wolf biologist? I’m currently looking into collages and jobs that involve animal care. 

Im also curious what’s it like to go out and learn from these animals? I’ve read job descriptions and watched documentaries but have never been in an unique position to speak with someone who does  this kind of work.

i apologize for all of the question I just really admire people who have made it their lives work to protect these beautiful animals. I appreciate your time. Good luck with trapping season.

sure that would be great just message me when you’d be up for doing one.

-thank you again

-Wolf

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Rapidmare In reply to Greyy-Wolf [2018-09-14 05:37:29 +0000 UTC]

No problem! 
There is a large difference when it comes to captive wildlife care and wildlife field studies. Captive wildlife is more about creating a suitable environment for an animal based on wild behaviors and needs. Wildlife biology is a science and is my focus. It is about the scientific collection, analysis and application of data based on an uncontrolled study of wild populations. In short, I do field work! I got a bachelors degree in Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology. I was lucky and managed to only do half a year of unpaid internships and then only 2.5 years of seasonal work before getting a permanent job. I had to travel all over the country to find work. I enjoyed it, but it is not for everyone.

Most of the time you do not see or handle your study animal. If you want to focus on something like wolves there are maybe a handful of jobs specifically with them. Luckily, with wolves, there is high job turn-over. This is because working with wolves is the most difficult and stressful species to work with in North America, maybe the world. They are a mascot for government overreach and human-wildlife conflict. I probably wont be able to do it for too long before needing to find a healthier lifestyle. No one can do this job forever. It gets to you after a while, no matter how dedicated you are. 

Very few people work on wolves. There are a lot of cool species out there that need work. If you go into wildlife biology you need to be able to handle long, weird hours, intense physical activity, computer skills, writing skills, outdoor/camping/backpacking skills, bugs, heat, cold, bad weather, driving trucks on roads that almost don't qualify as roads, work solo and on a crew, lift and carry 40lbs +, hike long distances, be CPR/First Aid certified, have a positive attitude and do it all for very little pay. You also will need to take biology, statistics, calculus, chemistry, geographic information systems, and other science and math based courses. It is a rewarding field, but a lot of different kinds of experience is necessary. Do not be too intimidated! All of this can be learned easily in college with the right people (Join clubs like The Wildlife Society and The Society for Conservation Biology). Get experience early! Do an honors thesis and volunteer to help graduate students with their studies. 

You also should understand that working on wildlife is more human management than wildlife management. If humans didn't exist, we wouldn't need to protect or recover many of these species. If you do not like working with people, this may not be the career for you. I talk to strangers all day who hate, are neutral, or love wolves. Part of my job is education. Part is conflict mitigation. Part is biologist. Part is wilderness bushwhacker. It is rarely boring.

Around 80% of people that graduate with the same degree I got did not continue in this field for long. There are few jobs and lots of competition. The more charismatic the species or project, the more competitive it is. Most of the time, you need a master's degree to get a permanent full-time job. I am one of the few exceptions and I am still aiming to get one. I am not telling you this to dissuade you. If you are passionate about wildlife conservation and are willing to run around in the wilderness, move a lot and make some other personal sacrifices, you can make it! I just want to to be aware that it is not like other fields. It requires determination and an ability to fail or be rejected constantly and still get up and keep going. If you are still interested, check out the wildlife society website. Most of us are members of this society and they post a lot of the work that people are doing: wildlife.org/

As far as being a wolf biologist itself... well that's a complicated answer. Do you have more specific questions?

Let me know! I am glad to help! 

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