10 Exciting Wildlife Careers Without a Degree

The most popular career working with wildlife is zookeeping, ut zookeeping is not the only career where you can work with wildlife.  Here are 10 exciting careers with wildlife that you can do without a degree. 

🦓 Wildlife Surveyor  

🦓 Wild Animal Controllers 

🦓 Animal Care Worker 

🦓 Wildlife firefighter 

🦓 Wildlife photographer 

🦓 Wildlife Writer 

🦓 Tour Manager/Leader/Guide 

🦓 Park Ranger  

🦓 Conservation worker 

🦓 Wildlife Rehabilitator 

Wildlife Surveyor 

Wildlife surveyors observe, count and records the plants and animals in a particular area.  They want to find out what animals and plants live there, and if their numbers are increasing or decreasing. This is important information to protect natural habitats. For example, if there are plans to build a new housing estate, a wildlife surveyor will want to check if there are any protected animals in the area before they start work. 

Wild Animal Controllers 

Wild animal controllers work to protect animals and humans, and ensure the animal’s wellbeing.   

They will respond to reports of injured, stray or aggressive animals.  They will capture the animal and take them to a safe location. They will also investigate any reports of abuse, neglect and animal cruelty and take action.   

Animal welfare controllers will also educate the public. For example, going into schools and teaching children about caring for animals.  

Wildlife control offers will specialize in managing wildlife. For example, they might safely remove wild animals from an urban environment. 

Animal Care Worker 

There are a variety of different careers in animal care, such as working in rescue centres, vets, groomers, exercising animals, catteries, zoos, kennels, wild animal sanctuaries etc.   They ensure the animal is well fed, living in a clean and safe environment.  

Wildlife Firefighters 

Wildlife firefighters can work as paid firefighters or volunteers. They are responsible for preventing and managing outdoor fires.   This includes spraying water, digging trenches to prevent the fire from carrying on, cutting down brush and trees etc. They might work in natural parks, wildlife locations etc.  

They will also be involved in the clean up after a fire. This might include:

🍃 Clearing brush 

🍃 Looking for smoke and campfires 

🍃 Offering food and water to people and other professionals 

🍃 Patrolling woods and brush.  

🍃 Setting controlled fires to prevent larger fires. 

🍃 Educating the public of the danger of fires in dry areas. For example, advising against BBQs and fires. 

🍃 Planting new plants and moss after the fire. 

Wildlife photographer 

Wildlife photographers take photos of animals, plants and wild creatures. It is a popular hobby that can lead to a fulfilling career.  It is important to be good at taking photographs, obviously, but to get into wildlife photography, you also need to build up a portfolio and get yourself noticed. For example, posting on social media, entering wildlife photography competitions, perhaps offering to be a volunteer photographer for a wildlife charity, become a vlogger or blogger, do talks about wildlife photography, sell your images to websites, newspapers and magazines. 

Wildlife writer 

Wildlife writers focus on writing about wildlife, but writing about wildlife can also be in addition to another career in wildlife. For example, writing and photographing wildlife, creating content for a charity or other animal organisation, talking about your work with animals etc.  

Wildlife writers will write about plants, animals and nature. This could be for books, magazines, content creation, websites, blogs, vlogs, courses etc.   It involves carrying out research in the field, or desk based, interviewing wildlife professionals.  Wildlife writing involves good writing skills and an interest in writing about animals and plants.  

Tour Manager/Guide 

Tour guides or managers will do what they say on the tin, lead tours.  This can involve taking people around a nature reserve to see animals and plants through to leading safaris.  There is a great deal of variety of tours that you can lead. There is an increasing interest in nature tourism, with people wanting to see the world around there. There are a lot of opportunities out there.  

Park Ranger  

Park rangers are responsible for protecting national parks, and the animals and plants that live there.  They can also be involved in search and rescues and enforcing rules and regulations for the park. Their main role is to protect the wildlife and landscape, and keep any visitors safe. Park rangers can also be involved in lots of other tasks. It is a varied career. Tasks include – 

Firefighting 

Removing pests 

Catching aggressive, stray or injured animals 

Monitoring animal levels. 

Maintaining trails and paths 

Offering educational talks about the park 

Working with local communities to protect cultural heritage 

Conservation Worker 

Conservation workers will work in national parks, along the coast or private estates. They maintain natural habitats, such as wetlands, parks, coastlines and forests. They will plant trees, clear invasive plants, build and maintain fences, clear brush, build footpaths, check on rare plants and animals etc. Their main role is to help nature to thrive in wild places. 

Wildlife Rehabilitator 

Finally, wildlife rehabilitators help injured, sick or orphaned animals. They will provide food and water and medical care for the animal. They will also train the animal, for example, teaching animals to hunt in the wild.  

Do you have the right personality to work in wildlife careers? 

There are lots of different careers working with wildlife, so different skills are required. 

For example, a wildlife photographer will need to have good photography skills. A wildlife writer will need good writing skills. Park rangers or people involved in conservation management might need others skills, such as being able to drive or use a chainsaw. 

But there are some important traits that are useful for working with animals – 

The main one is wanting to work with animals and care for their welfare.  It is also useful to be – 

Patient 

Confident handling animals 

Physically fit 

Hard working 

Good attention to detail 

Diligent 

Enthusiastic  

Reliable 

Have good communication skills 

Good problem-solving skills 

Strong leadership skills 

How to Start a Career Working with Wildlife? 

Show a commitment and interest in working with animals by – 

Doing voluntary work with wildlife 

Entering competitions, such as wildlife photography competitions 

Taking part in animal counts. For example, the RSPB Bird Watch in the UK. 

Starting a blog or vlog 

Doing seasonal or temporary work working with animals 

Undertake relevant training 

There are such a wide range of careers working with wildlife, so do your research, find out the options and the right one for you. 

Turn your passion for wildlife into practical skills.  ACS DE offers training that will help you to gain more knowledge and experience in wildlife, such as:

Wildlife Conservation | Wildlife Management | Herpetology | Ornithology | Primates | Carnivore Zoology | Conservation Management | Leadership | Stress Management | Photography | Writing | Ecotourism | Nature Park Management | And more. 

Got Questions? Email admin@acs.edu.au