Herpetology

[sadcrazyman]

I am hoping to go into a career in herpetology or involving lizards and snakes but not veternarianism i was wondering if anyone could give me any tips or helpful notes , thankyou

[snakehunter]

Its a tough feild, i know that, and with the flood of reptile interest generated by the croc hunter and programs of the like, i think it will only toughen.

on a lighter note, you really have to be ontop of your game, and be upto date on the current projects and discoveries making wakes in the herp field.

it also helps to talk to some herpetologists, maybe your local university has one, a personal interveiw would never hurt.

just remember, never miss an oppertunity to get your name out there, and make a good impression

[sadcrazyman]

Thanks for your help there are about 3 universities near me but i'm not sure if they have any herpetologists.

[snakehunter]

Im sure if you call the biology dept. they could help you out, if there is no herp on campus, maybe some one is familiar with one in the vicinity.

another person you could talk to is maybe your highschool biology teacher, maybe s/he has some contacts, you never know

[Darren179]

ah I was also interested in something in the same field talked to my guidance counceller at school. she didnt do didly squat for me but anyways I was trying to research job markets for herptoligists in southern ontario there isnt much :( but its a nice dream

[Nicky]

i wouldn;t mind going into that field either i think theres a really good university in detroid that speciallizes in herptrology i would love to go if i ever got the money. i contacted them and they sent me this i dunno if it will help but it sorta points out some courses to take and stuff.

"HERPETOLOGY AS A CAREER
Herpetology as a Career was written in 1985 by a committee composed of:
Henri C. Seibert (Chairman)
Department of Zoological and
Biomedical Sciences
Ohio University
Athens, Ohio 45701, USA Ralph W. Axtell (SSAR Pres., 1983)
Department of Biological Sciences
Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville, Illinois 62026, USA
Neil B. Ford
Department of Biology
University of Texas
Tyler, Texas 75701, USA Martin J. Rosenberg
Department of Biology
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA

We are in the process of building a herp-careers FAQ page to supplement this popular document.

So you want to be a herpetologist? That is an admirable choice, but you should have a strong desire to study reptiles and amphibians for the road to a career in herpetology is not an easy one -- but it is an interesting one.
In reality, herpetology is a sub-field of biology. Jobs in biology traditionally fall into four areas: college and university employment, government work (including state and federal), medical related work, and zoological park or museum staff. More recently, industrial and medical biotechnology have emerged as areas with new and exciting opportunities for biological research. What all of these jobs have in common is training in a biological field. The herpetological emphasis is put there by the worker! For example, a person might be trained in ecology and do environmental impact studies for the government. If that person is also a herpetologist, reptiles and amphibians might be the animals studied to evaluate changes in the environment. A medical research with training in hematology might, if interested in herpetology, study blood of reptiles and amphibians. It is rare to find a job that considers someone to be a herpetologist first!
Years ago it was possible for individuals to study amphibians and reptiles on their own, perhaps by maintaining large collections of animals or by studying them in the wild, and learn enough to get a position at a zoo or museum as a herpetologist. Today, however, techniques for conducting nearly any biological study have become so sophisticated, and competition for jobs has become so intense, that a college degree is a necessity in order to pursue a career in herpetology. Often an advanced degree (masters or doctorate) in biology, anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, or some related field is required for almost any specialized job. Many, if not most, herpetologists today are employed at colleges or universities and an advanced degree is usually a condition of employment at such institutions.
The specific training required for a career in herpetology varies according to one's goals. In virtually all cases a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science degree with a major in biology is required. Courses in inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and biochemistry, calculus, physics and/or earth science should be taken. Statistics is now a necessary tool in biological studies and courses in this area are essential. A great deal of herpetological research is conducted in other countries and facility in one or more foreign languages allows one to follow such activities in other nations. As in other branches of science, computer literacy is indispensable and students should enroll in courses that provide training in computer use.
Any college that provides a strong background in the sciences, mathematics and English also provides the basis for a career in herpetology. But if you are seriously interested in pursuing herpetology as a career you might want to attend a college that also offers a course in herpetology (or at least in natural history or vertebrate zoology) and has one or more faculty members conducting herpetological research. "Leads" to such institutions can best be obtained by studying several recent issues of herpetological journals such as Journal of Herpetology, Herpetological Review, Copeia, or Herpetologica, and noting where some particularly interesting research (to you) is being conducted. You can then write to the institutions or authors and ask for further information about their programs. Another reason to look at herpetological journals, which may be found in college or natural history museum libraries, is to give you some idea of the broad scope of herpetological research and to help you narrow down your interest.
Following graduation from college with a bachelor's degree in biology, you may want to seek employment immediately. However, opportunities for employment with only a bachelor's degree are limited, both in terms of available positions and level of advancement. Nevertheless, many graduates obtain jobs in museums or zoos working with exhibits and live animals and dealing with the public. Others work in research laboratories assisting investigators with their projects; such positions exist at larger colleges and in certain government agencies. Students with a broad interest in natural history may find jobs in local, state, or national parks (as park naturalists) or certain large companies as environmental specialists; a knowledge of herpetology can be particularly useful in these positions. In addition, there are many fields -- veterinary assistant, biomedical salesperson, biology teacher -- where positions less herpetologically related are also available.
Students who continue their education through to the masters or doctorate degree usually find employment where they have greater freedom to pursue their own interests, the salary is higher, and the responsibilities are greater. Most individuals with a Ph.D. work at a college or university where they teach and conduct research in their own area of interest. Herpetological research is often conducted in the field, which involves the collection, marking or observation of organisms, or the analysis of environmental conditions associated with particular populations. However, other herpetologists have a strong interest in laboratory research and spend little time in the field. Studies in physiology, immunology, embryology, genetics, anatomy, and biochemistry are usually conducted in a laboratory, while research in ecology, behavior, population biology, systematics, reproductive biology, and biogeography involve significant amounts of field work. In all cases, however, data have to be analyzed, summarized, and eventually published in a scientific journal. The goal of herpetological research, as with other branches of biology, is to learn as much as possible about our special interest and to communicate this knowledge to others. Publication of this research in journals is how scientific knowledge is communicated and most employers look for people who have shown an ability to do research and also to publish it. Developing writing skills should therefore be considered a must in college.
The main thing is -- if you want to be a herpetologist, try it! The study of animal biology can be a continuing interest and challenge for the rest of your life, and it will serve you well no matter what career you ultimately choose."

kayla