National Park Service

Education

A four -year degree in biological sciences or higher degree including biology, botany, wildlife management, and zoology.

You would be a great wildlife biologist if you:

• love the great outdoors and wildlife in general
• are ready to hike on various surfaces in adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow, heat, and cold
• are physically fit, and able to lift up to 50 pounds
• Enjoy scientific experiments and data collection

What You Do

Wildlife biologists guide park managers and interpreters on how to conserve species, populations, and habitats. They collect scientific data in the field and in the office, and identify problems and issues. For example, at Crater Lake National Park, the wildlife biologists trapped and released black bears to study their overall health and hibernation patterns in 2012. Wildlife biologists write reports on their data, as well as inform senior-level management on how to conserve species.