Re: Do zoologist get to work personally with the animals?

Dear Jaime,
The easy answer to your questions is that there are a lot of different 
careers in zoology, and you can probably find exactly what you want in 
one of them (including working hands-on with animals).  The hard 
answer is that you will have to do some work to find out about 
different careers and opportunities.  Fortunately, you're starting out 
early, and you'll have plenty of time to figure this out!

Here are some ideas to get you started.  You can get all kinds of 
experience working with animals by volunteering in different places.  
Yes, you'd probably rather get paid, but sometimes that's really 
difficult when you're starting out.  (Several people I know took one job 
they didn't like but which paid well, and volunteered at another job 
working with animals, just until they could start in the paid jobs 
working with animals.)  Your local veterinary clinic may be happy to 
have you stop by on certain days to help with paperwork and feeding 
animals that are staying overnight.  Zoos are often in need of people 
to help clean the animals' cages, and maybe even to do 
observations of animals, if you have the time to spend learning to do 
animal behavior observations.  There may be similar volunteer 
positions at local nature centers, or state and national parks.  These 
are not the most fun jobs, but they can get your foot in the door.  You'll 
be able to list this experience on your resume, which will make you 
more competitive for jobs, and you will also be meeting people who 
will know about job availability and may be able to recommend you 
for positions.  (By the way, you shouldn't just take my word for all of 
this--ask everyone you know--high-school biology teachers, career 
counselors, naturalists at local parks, the volunteer supervior at the 
zoo, your vet etc.)

When you start college, you should actively pursue whatever 
opportunities are available to you.  Go to the professors who are 
doing interesting work and tell them you want to get involved.  Again, 
they may start you out washing dishes, but if you impress them with 
your initiative and dedication, you'll work your way to something more 
interesting and challenging.  You also don't have to limit yourself to 
opportunities at your own college.  There are lots of opportunities at 
other colleges and at field stations during the summer.  You might be 
able to take a course, or work for someone on their research project.  
I was really lucky to find out that these opportunities existed early on, 
and I went to three different locations to do biology research during 
the four summers of my college career.  Again, if money is an issue, 
many of these places have scholarships available.  An example is 
the Southwestern Research Station of the American Museum of 
Natural History (http://research.amnh.org/swrs/), which provides 
housing at no cost, if you spend part of your time doing "routine 
chores."  The rest of your time you can spend assisting others with 
their zoological research.  There is also a nice field station in 
Minnesota (biosci.cbs.umn.edu/itasca/)  Find other field stations at  
http://www.obfs.org/. And you 
don't have to go to a field station.  Also, locate the biology-related jobs 
bulletin board at your college, and check it regularly.  There will be 
folks advertising for assistants to help them do everything from watch 
birds at their nests to analyze dolphin vocalizations or conduct 
paternity tests on cougars in the lab.

Because there are so many interesting opportunities outside your 
college, I don't think it is crucial for you to choose the "right" college.  
You should choose the best college you can get into that has good 
general (liberal arts) programs, including, but not limited to biology.  I 
emphasize the liberal arts aspect of the education because I recently 
heard a woman who is the head of conservation research at a major 
zoo say that one of the most important qualifications she looks for in 
her students and employees is writing ability!  Yes, she wants them 
to like animals, and know a lot of zoology, but she also needs them to 
be able to communicate their knowledge through writing (and she'd 
probably also like them to be good at math and a variety of other 
skills too).  So don't limit yourself too much too early.  

Once you've got that B.A. or B.S. and some summer experience, you'll 
have a MUCH better idea of 1) what you want to do, 2) what you're 
capable of doing and 3) what skills/experiences/degrees/etc. you'll 
have to have to do that job.  It may turn out that you need a graduate 
degree so that you learn a lot about research skills and can get a job 
at a university, wildlife conservation institute or zoo.  It may turn out 
that you're not interested in research per se, but that you just want to 
work with animals in any capacity, and you'll want to get a job as a 
zoo keeper, where you'll be in charge of the health and well-being of a 
few animals, and spend a lot of time with them day in and day out.  Or 
it may turn out that you have terrific skills in politics, and you decide 
that the best way you can help animals is to become president of the 
U.S., or director of a major conservation agency.  

Another web site that may help with your pursuits is that of the Animal 
Behavior Society (www.animalbehavior.org/ABS).  They have 
information about graduate programs and careers in animal 
behavior.  You might also learn more from the American  Zoo and 
Aquarium Association (http://www.aza.org/) and the American 
Veterinary Medical Association (http://www.avma.org/).  

Good luck, and have fun!!
Andrea Bixler