Wildlife Manager
OFO No:
What is a Wildlife Manager?
A Wildlife Manager’s number one job and responsibility is to ensure that wild animals (including aquatic) maintain healthy populations sizes.
A Wildlife Manager will work really hard to make sure numbers don’t get too large and/or rare or endangered species number grow.
Wildlife Managers can work in game parks, forests, deserts or in any location where wildlife management needs to take place.
What does a Wildlife Manager do?
- collects data and samples
- researches and analyses data
- captures animals for darting and to take biological samples eg blood
- tracks animals
- monitors and documents animal behaviour (eg reproduction, eating, migratory patterns)
- enforces laws
- develops effective management plans
- serves as advisors to government, environmental agencies, educational institutions etc
- plans, creates and manages sanctuaries (sometimes)
Are you . . . ?
- passionate about the outdoors?
- interested in conservation?
- willing to work in all weather conditions?
- inquisitive?
- practical?
- hard working?
- fit and strong?
- willing to work in remote places?
How do I become a Wildlife Manager?
Wildlife Managers often have qualifications in a related field, such as biology, forestry, environmental science, or ecology.
There a quite few other paths you can take.
Here are just a few examples:
- WILDLIFE CENTRE FOR WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT (University of Pretoria)
- WILDLIFE CAMPUS
- CONSERVATION ACADEMY
- SOUTHERN AFRICAN WILDLIFE COLLEGE
- SAWMA: The Southern African Wildlife Management Association
TRAINING:
- CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you to see what they offer.
- Make sure you understand their entry requirements for each course.
- To avoid scams, make sure your institution is registered with the Department of Higher Education.
- CLICK HERE to check accredited Private Higher Education Institutions.
OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Ornithologist … or … Forester
Is becoming a Wildlife Manager the right career choice for me?