What exactly is a......?

Question

what exactly is a zoologist?
what do they do?
do they actually get to be around animals?
i want to be one i think but i dont' know. and if i dont' know if i do i don't know what i would do and its really really troubling me because i only have this year and next year to decide.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Well, I'm a zoologist so I'll answer to the best of my ability :-)

A zoologist is any biologist who has specialized in the study of animals; and their research may be focused in one specific taxonomic group (may be a high-level group such as all the carnivorans, for example, or a small-level group such as a subfamily or tribe of coleopterans...), or he/she may be more of an ecologist and study the interaction of several species in comunities or ecosystems.
So, some zoologists specialize in a group of animals. Yet others specialize in a certain type of research or analysis, and they apply this methodology to many different animals (for example: functional anatomy, which can be studied in any animal from snails to elephants).
There are many things you can do as a zoologist; your choice will probably be influenced by personal preferences but also by the availability of the materials you study, or the existence of research groups where you can participate.

Yes, you do get to be around animals. I'm not a field zoologist and I work mostly with skeletons and muscles of dead specimens, but many zoologists do a lot of field work and get to be around both wild and captive animals.

I hope this helps. Feel free to contact me if there's something else you want to know.
I'll also star this question; there are a few zoologists among my contacts and I'm sure they can provide their own perspectives :-)

Answer 2

Unless you are getting ready to finish your Ph. D. research, you have more than a couple of years to decide.

A zoologist is a scientist who works with animals. Within that field, there are many specialties. Generally, you do not specialize that much until you are doing graduate work.

Once you get to college, you will have to take the same courses as everyone else for the first year or two. That will give you the opportunity to change your mind or to decide on a specialty. Some of these specialties may have you out in the field; some keep you in the laboratory or in a museum. Even if you don't want to go into zoology, a zoology major will prepare you for other fields.

Answer 3

zoologists study animals;how they are made,their sturture,their composition and how they react to their environment.there are many kinds of zoologists.like herpetology,ornithology,ichtyology etc.

yes,they spend nearly all their lives living and working around animals.they live in every part of the world where the animal they want to study about lives.they catch specimens of it and study them.

zoology is a hard path.you may want to rethink about it.you see,they actually get close to nature...exposingthemselves to unexpected dangers of nature and animals.like venomous snakes and hingry crocodiles.it's a difficult life.you still have time to think about it.

just love animals.you don't need to be a herpetologist to observe and love animals.

i hope i helped!