Do you love animals and are interested in working with them and preserving their natural habitat?
If you are, you should consider a career as a wildlife manager. Wildlife managers are responsible for overseeing research, dealing with problematic animals, and maintaining their habitat.
Wildlife managers work for conservation organizations and government agencies to handle public land. They keep track of the animal populations on the land, supervise hunting and ensure that the habitat is suitable for the wildlife population.
In this article, we will be exploring the job description, duties, and requirements of a wildlife manager.
Let’s get started.
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What Is a Wildlife Manager?
Wildlife managers are responsible for managing and protecting the wildlife in their area. They focus on the management of different kinds of species in a given ecosystem.
From their lifecycles and movement patterns, these professionals have sound knowledge of managing different species and carry out their tasks in a variety of ways including risk management, data tracking, and care.
Wildlife managers also have a great understanding of different science subjects. This includes ecology, husbandry, and hydrology.
While they oversee the safety and health of wildlife, they keep track of animal populations, develop effective plans for wildlife management, and ensure the preservation of the habitat and food supply of wildlife threatened by human activities.
Wildlife managers also respond to requests for aid and information about wildlife and provide guidance about wildlife-related laws and legislation.
If they (wildlife managers) have any findings on their research, they must be able to effectively communicate them with the public, other scientists, and policymakers through detailed reports or presentations.
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Wildlife Manager Responsibilities
Wildlife managers have quite a number of responsibilities. They take crucial steps to ensure that animal populations are well maintained. In the case where an animal is threatened, they work to preserve its habitat and food supply. They also ensure that hunting is conducted in the healthiest way to protect the hunted animal population.
If you are employed by the local, state, or federal government to work as a wildlife manager, one of your primary tasks would be to manage local parks, forests, and fishing areas.
You will ensure that wild animals maintain healthy population sizes and live in healthy habitats. This means that you will make sure that certain species do not grow too large in number or run the risk of becoming extinct.
Protecting habitats may involve the management of wildlife sanctuaries and refuges. You will also the responsible for enforcing set policies to ensure that local wildlife is not endangered or threatened by visitors and serve as an advisor for new environmental or wildlife regulations.
As part of their responsibilities, they oversee the maintenance and staffing of local parks and fishing and hunting areas.
Wildlife manager jobs are demanding because they are often conducted outdoors where they have to battle with the unreliability of wild animals and adverse weather conditions.
What Kind of Jobs Can I Find As A Wildlife Manager?
Wildlife management is a very broad field and if you are interested in it, you can pursue a career as a wildlife biologist, forester, park manager, conservation scientist, or gamekeeper. You can decide to specialize in any location of your choice like forests or wetlands where you can carry out your duties.
Wildlife managers also have the option to focus on preserving and protecting environments for local animals or plant species.
As a wildlife manager, you can find employment at independent conservation organizations or local, state, or federal government agencies.
Statistics show that 71% of all conservation scientists work for the government and others work with social advocacy organizations and professional, scientific, and technical services (source: U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Wildlife Manager Salary
Wildlife manager careers are projected to have a growth rate described as “as fast as average” at 6% from 2018 through 2028, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also, the projected number of opportunities that are predicted to become available for a wildlife manager by 2028 is 3,700.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report in 2020, most fish and game wardens earned from $44,250 to $81,960 per year. Zoologists and wildlife biologists reflected a general salary range of $52,630 to $106,320 per year in 2020.
On average, wildlife managers earn about $37.06 an hour, which makes the wildlife manager’s annual salary $77,089.
Additionally, wildlife managers are known to earn anywhere from $43,000 to $136,000 per year. This means that the top-earning wildlife managers make $85,000 more than the lowest-earning ones.
Wildlife Manager Requirements
Most jobs in the conservation sciences field which includes wildlife management are held with the state or Federal government, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, whether a person is employed by the government or a private agency, the educational requirements are the same.
If you are interested in pursuing a carer as a wildlife manager, you require a bachelor’s degree in an environmental or wildlife field.
You can do a bachelor’s program in environmental sciences, natural resource management, biology, conservation, or forestry to prepare you for the various disciplines within a wildlife management career.
Most programs provide you with the opportunity to concentrate your studies on a specific aspect of the field like fisheries or forestry.
If you are interested in pursuing a career as a conservation scientist or researcher, a master’s and doctoral degree would be helpful and ideal for you. The postgraduate study also qualifies you for teaching positions at elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels.
Additionally, candidates must be physically fit to qualify for these programs. Some positions require applicants to undergo and pass a physical fitness fit.
Some Related Alternative Careers To Wildlife Managers
There are careers similar to wildlife managers. These include forest and conservation workers, zoologists, and wildlife biologists.
Forest and conservation workers typically need a high school diploma or equivalent. These professionals help improve the quality and overall health of forests and protect natural resources.
Zoologists and wildlife biologists require at minimum a bachelor’s degree. To improve employment prospects and go higher in their career, they often obtain a graduate degree. They are responsible for studying animals’ interactions within their ecosystems and how society impacts these animals and their environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are The Three Main Aims Of Wildlife Management?
The main purposes for managing wildlife are;
conservation, preservation, consumption, and non-consumption goals.
What Are The Basic Wildlife Requirements?
Air, water, and food are the basic necessities. To roam around and look for prey, they also need space. Protection from predators and rivals also requires shelter. Conservation, preservation, use for human consumption, and non-use goals are all included in wildlife management.
What Are The Types Of Wildlife Management?
There are two types of wildlife management:
- Manipulative management
- Custodial management is preventive or protective.
What Is The Purpose Of Wildlife Management?
The purpose of wildlife management is to maintain populations of wild animals at levels consistent with the best interest of wildlife and the public.
What Are The 5 Eras Of Wildlife Management?
What Are The Elements Of Wildlife Management?
The management of wildlife considers ecological principles like the carrying capacity of the habitat, habitat preservation and control, reforestation, predator control, reintroduction of extinct species, capture and reallocation of abundant species, and management of desirable or undesirable species.
What Is Wildlife Management Plan?
A proper management plan outlines the short- and long-term objectives as well as the methods for achieving them through modifying habitats, wildlife populations, and human populations.
What Are The Five Main Methods Of Wildlife Management?
Methods of Wildlife Conservation:
• Protection of natural habitats
• Maintenance of the viable number of species in protected areas
• Establishment of Biosphere Reserves,
• Protection through legislation
• Imposing restrictions on the export of rare plant and animal species and their products
Is Wildlife Management Necessary?
By conserving wildlife, we’re ensuring that future generations can enjoy our natural world and the incredible species that live within it. Understanding how different species interact within their ecosystems and how the environment and humans affect them can assist to safeguard wildlife.
How Can We Manage Our Wildlife Resources?
Here are 5 ways.
- Plant native species.
- Help the zoo or aquarium.
- Make your yard a wildlife haven.
- Avoid harmful chemicals.
- Pick up trash.
What Are The Basic Wildlife Requirements?
The main three needs are – Air, water, and food. Space is also needed to move around in search of their prey. Shelter is another need for protection against predators and competitors.
Conclusion
Wildlife managers perform a number of duties. These include acting as law enforcement officers and advisors for new environmental or wildlife regulations. As a wildlife manager, you are responsible for monitoring animals and preserving their habitats.
Wildlife management is a physically demanding job and it’s crucial that you be in good shape. You will find it really interesting if you have a preference for the outdoors, as that is where the work primarily takes place.
A bachelor’s degree in environmental studies or any related field is the minimum education requirement to practice.
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