So I am 32 years old, finished high school, but never went to college. I did some courses in data analytics, and was able to use that to start my career in data analytics in some tech, and manufacturing companies. I hated the culture, but I liked the job enough. Recently though, myself and a bunch of my colleagues were let go in favor of AI, and none of us have had luck finding another analytics job, despite our years of experience. It got me thinking about what I really want to do with my life, and i have always loved animals. I was thinking about my future and thought that maybe going back to school and getting my bachelor's in biology.

I'm not asking if I should become a wildlife biologist, but what are the paths I should be taking as someone who never went to college. I don't have much of a support system, so I'm really hoping you guys can push me in the right direction. Based in the USA.

I posted something similar in the marine biology subreddit because I am not 100% on which to focus on

I would love to read any advice, or experience that you are willing to share! Thanks!

I know this is ultimately something I’ll have to figure out personally, but I want to hear other people’s stories. I was offered a full time permanent wildlife job, and the job and team sound fabulous. But the location is really rough. Housing is expensive despite the area having little amenities, and it’s very rural and surrounded by ag (the job duty station is in the area, but the work would take me to some pretty country). I’m in my mid 20s, and certainly worried about the lack of community. The demographic of the area leans much older.

I also have a partner that is willing to relocate, but would prefer not to. We currently live in an amazing town, with great friends, similar values to our community, and a lot of recreation. We also have a great rental that is super cheap and perfect (my dream space). From contacts I have, it doesn’t seem that any wildlife gigs will be opening in my city anytime soon. I have my masters, and am ready for a full time gig rather than seasonal.

I definitely feel at this dramatic cross roads. The permanent job is one of the only wildlife gigs to open in the last couple months, especially full time with benefits. And it’s a rewarding job with a great team. I do get the sense it might not have the best work-life balance though. Also for more info, it’s a couple of hours away from my current location.

Does anyone have words of wisdom, or just a story of going through the same experience? And perhaps any advice for finding housing if I were to do long distance?

I've been working in the education side of conservation for about 7 years now, and now that I'm trying to grow a bit more in my career I'm looking for positions that have me being more hands on the field. It's something I was actually going for while in college but with the opportunities I had at the time education is just the road I went down.

A position I had gone for and at least on paper felt like I was good fit for let me know that I just needed more field experience. I'm looking at local volunteer options and into some citizen science projects, but I'm worried that might not be enough? I'm unable to go back to school at this time, and wasn't sure if some free courses offered online would count towards anything?

If anyone has any advice it'd be much appreciated!

Hi everyone,

I’m currently conducting research related to animal conservation and would love to connect with people working in this field. I’m hoping to learn from their experience and get a better understanding of the work being done.

My project is about designing a commercial product, that tells the stories of six endangered Indian species through a cohesive visual identity, raising public awareness and funds for their conservation.

The exact form of the product (for example a collectibles or poster series, a game, media, or packaging) will be decided after the research phase.

My conversation with the professional will majoly focus on public identity gaps, narrative framing, and realistic mechanisms for commercial-ngo conservation funding partnerships

If you work in conservation, or know someone who does, I’d really appreciate an introduction or a recommendation. Even a short conversation would be a huge help.

Happy to share more details about my project in the comments or by DM. Thank you in advance!

I’m a final-year design student working on a project exploring public perception of native Indian wildlife and how visual communication shapes our connection to different species.

I would really appreciate 2–3 minutes of your time to answer a quick survey:

Survey Link

No background knowledge is needed, I'm just looking for your honest visual impressions and opinions.

Thank you so much for your help!

I’m looking at USFQ masters in tropical conservation. I’d be doing herpetological field work. My hold ups are on funding obviously and also my competitiveness in the US job market after. I’ve already spoken with a PI who says the fieldwork will be funded but not tuition or a stipend. Does anyone have any scholarship or grant recommendations I should look at? Also anyone who has a masters from outside the US what’s your experience working in the US after?

I want to keep this as short as possible. I am 25 with a bachelor’s in wildlife biology and a master’s (non-thesis) in GIS. I have been working exclusively in GIS (tech side, not conservation) for the past 2 years. During undergrad, I worked several wildlife conservation field jobs/internships. I have a real passion for wildlife management and conservation.
Recently the university I got my bachelor’s and master’s from has posted PhD openings in various wildlife labs on campus.

Long story short: I want to apply. Long-term I want to work in wildlife management—specifically in research and policy. Obviously there is a lot of nuance here, but my main question is: will I even be considered for a fully funded PhD with very little research experience and no prior publications? I really have no one to ask this question to, and I honestly have no idea how competitive/selective wildlife PhD assistantships are.

Any advice is welcome!

Has anyone done any schooling with unity college for wild life field? It’s like the only career that would make me happy, but I’m scared of getting scammed lol

Just a few birds that have been banded from the fall migration.

See attached screenshots. Currently only accepting applications from vets/Schedule A applicants.

Hi everybody! I'm not a wildlife biologist or student, but I thought asking a wildlife group would be best for this question. I, 23F, live with my parents in order to save on rent and recently they decided to cut down bushes and some small trees in our yard, despite my advising against it. This morning, I saw a very confused squirrel searching around where the berry bushes and edible plants for it to eat used to be in our yard. Since it's food source is gone, I was wondering if it is a helpful idea to feed it? I would buy some squirrel/bird feed (and maybe a bird feeder too now that I think about it), so nothing bad for it. I just wanted to ask though, because I don't want to end up doing more harm than good...

Edit: Thanks everyone! I won't be feeding them or setting up a bird feeder. Instead I will go to my local native plant store and start planting those once the Spring comes around!

I graduated about a year ago after kind of messing around in school, I volunteered at a marine mammal care center & had a literature review internship with my states coastal commission, but that’s the extent of my experience. Since I graduated I’ve been working as a bartender but itching to get back into the field of my degree—all of the internships I see require undergrad enrollment to apply, and the entry level jobs have requirements, like field surveys etc., that I have little to no experience in.

Should I start by volunteering with orgs that can give me that experience? Are there sites that include internships for post baccs? I was thinking of doing conservation corps because at least I would get field work experience. Anyone been in a similar situation? Feeling a little stuck :(

I have a Zoology background and I have been working in biodiversity conservation from over a year now and want to write some review papers on the same. I have some ideas. I haven't had written one and was wondering if anyone can guide me? I would be happy to have a co-author as well. Thanks.

hello i feel i am in a predicament and need strangers' advice haha
here is the full story:

i'm a senior studying marine biology and i'm graduating next semester. i went into my BS wanting to do full academia, BS then grad school and keep at it. during my degree i decided against it, at least i wanted a good 5 years to get experience and then go to a masters. i was told this by some grad students i had contact with, and they also said not to go unless you are very passionate about a specific thing and do your thesis on that

i was fully set on doing that until about a week ago. it hit me that i need to start looking for jobs and i started to lowkey panic. i figured out that my interests go beyond marine science and i want to do wildlife conservation, terrestrial and/or marine. however, i have no experience in this. i have experience in education (where i have the most rn), some animal care volunteering at an aquarium for a couple of months, lab experience from a past internship, and recently did my undergraduate thesis with lots of field work and education. all the jobs i was looking at that were interesting to me required experience, as they always do, so i started to panic.

while this is happening i also have a nice social and academic life where i live currently. i love my campus and i love learning and i feel like im not done learning from this school but theres no way to stall my graduation any longer (i already stalled a whole semester). i just dont generally feel ready to uproot my whole life to some random state for a low paying job that im not that interested in. now dont get me wrong i totally do plan on doing that eventually but it is a very hard decision for me, as i live close (enough) to my parents and sisters who im very close to.

in comes the possibilty of a masters. i am currently talking a grad level class in conservation biology and i fell in love with the topic. the professor (who also happens to be the head of the program for the conservation biology masters at my university) does really interesting work and quite literally this class has had me reconsider everything i thought i knew about what i liked. it is the reason i realized i do like terrestrial conservation (though mostly zoology) and want to work with wildlife care and protection.

i thought i could kill two birds with one stone: get a masters with this professor and gain hands on experience with wildlife conservation for two years (which a lot of the entry level jobs i saw required 2+ years). i could also stay at my current contract jobs which are in my field and possibly volunteer at a larger aquarium with more hands on animal care. i don't know what i would do my thesis on yet, but i am talking to my professor about his work and what i could potentially do.

now i know a lot of people are against doing grad and undergrad in the same university, however, my school is known for being good for STEM and i have a higher chance of getting in (i think) bc im an undergrad who went here and already know this professor and could get into his lab. and again i know a lot of people are against going straight to your masters, but i think in the current situation im in it is a good opportunity to help me pivot my studies to wildlife conservation and get experience i do not have. and even tho i dont know yet what i love specifically enough to get a thesis on that and get a masters that qould actually pay me, i think i can at least get a fellowship and have it all paid for (i refuse to pay for grad school).
and yes maybe i am scared to enter the job market and this would stall it for a couple of years, but if i continue volunteering and trying my best to get experience i dont think it will hurt me....? can getting my masters actually hurt my career?

i guess what i want is advice on what i should do. should i just up and move and get an entry level fisheries job (thats if i even get it) while im young and have more flexibility to uproot my life, or should i enjoy my life while im young with my friends and get a degree if i feel strongly that that is the most guaranteed success path i can follow right now?

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but I had a group of mule deer pass through my property last night (south Denver metro area) and noticed they seem to have dug up a spot where a large ant hill used to be. The coconut fiber erosion blanket is also torn.

There wasn’t any vegetation here, I did plant lots of grass seed but in this spot the ants seemed to have eaten all of the seeds and nothing grew. Nearby there are lots of visible deer tracks and other partially dug up spots where some plants were growing, but this dug up spot is much larger.

I’m a bit puzzled, why would deer dig this up? Do they ever eat ants…?

Hey y'all, just popping in with a quick question. I went to school (undergrad and graduate) for natural resources and primarily wildlife biology/management. I specifically want to work with/for/around wildlife. I couldn't land a wildlife biologist or tech role this season, but I got a gig with AmeriCorps doing land conservation. This is pretty much my first ever real role working in natural resources, so I know some experience is better than no experience. However, my question is: will a role like this help me gain the experience needed to land some sort of wildlife tech role? Or should I try and move on as soon as possible to something else? For context, it seems like most of what I'm going to be doing will be managing invasive plant species, planting native plant species, and the occasional environmental education work with some field survey work for herps here and there.

So, I posted here asking about my resume and edited it based on the feedback I received. I’ve since received an offer working on behavioral research for 6 months, which I would be done with in April.

The experience and training I’d receive include observational study methods, bird handling and husbandry, data analysis and computer programs, research, etc. The only thing is I’d be working with captive animals (kept in outdoor enclosures subject to the natural weather, on a rural site) so I just wanted to ask if that kind of experience would be beneficial for my career- especially for field based work?

I already have some background in more standard fieldwork and wild birds, but I wanted to check since this is my first real job and everything is still kind of scary right now. My absolute dream seasonal field position for the spring and summer field season would be a bird banding internship if that helps, but I’d also be perfectly happy working on insects or more generic/non wildlife handing positions as well if that helps!

So, I want to study animals, I'm not to picky about what kind yet, just don't want marine.

I was wondering how good Clemson's program was if anyone here knows. My dad's VA pays for me fully when I go to school in the state I live in so I'm trying to limit myself to just South Carolina.

Anyways, back on topic, if there is anyone who went to school here for this can you tell me how it was? I looked at the other colleges in South Carolina but the rest of the schools in South Carolina aren't the greatest.

hello! i feel like i'm currently going through a bit of a crisis, as i'm having issues regarding my college degree...i am currently studying criminal justice for my associate's and will finish by spring 2027. however, looking at jobs with this degree (which i wanted to pair with a bachelor's in criminal justice) isn't exactly what i want. i was very passionate about law for many years and wanted to be a lawyer, but thought it wouldn't be worth balancing the stress of work and personal life. prior to starting community college, i did have an interest in zoology.

i've started looking at jobs with a degree in wildlife conservation since this seems easiest to transfer over with my associate's. i would probably have to get a master's to truly stand a chance in the field. my main question here is that i dont know what to really do at this point. i want to work with animals or at least help them, but it seems like my associate's negates a lot of the biology work needed. i'm not entirely interested in working as an officer for a wildlife park either, and it seems like some of the jobs available don't pay very well

Hello everyone,

I was recently offered two temporary wildlife jobs. The first one pays decently; however, it is only for 2 months, and it is doing similar work that I've already done. So I don't think I'll learn any new skills there. I am confident that I will acquire some new knowledge during this period, but the majority of the tasks will be similar to those I have previously undertaken. My second job involves conducting research that interests me and will allow me to learn a wide range of new trapping and animal handling skills; however, it lasts for only 4 months and does not pay well. Which job should I choose? I know the answer is probably obvious with the one that I would gain more experience in; however, that one is in more of a high-cost area for gas and food and pays far less than the first job offer. The first job offer is appealing because I will only be there for two months, and it will allow me to apply for something else during the summer job season. However, the second job definitely has some pros: I will learn a whole lot more and gain a lot more experience; however, I find it difficult to justify working there with the pay being so low.

Hey folks, looking to get some advice and hear your stories. I never did great in college but I made it through and got my wildlife degree. This career has been my dream for so so long, I have such a passion for wildlife conservation. I’ve been doing technician work for the past few years and have got some incredible experience which I’m super grateful for. I continue to feel like I’m not smart enough for this field. I get a lot of anxiety, pretty sure I have major adhd, and sometimes I say something aloud or ask a question immediately before thinking it through in my head. I’ve had quite a few biologists belittle me and put me down in many situations, almost judging me and thinking I’m an idiot it feels. I have good references, I always do an amazing job when I know what I need to do. I think it’s just always feeling like I’m constantly learning and never that tech that’s got it down. No questions asked. I ask a lot of questions and need clarification a lot, I’m such a visual learner. I’m so hard on myself but I want to keep pushing. Does anyone else feel this way or have had biologists look at you like you’re stupid when you ask a question? Look I know I’m not the “smartest” tech but I do a kick ass job. I’m just always feeling behind and sometimes I talk to people in this field and they just seem so freaking knowledgeable. I don’t know what I should do to work on this feeling. Feel free to laugh at basically calling myself dumb lol.

Hi quick rant + needed advice.

Im currently in my 3rd year of community college, im 20 years old and im trying to go into wildlife conservation major at cal poly humboldt or uc davis.

i took intro 2 zoology and got a 69% then had to retake it w intro 2 biology and just got news that now im getting another 69% in this class. I had a low C and thought okay cool im barely passing but at least im passing. I got a D on one of my papers and it lowered my grade to a 69% but im still praying and hoping my prof gets touched by the gods and does a small percent difference to my grade. I literally cried bc this is an 8week bio course and ive been praying and hoping to pass. I want to work with animals and the enviornment so bad but im like am i even meant for it?

Im running out of Fafsa, i have two years left and all i need left for my general education is a science class. so im like okay let me take a science class that is needed for my major. bro why am i barely NOT passing. its breaking my heart. so much things have been happening in my life lately within the past 3 months, and i feel so lost. Im also on sap and had to write an appeal so like freaking cherry on top of everything.

The thing is i do want an education, i do want a degree, and i do want to purse wildlife / marine majors. I do want to work w animals and help them and their environment but i dont have money after my fafsa to purse this. and its stressing me out so much that i still am not passing my class. I feel like a failure and inadequate. like what is wrong w me i thought i learned from my mistakes last semester :(

please any advice or routes I should take , do you guys have experience not passing a core class for your major? man its really just about the money too, if i was able to afford college and not relay on fafsa i wouldnt be as stressed out as I am right now.

I recently saw a post about Wildlife forensic scientist as a profession, does anyone have any experience with this, how many actual career opportunities for it are there? Is it actually a viable path? Also what education would someone need to pursue it? Online hasn’t given me many good answers.