Careers In Wildlife Rehabilitation
Careers in Wildlife Rehabilitation
The majority of wildlife rehabilitation professionals are state and federally permitted volunteers. There are other opportunities to work in wildlife rehabilitation as a paying career. Typically, these positions are available through wildlife rehabilitation facilities or larger organizations such as a zoo or aquarium. In the public sector, state and federal agencies may work with threatened or endangered species; but they primarily focus on broader fields of study utilizing staff trained as wildlife biologists, wildlife management and/or conservation. The most obvious group of professionals is those working directly in a wildlife rehabilitation facility. While rehabilitators generally work in private clinics or as part of a larger institution (such as a zoo, aquarium or museum), public agencies at the state and federal levels oversee, inspect, and advise clinics. Many facilities also employ educators to work with non-releasable wildlife in public programs.
If you are interested in a career in wildlife rehabilitation, you can gain some valuable experience by volunteering to work with a wildlife rehabilitator or at a wildlife rehabilitation facility.
Some of the job positions that may be available at a facility include:
- Wildlife Rehabilitator
- Wildlife Outreach Education Director
- Executive Director
- Volunteer Coordinator
- Veterinarian
- Veterinary Technician
- Fundraising Development
If you are considering a career in wildlife rehabilitation, some educational fields of study might include:
- Wildlife Biology
- Wildlife Conservation
- Wildlife Management
- Ornithology
- Zoology
- Wildlife Ecology
- Mammology
- Conservation Biology
