BE A SPONGE

When I was young, I read a lot of books. I loved Edgar Rice Burrough's Tarzan, In The Shadow of Man and other books by Jane Goodall, and any books on animal intelligence and behavior. There are countless books you can read that will help you to determine which animals and in what direction you would like to focus. There are also magazines, especially those put out by conservation organizations like National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, and the Wildlife Conservation Society. These magazines and organizations can inform you on many issues related to the environment, conservation and animals. And, there is the internet of course. There are many great informative websites, some associated with those very same and other conservation organizations. Busch Gardens and SeaWorld have excellent sites as well...including the Animal Information Database which you are currently visiting. You should be able to find any general information you want from these sources.

GET EXPERIENCE (IT'S EASIER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK)

Now, lets explore how you might actually get some hands-on experience. Before I was old enough to have a real job, I volunteered or paid for a special experience -- like helping out at a horse stable or adopting rescued animals.  I would definitely recommend volunteering at a local animal care or rescue facility, stable, kennel, veterinary office or humane society. They are often in need of people to feed, clean, exercise and socialize with animals. Other places to look would be in your local paper – there is usually a section for volunteers needed, jobs offered and special events in the neighborhood. Many times there are organized events to help restore a park, clean-up a waterfront, or get involved in caring for or rescuing wildlife in your city. It doesn’t matter if you can’t work with the species in which you are most interested at first, it’s good experience in any case.

GO TO SCHOOL

School is a great way to prepare for a future with animals. There are programs for everything from animal training to wildlife conservation. I went to Moorpark College, which has a two year program in Exotic Animal Training and Management, with their own teaching zoo on campus. That way, I was able to get both academic coursework and a lot of actual experience. In the program, I worked with everything from ducks to lions, mule deer to elephants! Many, many colleges have excellent programs focusing on a particular species or group of animals, like Dr. Lou Herman’s work with dolphins at the University of Hawaii at Manoa or Duke University’s Primate Center. Check with your school counselor for specific information in your area of interest.

DO NOT LIMIT YOURSELF

There are an infinite number of choices for working close to animals, but for most of them it takes a special aptitude and lots of hard work. What else are you good at and interested in besides loving animals? Writing? You could write books, scripts or articles about animals. Photography? All those animals shows need videographers, and books and magazines need top quality photos. Computers? Most conservation organizations, zoos, aquariums and universities have websites that need constant upgrading with new and interesting approaches. Do you like teaching or doing research? Instructing others and finding answers to questions in animal behavior, communication, and conservation are popular areas of study. Do you like performing in front of people or just plain love people as much as animals? Many animal training jobs include public performance and/or guest interaction. Do you like to travel? Safari and adventure tour operators and guides get a chance to experience the great wilderness areas with their clients. And of course there is always a need for dedicated people in veterinary medicine, animal rescue and rehabilitation.