This rewarding career will allow you to work in a productive way to help conserve our threatened wildlife. Conservation Officers are generally employed by government agencies. In some countries, this role may also be called Game Warden or Wildlife Conservation Officer. In the US, you may work for the US Fish & Wildlife Service or in Australia, the Department of Environment.
This role can vary by title. Some examples are:
- Wildlife Conservation Officer
- Nature Conservation Officer
- Biodiversity Officer
- Sustainability Development Officer
Tasks
The tasks that are carries out by a wildlife conservation officer can vary from job to job, but may involve any (or all) of the following:
- Survey and Assess wildlife habitats (land and/or aquatic)
- Determine threats or problems facing wildlife
- Devise options for responding to problems
- Develop goals for both short and long term management
- Present proposed actions developed for wildlife conservation and management
- Study factors that impact upon wildlife well being and sustainability (eg. ecosystems, climate, environmental degradation, animal demographics, soil conditions, water, etc)
- Develop conservation and management
- Educate the public to raise awareness of wildlife management
- Wildlife rescue, breeding and release into the wild
- Enforce laws that apply to wildlife and wildlife habitats.
Career Pathways
Which ever pathway you choose it is greatly beneficial to undertake volunteer work in conservation while you are studying. This will provide you with valuable experience and a network of contacts for future employment.