What this life looks like
You study animals in their natural habitat to understand and protect them. Wildlife Biologists investigate the behaviour, ecology, population dynamics, and conservation needs of wild animals — from lion prides on the Serengeti to forest elephants in the Congo to whale sharks in the Indian Ocean. In Africa, with the world's greatest remaining large mammal diversity, wildlife biology is both scientifically extraordinary and urgently necessary.
What she actually does
You design and conduct field studies of animal populations, use GPS tracking, camera traps, acoustic monitoring, and direct observation to study wildlife, analyse population data to assess conservation status, investigate threats including poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict, advise on wildlife management and protected area design, work with communities on coexistence strategies, and communicate wildlife science to managers, policymakers, and the public.
Where you can work
| Sector | Places in Africa |
|---|---|
| National Parks | SANParks (SA), KWS (Kenya), Tanzania TANAPA, Botswana DWNP — national wildlife management bodies |
| Conservation NGOs | African Wildlife Foundation, Panthera, Cheetah Conservation Fund, Save the Elephants, WCS Africa |
| Research Stations | Mpala Research Centre (Kenya), Gorongosa National Park Research (Mozambique), Ol Pejeta Conservancy research |
| Universities | Wildlife biology and zoology departments at African universities — research and teaching roles |
Why it matters in Africa
Africa contains the world's last great populations of lions, elephants, gorillas, wild dogs, and hundreds of other iconic and ecologically vital species. Poaching, habitat loss, climate change, and human-wildlife conflict are all reducing wildlife populations. Wildlife biologists who can provide the science needed to address these threats — and who understand both the ecology of African species and the human communities they share landscapes with — are indispensable.
Your pathway in
- Study Zoology, Wildlife Biology, Ecology, or Conservation Science at university
- Gain extensive field experience: time in the field with animals is irreplaceable and most wildlife biology careers require years of fieldwork
- Build technical skills: GPS tracking data analysis, camera trap management, GIS, and population modelling are core tools
- Connect with the African Wildlife Foundation, Painted Dog Research Trust, Cheetah Conservation Fund, and similar species-focused organisations
- Consider postgraduate research — most wildlife biology careers require at least a master's degree
Skills you will need
- Wildlife survey and monitoring
- GPS and camera trap technology
- Population data analysis
- Animal ecology and behaviour
- Human-wildlife coexistence strategies
- Scientific communication
A woman in this field
Dr. Moreangels Mbizah
Zimbabwe
Moreangels is a Zimbabwean wildlife biologist, conservationist, and founder of Wildlife Conservation Action. She completed her PhD in Zoology at the University of Oxford, specializing in the population dynamics, tracking, and spatial ecology of lions in the Hwange National Park ecosystem. Her active, boots-on-the-ground work utilizes camera traps and GPS telemetry data to directly mitigate human-wildlife conflict and preserve large carnivore habitats.
Take your first step
- Watch 'My Octopus Teacher' on Netflix and 'Virunga' on Netflix — both are exceptional examples of wildlife biology communicated for broad audiences, and Virunga is specifically about African wildlife conservation
- Research Save the Elephants at savetheelephants.org and study their elephant GPS tracking data — they publish real tracking information online and it demonstrates exactly what wildlife biologists do in practice
- Develop your wildlife identification skills: download iNaturalist and begin recording every animal species you observe — building species identification competency is a fundamental wildlife biology skill
- Contact a national park, game reserve, or wildlife research organisation near you about volunteer or work experience opportunities — field experience is the irreplaceable foundation of a wildlife biology career