What does a herpetologist study?

Herpetologists work in conservation, research, or education generally.

Herpetologists who choose to pursue a career in research typically work for government agencies, universities, or private research institutions and associations. These careers see herpetologists conducting fieldwork or lab research.

Herpetologists utilize scientific experiments, data collection, and data analysis to develop reports that deal with nature conservation and biology.

Certain herpetologists that work in education are professors and often have Ph.D.s in the field. At colleges and universities, they teach undergraduate and graduate students about the study of herpetology. They might also contribute to scientific journals or public research findings in books.

Herpetologists working in zoos or aquariums are often tasked with caring for and feeding the animals in their fields. They also offer general amphibian and reptile education to public attendees of these places. In addition, some herpetologists work in museum environments where they create exhibits related to amphibians and reptiles.

When working in the area of conservation, a herpetologist may work for a government agency or private institution, or association. Here they conduct work out in the field to learn and ultimately prevent threats to the reptile and amphibian populations in specific locations.

This might entail creating population inventories of different amphibians and reptiles, employing disease control measures, habitat rehabilitation, reintroducing endangered animals into the wild, and making scientifically formed suggestions for regulators.