Zoology / Zoologists Zoology is the study of animal life. Zoologists are scientists concerned with the study of animals, their anatomy, physiology, ecology, evolution and embryology. They work in many different roles. Environmental zoologists and conservationists, for example, are responsible for protecting, managing and enhancing the wildlife in a particular area. There may be opportunities to work in field surveying, conducting scientific surveys of natural habitats and identifying, recording and monitoring animal species, both in the UK and overseas During the lifetime of Charles Darwin, natural history turned from a gentlemanly pursuit to a modern scientific activity. Zoology as we know it was first established in German and British universities. The institution of zoology training in British universities was mainly established by Thomas Henry Huxley. His ideas were centered on the morphology of animals. His courses were composed of lectures and laboratory practical classes; and his system became widely spread. There was much left out by Huxley, especially the study of animals in their environment, which had been the main stimulus for both Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace (who both came up with the idea of natural selection). The fact that neither Darwin nor Wallace ever held a university teaching post may have contributed to this rather startling omission. Gradually Huxley"s comparative anatomy was supplemented by other much-needed methods. The field of zoology in the twentieth century mainly comprised these approaches:
Government departments such as the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), English Nature and the Forestry Commission employ zoologists to research illness and disease in humans and animals. In the food and drink industry, zoologists work on research, production, quality control and marketing. Part of their work involves the study of human and animal diets. |
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