Animal psychology is the scientific study of animal behavior. Working in animal care disciplines requires patience, compassion and respect for all living creatures, indicating that animal lovers excel in the field. Education and experience help mold individuals in their chosen animal behavior career. Understanding animal behavior is obviously a key component for hands-on animal careers.
-
Animal Behavior and Psychology
-
Animal behavior and animal psychology fields offer a multitude of vocation possibilities. Education and on-the-job experiences help determine the best-suited career. The basis of animal behavior study includes analyzing cognition in animals. Understanding why animals display particular behaviors, good or bad, aids in determining future training required. Genetics plays a large role in animal behavior, adding particular animal inborn traits that accompany its learned behavior.
Animal Behavior Careers
-
Animal trainers, humane society workers, field researchers and veterinary technicians all have a background in animal behavior. Academic institutions, zoos, aquariums, amusement parks, government agencies and agricultural industries employ animal behaviorists. The goal of all animal behavior careers is the same, to best benefit the animal. However, work environments may differ greatly. Ethologists observe animals in their natural environment while applied animal behaviorists observe companion animals in their home environments. Animal psychologists and biopsychologists analyze neurological and psychological foundations of animal behavior.
Salary Range
-
As with any career field, salary varies depending on location. Animal behavior salaries depend on the work performed and the work setting. According to Michael Hutchings, Ph.D., of the American Zoological Association, "Most animal behaviorists earn from $35,000 to $90,000 and more, depending what they do and where they work." He indicated that animal behavior administrators typically earn higher salaries, such as Walt Disney's Wild Animal World Director of Conservation.
Education
-
Animal behaviorists and psychologists study animal behavior to understand causes, functions, development and evolution of behavior. Most animal scientists directly involved in animal behavior focus on ethology, comparative psychology, behavioral ecology or anthropology. These fields overlap greatly; however, psychologists and ethologists study more the behavioral function and regulation while behavioral ecologists study behavioral patterns and their relation to social and environmental conditions. The higher the education level, the better chance a candidate has of securing a career in animal behavior and psychology.
-