Zoology

==  Introduction To Zoology = = According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, Zoology is the branch of biology that deals with animals and animal life, including the study of structure, physiology, development, and classification of animals. Zoology uses new cutting edge techniques not only in the labs but also in the fields of research. Zoology focuses on neurobiology, animal behavior, ecology, evolution, and environmental science.

=History of Zoology  = Zoology has been present for thousands of years. Even cavemen took the time to study animals and record their observations through pictures in caves. Although almost anyone can observe and study animals, there were several zoologists who pioneered new methods of studying organisms. = = = =

Desmond Morris
Karl Georg Friedrich Rudolf Leuckart Valarie Jane Goodall Charles Darwin Stephen Robert Irwin Archie Carr III

=What Does a Zoologist Do?= A zoologist is someone who studies and interacts with animals. Zoologists learn about animals by conducting experiments and asking questions. Research is also done by observing animals in their natural habitat, in captivity, or in research labs. Recording observations from an animal's natural habitat is called field study, and it is often used when an animal is endangered.

**Subcategories of Zoology**
= = Comparative anatomy** between organisms and their environment, including other animals organisms and their parts, including all physical and chemical processes
 * The study of anatomical features of animals of different species
 * **Ecology**
 * The branch of biology dealing with the relations and interactions
 * **Physiology of animals**
 * The branch of biology dealing with the functions and activities of living
 * **Paleontology**
 * The science of the forms of life existing in former geologic periods, as represented by their fossils
 * **Entomology**
 * A branch of zoology that deals with insects
 * **Genetics**
 * A branch of biology that deals with the heredity and variation of organisms
 * **Evolutionary Biology**
 * A branch of biology that deals with evolution
 * **Ethology**
 * A branch of knowledge dealing with human character and with its formation and evolution

=Zoology Education= If you are interested in starting a career in the field of zoology, you need to have a strong math and science background. Here are some classes you would need to take in highschool: If you want to learn more about zoology, you can volunteer at your local zoo, veterinary clinic, animal shelters, or pet store. This will help you to practice interacting with animals and study animal behavior. For college, you must have these credits:
 * Biology
 * Chemistry
 * Physics
 * Mathematics
 * Computer Science
 * Ecology
 * 18 credit hours of humanities and social sciences
 * 6 credit hours of English
 * 42 credits of biological sciences
 * 22-36 credit hours of physics, chemistry, mathematics, and statistics
 * 3 credit hours of speech
 * 2 credit hours of wellness/health

In most cases, a masters and a PhD are required to become a zoologist. Here are some schools in Texas that have zoology programs: =Salaries of Zoologists= A zoologist's salary depends on the amount of years they have been in the field. = =
 * Texas
 * [|Frank Phillips College]
 * [|Jacksonville College-Main Campus]
 * [|Texarkana College]
 * [|Texas A&M]
 * [|Texas State University - San Marcos]
 * [|Texas Tech University]
 * [|The University of Texas- Austin]
 * [|The University of Texas Medical Branch]



= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =Zoology In The News= Here are some excerpts of recent reports in the field of zoology:

The new species of Antarctic fish, Gosztonyia antarctica, has been discovered at a depth of 650 metres in the Bellingshausen Sea in the Antarctic Ocean, an area which has not been studied since 1904 and where the fauna is "completely" unknown. Jesús Matallanas, the Spanish researcher responsible for the find, collected four specimens of the new species during Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) campaigns in the southern hemisphere summers of 2003 and 2006. Article found at: []
 * __New Fish Discovered in the Antarctic Ocean__**

__**New Species of Prehistoric Creatures Discovered on Isle of Wight Mud**__ In just four years a University of Portsmouth palaeontologist has discovered 48 new species from the age of the dinosaurs. Dr Steve Sweetman’s discoveries, found hidden in mud on the Isle of Wight, are around 130 million years old and shed valuable light on the poorly understood world in which well known dinosaurs roamed. Steve, a research associate with the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, has found in ancient river deposits, at least eight new dinosaurs, many different types of lizard, frogs, salamanders, and perhaps rarest of all from the time of the dinosaurs, six tiny mammals, some as small as a shrew. Article found at: []

On a crossing of the English Channel aboard the P&O Cruise Ferry, the Pride of Bilbao on the 5th of May, a large group of approximately 30 Bottlenose Dolphin was sighted by Clive Martin, Director for the wildlife charity Marinelife and senior Wildlife Officer for the Biscay Dolphin Research Programme. The dolphins, which are threatened in UK waters, were recorded 4 miles off of St. Catherine’s point on the Isle of Wight – a truly rare occurrence. Article found at: [] = = =Is zoology the right career for you?= If you love animals and are good at biology, chemistry, and mathematics, then zoology is the career for you. Zoology is a very hands on career; this means that one day you could be studying in a lab, and another, you could be interacting with the animals. Another aspect of zoology is studying what goes on inside the animals' bodies. To study the anatomy of organisms, disections are performed. So, this means that a person who is interested in zoology should have a strong stomach! Zoology is a very interesting field not only because we get to learn about new animals, but also more about ourselves as humans.
 * __Rare Sighting of Threatened Bottlenose Dolphins in English Channel__**

We hope we have inspired you to go out and learn more about the exciting field of zoology!


 * __Bibliography:__**

Grant, Steve. A Guide to Famous Zoologists. (3 March, 2009). [|**http://www.helium.com/items/379608-a-guide-to-famous-zoologists**].

Admissions Officer. North Dakota State University Zoology Department Fact Sheet. (5 March, 2009). []

E., Kate. What is Needed to Become a Zoologist? (9 March, 2009). [|http://www.ehow.com/how_4557026_what-needed-become-zoologist.html] Articles: Science Daily. Science Daily. (10 March, 2009). []

Science Daily. Science Daily. (10 March, 2009). [|http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090209075822.htm] Science Daily. Science Daily. (10 March, 2009). []


 * __Pictures__**

Salary Chart: [] Zoology Picture: (Hyperlinked: Click on picture)