How to get a job in wildlife rescue

Wildlife rescue is a rewarding field focused on saving wild animals from harm, including from disasters, traps, trafficking, and other dangerous situations. Wildlife rescue is part of the rescue, rehabilitation, and release cycle. Those in the field help nurse and rehabilitate injured, sick, and orphaned wild animals until they’re ready to return to their natural habitats—though some animals may never recover enough to be released, the goal is not to rescue animals so they can live with humans forever or be kept as pets.  

From working hands-on with animals, to educating the public, to impacting policy, there are many ways you can get involved in saving wild animals and make a difference.  

In this career guide, we’ll cover what wildlife rescue and rehabilitation involves, the skills you’ll need, and the different career paths available. Whether you want to become a veterinarian, a zookeeper, or even a wildlife photographer, there’s a role you can play in caring for and promoting the conservation of the world’s most vulnerable species.  

What is wildlife rescue? 

Wildlife rescue involves the rescue, rehabilitation, and care of wild animals that have been injured, trafficked, orphaned, or fallen ill. The goal is to treat these animals and, if possible, release them back into the wild. This process is known as wildlife rehabilitation and involves a variety of roles to provide animals with veterinary care, suitable living environments, nutrition, and essential life skills to help them succeed.  

Rescue efforts can take many forms, such as responding to disasters, helping animals that have been caught in illegal wildlife trade, saving stranded marine animals, and more. 

Here at IFAW, we believe that every individual animal matters. Saving the lives of individual animals supports the survival of entire species and ecosystems. In this way, rescue and conservation are intrinsically linked. 

What does a wildlife rescuer or rehabilitator do? 

A wildlife rehabilitator or rescuer’s duties can vary depending on their role, specialty, and location. Here are just some of the activities performed by wildlife rescuers and rehabilitators: 

• Rescue and intake: responding to calls about injured or distressed animals and transporting them to a rescue facility for treatment and care  
• Medical care: administering first aid or medications as prescribed by a veterinarian  
• Nutritional support: devising and feeding special diets for recovering or growing animals, ensuring that they receive proper nutrition.  
• Enclosure and habitat management: creating environments that mimic an animal’s natural habitat to encourage recovery and independence  
• Raising orphaned animals: rearing young animals that have lost their parents, with the goal of releasing them back into their natural habitat once they can survive and thrive on their own  
• Finding new homes for animals that can’t be released: if an animal cannot return to the wild (for example, if they were unable to become self-sufficient), wildlife rehabilitators may seek to find them permanent suitable homes in sanctuaries or educational facilities  
• Public education: teaching local communities and the broader public about wildlife conservation, rehabilitation, and the importance of protecting wild animals and their natural habitats  
• Coordinating volunteers: managing and training volunteers to assist in rescue operations and animal care 

If you want to help wildlife, but perhaps your strengths are not on the hands-on side of things, there are many ways you can still make a difference. Much wildlife rescue work depends on staff and volunteers to do everything from fundraising and financial management to communications and social media. There is always a way to be part of the team. 

What should I study to prepare for a job in wildlife rescue? 

While not all jobs in wildlife rescue require a university degree, specific roles will. A formal education or relevant qualification can also help set you apart and increase your chances of securing your dream role.  

Many wildlife rescue professionals come from academic backgrounds in: 

Courses in these disciplines will often cover topics such as animal anatomy, ecosystems, zoonotic diseases, and rehabilitation techniques. Specialized degrees can lead to advanced positions, like wildlife veterinarian or wildlife biologist roles.  

It’s important to note that wildlife rescue requires adherence to specific legal requirements and permits. In many places, it’s illegal to house and rehabilitate wild animals without a legal permit.  

If you do not have a degree and would prefer to proceed without one, a good entry point into the field would be volunteering at a local rehabilitation centre.  

What are some common jobs in wildlife rescue? 

There are various career possibilities within the field of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. Each position plays a key role in rescuing, rehabilitating, and protecting wildlife. Here are some popular job titles: 

Veterinarian 

Veterinarians are essential to wildlife rescue, playing a pivotal role in saving lives and providing medical care to sick or injured animals when they are at their most vulnerable.  

Wildlife veterinarians often work in rescue centres, zoos, or sanctuaries, diagnosing conditions and administering treatments. Depending on the situation, they may be required to provide emergency medical care to animals or provide ongoing standard treatments.  

There are different kinds of wildlife vets, including small animal veterinarians, who may treat animals in their office, and large animal veterinarians, who may visit sites such as farms, sanctuaries, zoos, or natural spaces like forests and oceans.  

Specializing in wildlife medicine requires extensive education, including a veterinary degree and specialized training.  

How to get into this role: To become a wildlife veterinarian, you’ll need a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree. You may need to start off with a more general degree in biology or zoology before progressing to a veterinary degree.  

Veterinary assistant or veterinary nurse 

Veterinary assistants and veterinary nurses (sometimes called veterinary technicians) play a supportive role for wildlife veterinarians. They help with animal exams, preparing animals for surgery, administering medication, monitoring anaesthetized animals, and maintaining clean and safe enclosures.  

A wildlife veterinary assistant role often serves as an entry-level wildlife rescue position, providing many opportunities for good hands-on experience. Many veterinary assistants work in wildlife rehabilitation centres, assisting in the care of rescued animals.  

How to get into this role: Becoming a veterinary assistant generally requires a high school diploma, plus additional certifications and/or education, often available through technical schools, vocational schools, community colleges, and clinics.  

Wildlife control technician 

A wildlife control technician typically manages animals that pose a danger to humans. They’re tasked with safely and humanely relocating animals away from human settlements, to their natural habitats, where they can access shelter, food, and water. Their work can also involve mitigating human-wildlife conflict, managing invasive species, and educating the public on wildlife safety. 

There are several other names for the role of wildlife control technicians, depending on the region in which they’re based or the specific duties they carry out. Some of these titles include wildlife removal technician, wildlife management professional, animal damage control agent, pest wildlife technician, animal control officer, urban wildlife specialist, and animal trapper.  

Some typical duties of a wildlife control technician are inspecting properties for signs of wildlife presence, communicating with clients, wildlife trapping and removal, wildlife release or relocation, and more.  

How to get into this role: You’ll need in-depth knowledge of animal behaviour and a good understanding of local wildlife laws to start a career as a wildlife control technician.  

Wildlife rehabilitator 

Wildlife rehabilitators take in injured or orphaned animals, providing them with the care they need to return to the wild. This role involves a wide range of responsibilities, including medical care and managing nutrition and enclosures. A wildlife rehabilitator works closely with wildlife veterinarians to identify injuries and illnesses. They then provide constant care to the animals, including feeding and keeping them on track for release. 

Rehabilitators will often specialise in certain types of animals, whether they are bears, elephants, or birds of prey. While working closely with wild animals, rehabilitators must limit human contact as much as possible, ideally socializing these animals with members of the same species when appropriate, and encourage them to develop the skills they’ll need to thrive in the wild. 

How to get into this role: You’ll need a permit from your local, state, or national government to become a wildlife rehabilitator, depending on where you live. You may also need a relevant degree in wildlife biology, zoology, ecology, or veterinary medicine. Volunteering at a local wildlife rehabilitation centre is a great way to gain experience and figure out if this career path is right for you. In some places, wildlife rehabilitators are volunteers. 

Zookeeper 

Zookeepers are responsible for managing and caring for wild animals in captivity, often working with rescued wildlife that, unfortunately, cannot be returned to the wild. They can also play a part in rehabilitating animals that may return to the wild someday. 

A zookeeper is knowledgeable in animal behaviour, possessing the necessary skills to correctly care for and handle captive wildlife. Their day-to-day duties typically involve daily feeding, care, and cleaning enclosures.  

How to get into this role: Zookeepers typically have degrees in a relevant field, including biology or zoology. Some zoos provide opportunities for internships and volunteer experience.  

Wildlife ranger 

Wildlife rangers, sometimes called park rangers, protect wildlife by patrolling protected areas (such as national parks), monitoring species populations, and preventing illegal activities such as trapping and poaching.  

Patrols often begin early in the morning, lasting anywhere from a few hours to over a week. Rangers sometimes need to camp out in nature, taking turns with other rangers to keep watch. If they come across traps or snares, it’s rangers’ job to remove them to ensure that no wildlife becomes trapped, injured, or trafficked.  

Beyond preventing wildlife crime, rangers observe animal behaviors, tracking and recording data like faecal matter and paw prints. During certain seasons, rangers are also involved with firefighting in the spaces they patrol, to prevent destruction from forest fires.  

Rangers often collaborate with conservation organizations to protect endangered species and their habitats. In some cases, rangers also engage in public education. 

How to get into this role: Depending on where you live, there are different requirements for becoming a wildlife ranger. In some areas, you may need a bachelor’s degree or at least two years of further education along with a year of relevant work experience.  

Wildlife photographer 

Raising awareness is key to conservation and wildlife rescue efforts, which is why wildlife photographers play an important role in protecting animals.  

Through their photography, they capture the beauty and plight of endangered species, inspiring widespread action to protect these animals and ensure their survival.  

How to get into this role: Becoming a wildlife photographer requires photography skills and a deep understanding of animal behavior. It requires a lot of patience and willingness to work in natural environments. You may want to take a course in wildlife photography, which would teach you the necessary skills to stay safe and respect animals in their natural environments. 

Wildlife care technician 

Wildlife care technicians work in animal shelters, sanctuaries, or wildlife rehabilitation centres, helping with the daily care and treatment of wild animals.  

They often assist veterinarians and rehabilitators by feeding animals, cleaning enclosures, and monitoring health. Being a wildlife care technician is a hands-on role that provides essential support to wildlife rescue operations.  

How to get into this role: You generally don’t need a degree to become a wildlife care technician. A high school education and hands-on experience caring for animals will help you achieve this position. Consider volunteering with a local shelter or rescue centre to gain experience and determine if this role is right for you. 

How IFAW helps support wildlife rescue 

From helping local organizations rescue, rehabilitate, and release wildlife affected by Australian wildfires, to training law enforcement officials to care for confiscated animals, to finding safe and effective ways to rescue entangled whales and stranded dolphins, IFAW is committed to supporting and facilitating wildlife rescue and rehabilitation around the world.  

In China, we rescue injured birds of prey at our Beijing Raptor Rescue Center. In Lebanon, we support the rescue of birds through our partner Lebanese Association of Migratory Birds (LAMB). 

We also support the rescue of elephants, rhinos, and giraffes—not only do these rescues save the lives of individual animals, but they also support the conservation of entire ecosystems. 

Learn more about how you can help support wildlife rescue >>