Importance of Wildlife Management

As Americans become more affluent, they have more leisure time for camping, hunting, fishing, birdwatching, picnicking, observing and photographing wildlife. If nature activities are going to be a meaningful experience for Americans, steps must be taken to insure the existence of natural areas that wildlife inhabit. To have wildlife flourish not only in isolated refuges and parks, but also within access of large metropolitan centers requires knowledge, skill, imagination, planning and expert management. It presents a great challenge to the wildlife biologist, but it can be done.

A Career in Wildlife Biology

There are many thoroughly absorbing, and well-paid careers in wildlife biology. The services of trained individuals are in demand. Some involve teaching and laboratory research in colleges and universities. Others require travel to such places as the barren lands of Antarctica, the tropical rainforests of the Amazon or grasslands of Africa. State and federal agencies offer a wide variety of careers that investigate the problems of agriculture, forestry, land conservation, parasitology and public health.

For those who prefer the practical use of theoretical discoveries, wildlife management, as applied ecology, offers a number of careers. Inaddition, wildlife biology has programs that are especially attractive to those who like to work outdoors. They may actively be employed in the management of wild game, natural resources, scenic reserves or recreational areas. Opportunities are available for ecologically trained curators and guides in museums and nature camps, zoos, nature reserves and state and national parks.

The mathematically-oriented person can choose systems analysis, setting up mathematical models of the life systems of particular species of animals and, with the aid of computers, learn how to predict or control populations.

Private businesses, private conservation societies, landscape architects, and land use planners and managers employ wildlife biologists.

Preparation for a Career in Wildlife Management

Wildlife management focuses on relationships and interactions of plants and animals with the physical environment. Therefore, a greater range of subject matter is embraced than in other sciences. This requires the broadest possible kind of scientific preparation. At the high school level, preparation in biology, mathematics, physics and chemistry is important. A solid mastery of spoken and written English is essential.

Faculty in Wildlife Management

John T. Baccus, Ph.D., - Wildlife Management - Mammalogy

Michael R. J. Forstner, Ph.D., - Systematics - Genetics

Clay Green, Ph.D., - Wildlife Ecology - Ornithology

David G. Huffman, Ph.D., - Biometrics - Ornithology

Francis L. Rose, Ph.D., - Herpetology

Thomas R. Simpson, Ph.D., - Wildlife Management

Butch W. Weckerly, Ph.D., - Biostatistics

Undergraduate Studies

The Bachelor of Arts Degree or the Bachelor of Science Degree can be attained in Wildlife Management. Core courses for a degree are General Botany, General Zoology, Anatomy and Physiology, Cell Biology, and Evolution and Genetics. Specific courses in wildlife biology include Plant Taxonomy, Ornithology, Mammalogy, Wildlife Management, Plant Ecology, General Ecology, Biometry, Wildlife Techniques, and Vertebrate Natural History.

Graduate Studies

Programs are tailored to the individual student and mat be oriented toward developing specializations with advanced management skills and research capability. Graduate research may be in habitat use by game and non-game species, habitat analysis, population dynamics, natural history, behavior, mammalian and avian systematics. Available programs lead to the Master of Arts, Master of Science, and Master of Education degrees.

Financial Assistance

Departmental assistantships are available to academically qualified graduate students. The basic stipend is for a nine-month academic year. Financial assistance is offered by the university in the form of loans, scholarships, grants, or part-time employment

The Texas State University Environment

Texas State University has uniquely combined rapid growth with a small college atmosphere. Located in San Marcos, Texas, it is situated in an ecologically strategic position; within a 100 mile radius of the campus are several physiographic regions. These are the Gulf Prairie, Post Oak Savannah, Blackland Prairie, Cross Timbers, South Texas Plains and Edwards Plateau. This great diversity of terrestrial ecological systems provides excellent natural laboratories for study and research in wildlife biology. Facilities for controlled experimentation with wildlife are available near the campus at the Pollard Refuge, the 3500-acre Freeman Ranch and Spring Lake. On-campus classes are taught in a modern laboratory-classroom. A research collection is available for comparative studies.