Distinguishing Wildlife Biology from Zoology

Wildlife Biology vs Zoology

The field of wildlife biology has often been associated with zoologists, as they can directly apply their knowledge of zoology to the study of wildlife. Although these fields of study are closely related, there are also some key differences. Sometimes people claim that wildlife biology is a part of zoology, while others believe it is the other way around. It is important to understand what these fields really are.

Wildlife Biology

Wildlife biology is the scientific study of wild animals, plants, and other biologically important entities. It is closely related to ecology, and in fact, there is only a narrow gap between the two fields. An artificial ecosystem has implications with ecology, but it must be a wild ecosystem in order to be relevant to wildlife biology. Wildlife biologists need to know about most aspects of ecology, as they are directly applicable in the field. Natural ecosystems are composed of animals and plants, so the study of both zoology and botany have direct applications in wildlife biology. In addition, animals, plants, and other components of the environment collectively form ecosystems, which are wildlife assemblages. The study of these assemblages requires knowledge of zoology, botany, and ecology. However, concerns about the loss of biodiversity have mostly focused on animals, so zoologists have predominantly entered the field of wildlife biology. Wildlife management is an important application of wildlife biology, and most wildlife biologists work as managers of wildlife reserves.

Zoology

Zoology is the scientific study of animals and is a branch of biology. Zoology encompasses a wide range of fields, including scientific classification or taxonomy, embryology, entomology, herpetology, mammalian biology, physiology, anatomy, ecology, behavioral biology or ethology, animal distribution, evolution, and many others. The 16th century Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner is highly respected for his book Historiae animalium, which is considered the beginning of modern zoology. However, zoology developed as a separate field from biology after the time of Aristotle and Galen. The work of Carl Linnaeus was instrumental in correctly classifying animals according to the distinguished kingdoms and phyla. The publication of Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species in 1859 created the fields of Paleontology and Embryology, as it provided new dimensions for studying everything related to biology and zoology. According to the basic understanding of zoology, animals are organisms that can move in the physical environment, and their ability to move has fascinated scientists through the study of behavioral biology. No one can truly understand the natural world without studying animals.

Key Takeaways

– Wildlife biology is concerned with the study of wild animals, plants, and other biologically important entities in natural ecosystems, while zoology is primarily focused on the study of animals.
– Wildlife biology is incorporated with many other fields of study, including zoology, botany, and ecology, whereas zoology is one of those fields.
– Zoology can be applied in many different contexts, such as laboratories, natural environments, and the interior or exterior of animal bodies, while wildlife biology is purely applied in wild conditions.