Special
Below is a glossary of specialist zoological interests and potential employers for people with these specialities. While not exhaustive, the list should give a good idea of most of the specialist fields of zoology. A list of abbreviations used is provided after.
| Aquaculture: |
Commercial production of aquatic animals (Development boards, private enterprise) |
| Arachnology: |
The study of spiders, scorpions, ticks and mites (DA, SAIMR, universities, VRI, museums |
| Carcinology: |
The study of crabs, shrimps and other crustacea (Universities, museums, MCM, ORI, NIWR |
| Cell biology: |
The study of cells and their functions (Universities, medical research institutes) |
| Conservation Biology: |
The study of the preservation of biological diversity (Universities, ARC, DEAT, NZG, NPB, private game farms) |
| Developmental Biology: |
The study of how animals develop from egg to adult (Univarsities, MRC, VRI, medical research institutes, ADSRI) |
| Ecology: |
The study of animals and their interactions with other organisms and their environments (Universities, GRC, DEAT, Ft, NPB, PNC, private game farms) |
| Ecotoxicology: |
The study of substances toxic to the environment and their effect on animal life (Universities, VRI, DWA, chemical companies, nature conservation agencies, ecological consultants) |
| Entomology: |
The study of insects (AS, SAIMR, FFTRI, DH, SABS, VRI, PPRI, universities, museums, pesticide companies, agriculture) |
| Ethology: |
The study of animal behaviour (Universities, some aspects of interest to AS, NZG, OZ) |
| Evolutionary Biology: |
The study of evolution and evolutionary relationships of animals (Museums and universities) |
| Freshwater Biology (limnology): |
The study of freshwater habitats and organisms (NIWR, DEAT, DWAF, IWR, Ft, museums, universities, water research institutes, ecological consultants) |
| Genetics: |
The study of genes and heredity (Universities, VRI, SAIMR, NZG, ADSRI) |
| Herpetology: |
The study of amphibians and reptiles (EC, NPB, NZG, OZ, museums, universities, private enterprise [crocodile and snake farming]) |
| Ichthyology: |
The study of fish (EC, MCM, NIWR, SAIAB, ORI, ICR, MBRI, NZG, NSB, universities, museums, private enterprise) |
| Laboratory animal science: |
The breeding and welfare of experimental animals (universities, VRI, SABS, private enterprise) |
| Marine Biology: |
The study of freshwater habitats and organisms (CSIR, ORI, EMATEK, MCM, NPB, PNC, DEAT, MBRI, ICR, universities, museums, ecological consultants |
| Malacology: |
The study of molluscs like snails, mussels, octopus etc. (Universities, museums, SAIMR) |
| Mammalogy: |
The study of mammals (MRI, PMC, EC, NPB, NZG, OZ, universities, museums) |
| Morphology: |
The study of the structure of animals (Universities and museums) |
| Nature & Environmental conservation: |
(PNC, NPB, DEAT, EMATEK, CSIR, NZG, universities, provincial and local governments, ecological consultants, private enterprise) |
| Nematology: |
The study of nematode worms (Universities, private enterprise, DA, VRI, SAIMR, medical research institutes |
| Ornithology: |
The study of birds (Universities, DEAT, PNC, NPB, PFAIO, NZG, OZ) |
| Paleontology: |
The study of fossil animals (Universities, museums, BPIP) |
| Parasitology: |
The study of parasites and the diseases they produce in plants and animals (Universities, museums, FFTRI, ORI, VRI, AS, SAIMR, MRC) |
| Physiology: |
The study of how animals function (Universities and medical schools, ADSRI, VRI) |
| Protozoology: |
The study of unicellular animals (SAIMR, VRI, MRC, DH, universities, museums) |
| Systematics and taxonomy: |
The identification and classification of animals (Universities, museums, DA, VRI) |
| Toxicology: |
The study of toxins and venoms (SAIMR, VRI, private enterprise) |
List of abbreviations:
| ADSRI |
Animal & Dairy Science Research Institute |
| ARC |
Agricultural Research Council |
| AS |
Various research institutes, Department of Agriculture & Water Supply |
| BPIP |
Bernard Price Institute for Paloentology (Wits University) |
| CSIR |
Council for Scientific & Indistrial Research |
| DA |
Department of Agriculture |
| DEAT |
Department of Environmental Affairs & Tourism |
| DH |
Department of National Health and Population Development |
| DWAF |
Department of Water Affairs & Forestry |
| Ft |
Forest Tech. (CSIR) |
| FFTRI |
Fruit & Fruit technology Research Institute, AS |
| GRC |
Grassland Research Centre, ARC |
| ICR |
Institute for Coastal Research (University of Port Elizabeth) |
| IWR |
Institute for Water Research (Rhodes University) |
| MBRI |
Marine Biology Research Institute (University of Cape Town) |
| MCM |
Marine & Coastal Management (formerly Sea Fisheries Research Institute) |
| MRC |
Medical Research Council |
| MRI |
Mammal Research Institute (University of Pretoria) |
| NIWR |
National Institute for Water Research |
| NPB |
National Parks Board |
| EMATEK |
Earth, Marine & Atmospheric Sciences & Technology, CSIR |
| NSB |
Natal Sharks Board |
| NZG |
National Zoological Gardens |
| ORI |
Oceanographic Research Institute |
| OZ |
Other zoos and bird parks |
| PFIAO |
Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology(University of Cape Town) |
| PNC |
Provincial Departments of Nature Conservation |
| SABS |
South African Bureau of Standards |
| SAIAB |
S.A. Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (formerly JLB Smith Institute) |
| SAIMR |
South African Institute for Medical Research |
| VRI |
Veterinary Research Institute, Onderstepoort |
 Aquatic Biology
Ecology
Ethology and Behavioural Ecology
Physiology
and Ecophysiology
Medical
and Veterinary Zoology
Molecular
and Cell Biology
Museum
Sciences
Resource
Conservation
Systematics
and Biogeography
Science
Journalism
Teaching
Special
Interests *
|
