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Ecologist - Personal requirements

Kaipūtaiao Taupuhi Kaiao

Skills & knowledge

Ecologists need to have:

knowledge of ecosystems and the interaction between species
knowledge of environmental issues and the climate
knowledge of natural history
skill in research, and analysing and interpreting research results and other information
practical skills for performing experiments and operating scientific equipment
problem-solving skills
planning and organisational skills
communication skills
writing skills, for writing reports and publications
maths and computer skills.

Mandy Tocher with a dog, which is sniffing at a rock on a hillside

Mandy Tocher using her specially trained dog to locate geckos

Photo courtesy of Mandy Tocher

A female ecologist kneeling down on a riverbank with trowel and bucket to collect algae

An ecologist collecting algae samples to test for water pollution

Photo courtesy of Anna Crowe, Cawthron Institute

Personal Qualities

Ecologists need patience and perseverance to see experiments through from design to completion, which can sometimes take several years.

Mandy Tocher with a small frog in her hand

Mandy Tocher with one of the frogs she is working to protect

Photo courtesy of Mandy Tocher

Ian Popay holding a branch and looking at the leaves

Ian Popay checking a plant for signs of disease

Physical Requirements

Ecologists need to have a reasonable level of fitness as they often have to work in places that are hard to access.

"You do need to be pretty fit - I've sometimes had so much field gear that I couldn’t put my backpack on myself! On top of that, I'd be climbing cliffs and working at high altitudes - so it can be quite hard work."

Mandy Tocher - Ecologist

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Updated October 2009

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