Winter/Spring 2002

Training Fish And Wildlife Biologists and Managers
by Dr. Bruce Leopold

Additionally, throughout the nation, wildlife undergraduate programs at universities were generally placed under zoology or forestry programs, as were many fisheries programs. But, as these programs became more prominent, and the demand of state and federal agencies for wildlife and fisheries biologists and managers grew, wildlife and fisheries programs became stand-alone majors within universities.

Mississippi State University (MSU) was not immune to this trend and need. In 1994 the Board of Trustees approved the creation of the Wildlife and Fisheries Science undergraduate program. This action merged the existing Fisheries Management major with a "new" wildlife major. Since this time, the Wildlife and Fisheries Science major has undergone some very significant, positive changes to address the diverse needs of state, federal and private agencies charged with natural resources management.

When created, the original major was composed of three options. Two options were designed to train students for graduate studies in either fisheries or wildlife ecology and management. Most jobs in wildlife and fisheries require a Master of Science degree, so these options prepare students for graduate school, rather than immediate employment.

The third option (Wildlife Law Enforcement) was developed to provide students opportunities to secure employment in the law enforcement arena of natural resources management with only a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. This option is unique among southeastern universities, and in fact, is one of only five undergraduate programs designed to train students in the fundamentals of wildlife law enforcement. This option was created under close consultation with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks (MDWFP). Students graduating with either the wildlife science or the wildlife law enforcement option are eligible to be Certified Wildlife Biologists from The Wildlife Society once they obtain five years of job experience after graduation.

The new program with its three options was a great success, with initial enrollments after two years of over 60 students. At about this time, (i.e., 1996), a fourth option was approved: Aquaculture Science. This option was developed because of the importance of aquaculture to Mississippi, especially catfish, and the need of the catfish industry for well-trained individuals to work on the facilities as well as to conduct key research on catfish care and production.

In 1998 a fifth option was added in cooperation with the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Wildlife Pre-Veterinary option. This option is designed to address the growing need of federal and state agencies to have veterinarians who also are trained wildlife biologists. It is a great opportunity for students, because after seven years, a student can have a B.S. degree in wildlife (and thus certifiable as a wildlife biologist), a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, and a Master of Science (M.S.) degree of the student's choice (either in Wildlife or Veterinary Medicine).

The undergraduate program at Mississippi State University, and the faculty who teach and advise students in the major, continues to grow and become recognized. A few examples include: 1) the Wildlife Law Enforcement Club was the first club in the nation to be recognized as a student chapter by the National Association of Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs; 2) 2 Wildlife and Fisheries faculty are Grisham Master Teachers, a very prestigious award at MSU, 3) faculty consistently receive the College of Forest Resources Outstanding Teaching Award, 4) students graduating from the Law Enforcement option and receiving positions as Conservation Officers with the MDWFP, graduate from the Law Enforcement Academy at the top in their class, and recently, 5) the Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society at MSU won the Outstanding Student Chapter Award from the Southeastern Section of The Wildlife Society.

The only concern that exists with the major is that enrollment in the Aquaculture Science option is extremely low (in fact it has been 0 students during the past 3 years). This is puzzling to the faculty, MSU administration and the Advisory Committee of the Department, as aquaculture is an important industry in Mississippi and numerous jobs are available for graduates. To address this concern, recruitment activities have been enhanced and faculty member are more aggressively meeting with high school students.

The natural resources management profession is a fantastic career. Whether you are a fisheries biologist, a wildlife biologist, a conservation officer or a veterinarian, every day on the job is different. One day you may be dealing with white-tailed deer, the next day gopher tortoises and the next day showing a United States Senator the importance of a specific conservation program. There are so many challenges for the professional in this field. Fortunately, we have outstanding undergraduate and graduate programs at Mississippi State University to train and prepare individuals to become these professionals. Interested students should contact Rachel Singleton in Student Support Services for general information about undergraduate training in the College of Forest Resources, or if they have very specific questions, they should contact Bruce Leopold by email at bleopold@cfr.msstate.edu or by regular mail at Box 9690, Mississippi State, MS 39762.

Dr. Bruce Leopold is the Department Head for the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries at Mississippi State University.