Having stepped away from English Literature and Teaching in pursuit of something new, Charlotte, 27, decided to embark on a journey of learning skills to help the environment and wider world during the climate crisis. After seeing that Salford’s Wildlife Conservation with Zoo Biology was the first course of its kind to be approved by the Royal Biological Society, Charlotte enrolled with us. Read on to hear all about studying Wildlife Conservation with Zoo Biology.

Hi Charlotte! Could you tell us a little bit about what made you want to study your course?

I’m a returning student and have done degrees before. I completed my previous degrees in English Literature, Humanities and Teaching, but I wanted to learn new skills to help the environment and wider world during the climate crisis. It’s my dream to help in the protection of at least one endangered species and, with the course at Salford being the only one of its kind approved by the Royal Biological Society, I decided to come here.

How would you explain your course to someone who knows nothing about it?

It’s a fantastic multidisciplinary course which teaches about conservation in the field and in zoos themselves. The broad range of expertise means that one minute you’re learning about crustaceans in a lab and the next about how local case studies such as Chester Zoo use best practice.

“My favourite thing about my course is just how much I learn in a day that I never expect!”

Charlotte, Wildlife Conservation with Zoo Biology

Will you do a placement as part of your course?

I’m hoping to do a placement at Blackpool Zoo, and I did complete an expedition with our photography lecturer and fellow students to Skokholm in Pembrokeshire where we swam with grey seals, monitored the puffins, moths and sea bird populations.

What do you think of the facilities and equipment? Is there anything you particularly enjoy using?

I love the library, the labs and the many field trips we go on. Plus, being near enough to Peel Park to study the local wildlife is really useful.

Where do you want your degree to take you? What is your dream job and how do you think your degree will help?

I want to go into zoo education. This degree has also given me the confidence to help lead things like Saturday Club (science club for young people) and to become a volunteer research assistant with elephants at Blackpool Zoo.