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Herpetologist
Studies reptiles and amphibians — snakes, lizards, frogs, and turtles.
Did you know?
Wood frogs can stay frozen for months in winter, with no heartbeat or breathing, then thaw out and hop off to breed in spring.
How subjects help
- Biology: Study how snakes, lizards and frogs hunt, shed their skin and warm up by basking in the sun.
- Chemistry: Study how snake venom works on the body, which helps in making antivenom.
- Environmental Science: Find out why frog numbers are falling, such as from disease or ponds drying up.
- Geography: Map where rare turtles and salamanders live so their habitats can be protected.
A famous name
Raymond Ditmars: American herpetologist who was the Bronx Zoo's reptile curator and wrote popular books on snakes.
Try it yourself: Watch an animal for ten minutes
- Choose an animal and stay still and quiet so you don't disturb it. Don't touch or chase it.
- Make a tally of what it does: eating, moving, resting, calling, grooming.
- Draw one feature that helps it survive, like a beak shape, legs or colour.
- What was it doing most? What question would you want to answer next time?
Zoologists observe animals patiently, often for hours, recording what they really do rather than what we expect.
Also try: Invent a way to sort leaves.
Known for it in
Australia, USA, Brazil, Costa Rica, India