What are the smallest mammals?

What job is working with marine mammals (not training), maybe rescuing?

• I have always loved animals. I always wanted to train whales at Sea World till I got older and realized the real aspect of it. I do not agree with keeping wild animals in tanks. I was wondering what jobs there are working with marine mammals (whales, dolphins, sea lions, walruses, etc) in their natural enviroment. Is there a job to work with marine mammals by rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing them back into ocean. I know there are the rehabilitation facilities that do this but alot of people are volunteers. I want a paid job of doing this day in and day out as my occupation. Is there anything like this, if so what and where can I find info on it like salaries and educational requirements?

• Answer:

  That is wonderful that you have realized the cruelty of keeping marine mammals in captivity. It is amazing how many people overlook the real aspects of it. You have to understand that there is a lot of corruption, even in the rehabilitation programs of SeaWorld and other aquariums. They will often keep animals that could be released because they need/want them on display. Animals that they deem "unreleasable" are sold to aquariums for a life in captivity. There are some legitimate rehabilitation centers out there, that actually have the animals interests in mind. But in a field which is already difficult to get employment, you have narrowed your options even more by not agreeing with keeping them in captivity. This field runs on a volunteer basis. But they do need experienced, educated people to run the programs. You could become an Education Coordinator, educating the public about the marine mammals. If you want a job actually doing the field work (release, rehab, etc) you would need experience volunteering, and a high level college degree. To be guaranteed a job rescuing, you could become a marine mammal veterinarian. You could also major in animal husbandry, animal behavior, zoology, marine biology, etc. You would have to learn the aspect of keeping animals in captivity, even if you didnt agree with it. But having a degree relating to the care of marine mammals, would be a plus. A masters degree in any of these areas would be great. These jobs are hard to come by, so you need something to put yourself above all the other applicants (high degree, experience, volunteer work, etc). I dont have any information on salary. Depending on where you work, and what your title is, your salary would vary greatly. Good luck!