Zoo Biology

Zoo biology is a specialist branch of the life sciences concerned with the biology, behaviour, ecology, and welfare of animals kept in zoological collections, and with the broader role that zoos play in conservation, research, and public education. It combines foundational training in biology with the specific knowledge and skills needed to work effectively in zoo settings, including animal husbandry, enrichment design, behavioural assessment, captive breeding, and the reintroduction programmes that connect zoos to wild population conservation.

At Nottingham Trent University, this programme includes a foundation year that provides an introductory year of scientific preparation before the main degree begins, making it accessible to students who would benefit from additional grounding in biology and related sciences. In the main degree years, you will study animal anatomy and physiology, ethology, ecology, evolutionary biology, genetics, and the principles of animal welfare and husbandry that underpin professional zoo practice. You will also engage with the history and mission of zoological institutions, the ethics of keeping wild animals in captivity, and the role of zoos in species survival programmes and broader conservation efforts.

Practical and field-based learning is central to the programme, developing the hands-on skills that zoo careers require.

Zoo biology graduates work as zoo keepers, animal care specialists, education officers, wildlife conservationists, and researchers in zoological gardens, safari parks, wildlife trusts, conservation organisations, and governmental wildlife agencies. The specialist knowledge this degree provides is directly relevant to roles in the zoo sector and in the broader field of captive and wild animal management. Further study at postgraduate level in conservation biology, animal behaviour, or zoo management is a pathway for those wishing to develop specialist scientific expertise or move into research and leadership roles in the field.