Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Wildlife Curator

🎯 Role Definition

The Wildlife Curator oversees the planning, care, management, and strategic direction of living collections or wildlife exhibits in zoos, aquariums, museums, nature reserves, or research centers. This role combines species-specific husbandry, exhibit design, staff leadership, regulatory compliance, conservation program leadership, and public education to ensure animal welfare, scientific integrity, visitor engagement, and institutional goals are achieved. The Wildlife Curator partners closely with veterinary teams, conservation scientists, educators, facilities, and fundraising teams to advance species conservation and institutional accreditation.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Zookeeper or Zookeeper Lead with multi-species experience
Wildlife Biologist or Field Ecologist with captive care exposure
Collections Manager / Assistant Curator in a museum, aquarium, or zoo

Advancement To:

Senior Curator / Lead Curator
Director of Collections or Director of Animal Programs
Director of Conservation or Executive Director (for smaller institutions)

Lateral Moves:

Education & Outreach Curator
Conservation Program Manager / Scientist
Exhibit Design Lead or Operations Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and implement comprehensive animal care and welfare plans for assigned taxa and exhibits, including daily husbandry routines, nutrition plans, behavioral enrichment programs, and long-term health monitoring to meet or exceed AZA/AAZV/industry standards.
Lead and supervise animal care staff, including hiring, training, scheduling, performance management, professional development, and fostering a safety-first, compassionate workplace culture.
Design, plan, and manage exhibit development and habitat renovation projects in collaboration with exhibit designers, veterinarians, facilities, and external contractors to optimize animal welfare, visitor experience, and interpretive messaging.
Oversee the acquisition, disposition, transport, and quarantine of live animals; manage permits, CITES documentation, state and federal approvals, and liaise with animal exchange networks to maintain genetic and demographic goals.
Maintain and enhance species management programs, including population planning, studbook coordination, breeding recommendations, and collaboration with species survival plans (SSPs) and conservation partners.
Ensure regulatory compliance for animal welfare, USDA, CITES, state wildlife agencies, and institutional accreditation bodies; prepare, submit, and maintain all required documentation and inspection readiness.
Partner with veterinary staff to establish preventive medicine protocols, coordinate veterinary diagnostics and treatments, manage medical records, and implement biosecurity and quarantine standards across collections.
Develop and manage department budgets, including forecasting operating expenses, capital project needs, animal acquisition costs, and resource allocation; monitor expenditures and deliver budget reports to leadership.
Create and manage grant proposals, donor outreach materials, and conservation fundraising initiatives in partnership with development teams to secure funding for research, fieldwork, and exhibit projects.
Establish and manage recordkeeping systems for animal inventories, behavioral observations, health records, enrichment logs, and research data; ensure data integrity and accessibility for internal and external reporting.
Lead or support applied research projects and conservation initiatives, coordinating fieldwork, data collection, publication efforts, and partnerships with universities, NGOs, and government agencies to advance species conservation.
Create and deliver public-facing programming and interpretation for guests, volunteers, and stakeholders, including guided talks, keeper chats, educational materials, and media engagement that highlight conservation outcomes and animal care.
Implement and monitor enrichment and behavioral training programs, using positive reinforcement and operant conditioning to promote psychological well-being, voluntary husbandry behaviors, and cooperative medical procedures.
Oversee emergency planning and response for the collection, including emergency evacuation plans, contingency housing, disaster preparedness, and staff training and drills in coordination with safety and facilities teams.
Supervise specimen and collection care for museum or teaching collections (if applicable), including accessioning, documentation, storage conditions, loan coordination, and adherence to collection policies and legal standards.
Manage volunteer and intern programs within the department; develop curricula, mentor trainees, and evaluate program success to build workforce capacity and foster community engagement.
Coordinate nutrition programs with nutritionists or suppliers to develop species-appropriate diets, manage food safety, control costs, and monitor the nutritional status of animals through regular assessment.
Oversee habitat enrichment procurement, fabrication, and maintenance; evaluate materials for safety and durability and collaborate with carpentry and facilities teams to install appropriate structures and substrates.
Prepare and present regular reports to senior leadership and boards on collection health, program metrics, financials, and strategic priorities; use KPIs to drive continuous improvement in animal care and conservation impact.
Manage interdepartmental collaboration (education, marketing, development, facilities, visitor services) to align exhibit goals, seasonal programming, conservation messaging, and visitor flow optimization.
Serve as institutional representative in professional networks and conferences, presenting research, best practices, and case studies; maintain active membership in relevant professional organizations to stay current with industry standards.

Secondary Functions

Support grant tracking, reporting, and compliance for externally funded conservation and research projects.
Assist in media relations and prepare spokesperson talking points related to animal health, conservation successes, and exhibit initiatives.
Contribute to succession planning and development of career ladders within animal care and curatorial teams.
Participate in community outreach initiatives, school partnerships, and citizen science projects that amplify conservation education and institutional visibility.
Support ad-hoc data requests and conservation monitoring analytics by collaborating with research staff and data teams to translate biological metrics into actionable insights.
Provide input into marketing campaigns and interpretive signage to ensure scientific accuracy and compelling storytelling for audiences.
Contribute to institutional safety and occupational health programs by identifying hazards related to animal care and implementing mitigation strategies.
Maintain a rota of curator-on-duty responsibilities, representing the collections during off-hours incidents or management escalations.
Mentor graduate students, interns, and volunteers on field techniques, husbandry standards, and professional best practices.
Coordinate and maintain a vendor and supplier network for specialized diets, enrichment materials, habitat substrates, and medical supplies.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced animal husbandry across mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, or aquatic species, including husbandry protocols, habitat requirements, and life-stage care.
Species population management and studbook coordination experience; familiarity with SSP/EEP-style programs and demographic/genetic planning.
Permit management and legal compliance (USDA, CITES, state wildlife permits); experience preparing permit applications and managing audit responses.
Clinical collaboration skills: working knowledge of veterinary diagnostics, preventive medicine, necropsy reporting, and medical record systems.
Exhibit and habitat design literacy — translating animal behavioral needs into safe, durable, and enriching physical environments.
Behavioral enrichment program design and applied animal training using positive reinforcement and reward-based protocols.
Budget creation and financial management for departmental operations, capital projects, and animal acquisitions.
Grant writing, donor stewardship, and experience securing funding for conservation, research, or capital projects.
Data management for collections: maintaining digital records, inventory databases, and animal information systems (e.g., ZIMS, ARKS, or institution-specific databases).
Project management skills including timelines, contractor coordination, safety planning, and quality control during renovations or new builds.
Field research methods and data collection protocols applicable to in-situ conservation partnerships and post-release monitoring (where applicable).
Knowledge of biosecurity protocols, quarantine procedures, and emergency contingency planning for disease outbreaks or natural disasters.
Curatorial documentation and specimen care (for museum-associated curators), including accessioning, cataloging, and preservation best practices.

Soft Skills

Leadership and people management: hiring, coaching, conflict resolution, performance evaluation, and building high-performing teams.
Strong written and verbal communication for internal reporting, public interpretation, grant narratives, and media engagement.
Strategic thinking and problem-solving to balance animal welfare, visitor experience, budget constraints, and institutional priorities.
Collaborative mindset: ability to work cross-functionally with vets, educators, facilities, marketing, and development teams.
Attention to detail and organizational skills for complex recordkeeping, compliance timelines, and multi-project coordination.
Empathy and ethical judgment in animal welfare decisions and in mentoring staff and volunteers.
Public presentation and storytelling skills to translate scientific and conservation messages into accessible visitor experiences.
Adaptability and calm decision-making under pressure — especially during animal emergencies or incident responses.
Cultural competence for working with diverse communities, stakeholders, and international conservation partners.
Continuous learning orientation: staying current with husbandry science, conservation research, and industry accreditation standards.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Zoology, Wildlife Biology, Animal Science, Ecology, Museum Studies, or a closely related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree or PhD in Wildlife Biology, Conservation Science, Zoo Management, or Museum Studies preferred for senior curator roles.
Professional certifications (e.g., AZA-related training, AAZV continuing education, animal handling/CPR) a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Biology / Zoology
Wildlife Biology / Conservation Science
Ecology / Environmental Science
Animal Science / Veterinary Technology
Museum Studies / Collections Management
Natural Resource Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3–7 years of progressive experience in animal care, exhibit management, or wildlife collection roles for mid-level positions.
Senior or lead curator roles typically require 7–12+ years with demonstrated management and program leadership.

Preferred:

Experience managing multi-species collections in AZA-accredited institutions or equivalent.
Proven track record in budget management, permit administration, and leading exhibit projects.
Demonstrated involvement in conservation programs, published research, or successful grant-funded projects.
Prior supervisory experience with hiring, training and performance oversight of animal care teams.

Keywords: Wildlife Curator, animal husbandry, exhibit design, species management, conservation programs, AZA, CITES, permit management, animal welfare, collections management, zoo curator, veterinary collaboration, enrichment, studbook coordination, live animal transport, grant writing, public education, museum collections.