BETA
Updated: Feb 6
BETA
Updated: Feb 6
Evolving
Last Update: 11/21/2025
Your role’s AI Resilience Score is
47.1%
Median Score
Changing Fast
Evolving
Stable
What does this resilience result mean?
These roles are shifting as AI becomes part of everyday workflows. Expect new responsibilities and new opportunities.
AI Resilience Report for
Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
They study animals and their habitats to understand their behavior and help protect wildlife and the environment.
Summary
The career of zoologists and wildlife biologists is labeled as "Evolving" because AI is increasingly being used to help with data collection and analysis, like counting animals and identifying species from images or sounds. While these tools make certain tasks faster and more efficient, human expertise is still crucial for interpreting the data, making management plans, and communicating with communities.
Read full analysisLearn more about how you can thrive in this position
View analysis
Chat with Coach
Latest news
More career infoLearn more about how you can thrive in this position
View analysisChat with CoachLatest newsMore career infoSummary
The career of zoologists and wildlife biologists is labeled as "Evolving" because AI is increasingly being used to help with data collection and analysis, like counting animals and identifying species from images or sounds. While these tools make certain tasks faster and more efficient, human expertise is still crucial for interpreting the data, making management plans, and communicating with communities.
Read full analysisContributing Sources
AI Resilience
All scores are converted into percentiles showing where this career ranks among U.S. careers. For models that measure impact or risk, we flip the percentile (subtract it from 100) to derive resilience.
CareerVillage.org's AI Resilience Analysis
AI Task Resilience
Evolving47.5%
47.5%
Microsoft's Working with AI
AI Applicability
Evolving31.8%
31.8%
Anthropic's Economic Index
AI Resilience
Evolving61.2%
61.2%
Will Robots Take My Job
Automation Resilience
Stable83.8%
83.8%
Low Demand
Labor Market Outlook
We use BLS employment projections to complement the AI-focused assessments from other sources.
Learn about this scoreGrowth Rate (2024-34):
1.6%
Growth Percentile:
36.9%
Annual Openings:
1.4
Annual Openings Pct:
16.7%
Analysis of Current AI Resilience
Zoologist/Wildlife Biologist
Updated Quarterly • Last Update: 11/21/2025
State of Automation & Augmentation
AI is already helping with some wildlife tasks, especially data collection. For example, researchers use drones and automated cameras with AI to count animals. One study showed a deep-learning model could identify and count caribou in aerial images almost as accurately as a human [1].
Guardian journalists report that AI can process “up to 3,000 camera trap images an hour” to spot wildlife [2]. Likewise, conservationists use AI to analyze field audio: one project in Costa Rica used hundreds of audio sensors and AI to detect spider monkey calls in the forest [3]. Even tools for the public, like Merlin Bird ID and iNaturalist, use AI to identify species from photos or sound clips [3].
These technologies speed up inventory and monitoring tasks.
However, many zoology jobs still rely on human judgment. Tasks like making management plans, writing reports, and talking with communities are hard to automate. AI can suggest ideas or summarize data, but experts usually check its work.
In the caribou study, scientists compared the AI’s counts against an experienced observer to make sure it was correct [1]. In short, AI tools augment field work and save time, but biologists remain key in interpreting results and making decisions.
Sources
AI Adoption
AI is seen as a promising tool in conservation, which will encourage its use. News outlets note that AI is “one of the top three emerging technologies in conservation” [2]. Popular smartphone apps for nature (like Merlin Bird ID) show that users are comfortable with AI helping identify species [3].
There’s also growing support from big projects – for instance, Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab is testing solar-powered “Sparrow” devices for remote wildlife monitoring [3]. These signals mean agencies may adopt AI where it fits existing budgets and skills.
At the same time, adoption may be gradual. Conservation groups often have tight budgets, so expensive drones or satellite services aren’t everywhere. Many crucial tasks still need human creativity and local knowledge.
For example, biologists still must validate AI counts or decide how to manage a habitat, tasks that AI alone can’t do [1]. Ethical and legal concerns (for instance around animal welfare or data use) also make some agencies cautious. In practice, AI is likely to complement wildlife biologists by handling tedious data work, while people stay in charge of planning and communication.
This blend of skills – human insight plus AI tools – is how most experts expect the field to evolve.
Sources
Help us improve this report.
Tell us if this analysis feels accurate or we missed something.
Share your feedback
More Career Info
Career: Zoologists and Wildlife Biologists
Parent Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$72,860
Jobs (2024)
18,200
Growth (2024-34)
+1.6%
Annual Openings
1,400
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2024-2034
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Oversee the care and distribution of zoo animals, working with curators and zoo directors to determine the best way to contain animals, maintain their habitats and manage facilities.
2
Study animals in their natural habitats, assessing effects of environment and industry on animals, interpreting findings and recommending alternative operating conditions for industry.
3
Organize and conduct experimental studies with live animals in controlled or natural surroundings.
4
Make recommendations on management systems and planning for wildlife populations and habitat, consulting with stakeholders and the public at large to explore options.
5
Disseminate information by writing reports and scientific papers or journal articles, and by making presentations and giving talks for schools, clubs, interest groups and park interpretive programs.
6
Study characteristics of animals, such as origin, interrelationships, classification, life histories and diseases, development, genetics, and distribution.
7
Inform and respond to public regarding wildlife and conservation issues, such as plant identification, hunting ordinances, and nuisance wildlife.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
© 2026 CareerVillage.org. All rights reserved.
The AI Resilience Report is a project from CareerVillage.org®, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Built with ❤️ by Sandbox Web
