Wildlife Ranger

Ian Sargent (BSc Ecology) is a Ranger at Aigas Field Centre near Inverness, leading wildlife walks and working on captive breeding programs.  He has also worked for the Central Science Laboratory in Cornwall as a mammal surveyor.  As a student Ian went on an expedition to Malaysia and after graduating he did voluntary conservation work in Canada and helped with wallaby reintroduction in Australia. 

Aigas Field Centre is a privately run field centre that specialises in courses for naturalists and it is amongst magnificent highland scenery, close to the internationally famous pine forests in Glen Affric.  As well as a wealth of local wildlife, including eagles and pine martens, the centre has a family of beavers which live in an enormous fenced area of moorland, woodland and loch. 

Ian's job involves becoming an expert on all aspects of the local wildlife and then leading excursions, giving lectures and carrying out surveys and management work on nearby habitats.  He has close encounters with spectacular plants and animals and every day is different. 

Rangers can study a wide-range of degrees, preferably those which include field courses and practical ecology courses, but they also need to accumulate experience of rangering jobs, either part-time, as volunteers or during holidays.  Overseas expeditions are also a really good way to get valued experience.  We have graduates working as rangers with many organisations, such as RSPB, National Trust for Scotland, or Aigas and with our contacts we can often help our students find these short term posts.

School of Biological Sciences
University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ

Tel: +44 (0)1224-272861 - Fax: +44 (0)1224-272396
Email: bioscience@abdn.ac.uk