Every job has its advantages and disadvantages. Working with animals is no exception, since as rewarding as it is, there are numerous challenges the workers face.

Redditor u/hiti72 recently told the TIFU community about a struggle his zoologist girlfriend has to deal with because of her job. She opened up to him about having to go to great lengths to get rid of the odor after work. The OP said he didn’t mind the smell, but started regretting his words soon after. Scroll down to find the full story in the redditor’s own words.

To learn more about the ins and outs of working with animals, Bored Panda discussed the topic with Professor of Ecology and Natural History at College of the Atlantic, John Anderson. You will find his thoughts in the text below.

Every job typically entails a certain set of challenges

Image credits: Jep Gambardella (not the actual photo)

This man was understanding of a struggle his zoologist girlfriend had to face, until he had to deal with it himself

Image credits: RadioFan (not the actual photo)

Image credits: hiti72

Zoologists face all sorts of challenges, which might differ depending on the animal or area they’re focusing on

Experts in all things animal-related, zoologists face an array of challenges every day, ranging from physically demanding to something closer to what the OP’s girlfriend has to deal with. Studying animals in their natural habitat or captivity might involve dealing with feces or animal feed, which is often not the most pleasant thing for one’s nose. (Imagine how many animals feed on great quantities of fish alone—it’s likely as pleasant as someone opening a can of sardines in the office.)

There are numerous branches of zoology, based on the type of animal or area it focuses on. Bio Explorer listed 26 of the main ones, ranging from anthrozoology, referring to studying the interaction between humans and other animals, to helminthology—the field focusing on parasitic worms.

According to ornithologist—an expert in birds—John Anderson, zoologists matter because in this world of hyper specialization, we need natural historians who know about a broad range of species. “We will only save what we love and we will love what we begin to know, and that is our work,” he told Bored Panda.

“We need to encourage an increasingly urbanized public that lacks contact with wild things and wild places to put down their phones, get out of those air-conditioned rooms and take a walk. Eyes open. Ears open. Noses open. Touch the wild. Gently, but touch it. Once you have banded a bird, there is a piece of the sky in you forever,” he added, emphasizing the importance of getting acquainted with the flora and fauna around us.

Image credits: Avenue (not the actual photo)

There are two sides to every coin, as working with animals has certain advantages, too

The OP seemingly didn’t know how much effort it took for his girlfriend to deal with the odor problem, and was wondering what her fellow zoologists did about it. The OP’s girlfriend—one of the females working in the field, who comprise 63% of all representatives of the profession—said that they’re either single or dating within the field, as finding a partner who’s understanding of the problem can be challenging.

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When discussing the challenges zoologists face, the bird expert John Anderson pointed out that there’s never enough time, saying that there are islands beyond all islands, each with its terrors and its delights.

“Zoologists are under-appreciated because we deal with the true variation of the world,” he added. “Once you really pay attention, each gull is as different from another as each human, yet we humans want to crumple them all into one box, call it ‘seagulls’, and dismiss them all.”

However, it’s not all trouble and challenges when it comes to zoology. The ornithologist told Bored Panda about the beautiful things working in the field allowed him to experience: “So many years ago, one of my favorite professors asked me what I was in this game for and I replied, ‘To see beautiful things, travel to marvelous places, and meet interesting people’. She sniffed and said, ‘You won’t get far with that attitude’. Well, I have been round the world twice, met many interesting people, seen many wonderful animals and many beautiful places.”

Image credits: thinboyfatter (not the actual photo)

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