(HONEST) Day in the life of a Wildlife Biologist
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- Take a peek into my life as a wildlife biologist. I work for a consulting company doing wildlife habitat assessments, Species at Risk surveys, and assessing the impact of new developments on wild animals.
INSTAGRAM: @wildbiologist
WEBSITE:
EMAIL: biologistkristina@gmail.com
CHANNEL DISCORD: / discord
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ko-fi.com/wild...
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Wildlife CAREER SERIES: How to get a wildlife job
• What to do in HIGH SCH...
CLICK THIS: / @kristina_lynn
Part 2: DAY IN THE LIFE (Fall edition)
• DAY IN THE LIFE of a w...
I go through exactly how I became a wildlife biologist in my career series playlist - check it out here!
czcams.com/play/PLSUQE1Qc6at_vrQLY26YOAZ2_9WkSsYZ3.html
Kristina Lynn have you ever found a dead body? Looks like a kind of job where you can find anything
No but I ALWAYS wonder if I will one day, especially when working in urban areas early in the morning combing through the bush.
I look up to you and you help to inspire me and others to pursue this path and also help others
This is way better then sitting in an office haha idk what i wanna be its between marine ecology or biology or zoology or wildlife bio i cant pick ahh
Agreed, haha, except some days in bad winter weather I prefer the office ;) The best way to decide is do some volunteer work or an internship if you have time to see what it's like in each career! Realistically though I didn't truly "specialize" in wildlife until after I graduated university and got out into my first job - my degree was just general "ecology". As I got out in internships and tried out researching plants, marine biology, and wildlife i was drawn to wildlife projects. I was lucky to have an internship at my city's park and rec dept where I was able to do a bit of everything.
Vegan Below Zero so do you have to pay for your plane and traveling around the world to these areas or does your company
Nope, work pays for everything!
Vegan Below Zero ahh why do i have to take precal and calculus for this 😒😒
@@sailormoon7904 I think mostly pre-cal if studying wildlife science. I might switch to ecology
This is actually very realistic, and even after watching this I still want to be one! :)
“Stabbed by branches, eaten by mosquitoes, miserable for half the day because of the insects”
This is the daily life for me, I live in the NWT 😂 I’ll do just fine as a wildlife biologist!
Shauna Crowe yes I agree 😂
Do you still want to be a wildlife biologist after watching this? Or did this video scare you away?! Let me know below :)
Kristina Lynn This is a dream job for me, I’ve been working at a humane society for 5 years now with my focus being on adoption, enrichment and working with dogs with behavioral issues which comes with its own set of discomforts (poop, pee, scratches and sometimes bites) but I would ultimately love to do this. I don’t know how to begin.. Did you get a bachelors degree?
@@yeseniacruz331 Yes i have a bachelors degree :) I would check my career series for more info on getting started: czcams.com/play/PLSUQE1Qc6at_vrQLY26YOAZ2_9WkSsYZ3.html
Kristina Lynn thank you!
I’ve done semi aquatic turtle surveys in almost waist deep water with hoards of mosquitoes, so I’d hope and think that I have what it takes... I wanna be a wildlife biologist if it kills me 😂
Kristina Lynn yes thank you for making your videos it means more than I can say.
I grew up with my dad taking me to the woods near my house, identifying different plants and animals we found, and navigating the forest with no paths. Mosquitoes and bugs are a part of my daily life anyway, so this seems super interesting, especially the travel! I'm currently a biology major but I feel very disconnected from the medical, lab, and biochem work, so this seems like a really great fit for me. Thanks for posting this video!
Nice!! Similar to me! Best of luck finding your path :)
All I know is that I love biology to the point that I have a hard time choosing which field in biology I should study!!! So I'm searching for options, and this doesn't seem bad at all!!!
Honestly I just want a job where I can study animals yet go out in the wild with a team often-
Same tbh :')
Zoology
I have known many ecologists/wildlife biologists, and attended countless seminars, and they all have one thing in common. No matter where in the world they have worked, and no matter their age, gender, personality type, or any other personal attribute, they always, always, ALWAYS tell you how much they suffered.
I go through a lot of this just while hunting or fishing and I also am always looking for plants that are edible and medicinal. Every time I'm always dodging bugs, swompy muddy areas, spider webs to face, branch or two to the face and i always love learning about the birds
And I'm not a wildlife biologist I'm just a normal everyday person but if that's what its like I'd actually probably like the job believe it or not because I love being out in nature and yes there is sometimes some things you may not like but sometimes those are also what makes it interesting to.
I’ve been considering wildlife biology and marine biology but I honestly don’t know if I’d be good with a job on the field. But I have been truly considering it
I’d love to be a wildlife biologist! (despite all the bites and scratches)
I am so happy to have found you on youtube. I am off to university in a few weeks and i was starting to stress out, thinking that it was impossible to find a job that i would actually like. Your videos are very helpful as they are informative. I was never the best in school but i am ready to work harder and let my passion lead me to good grades. Keep making vids❤✌🌱
I want to be a wildlife Biologist, ive been studying a Ant farm in my back garden and i love it, i really want to save up for a gel ant aquarium!, Me and my brother bought some chickens and they are cool too
Is it okay to eat meat and be a wildlife biologist, i dont want to offend you but i was just wondering
LTMango yes it is tons of wildlife eat meat so why shouldn’t you, but I personally wouldn’t
LTmango chickens are not wild 😜
@@johnfindlaymcgettigan9693 speaking from personal experience, and from others I know in the field, I think there is more and more movement now for wildlife biologists becoming vegan as they realise how important it is for conservation
LTMango of course it’s okay, but sometimes it’s good to not eat animal products as you can understand the animals more, and connect with them more :) x
idk why but this made me want to be in this field even more lol
I think that's a sign its the right career for you ;)
When i'm older i'm planning to be an zoologist or vet i don't know which one
Gabriella Bernita omg I’m stuck between both wildlife biologist or vet😞did you ever decide?
@@kyara00001 yes i think i want to be a vet cause in my country zoologist college is very rare and expensive and i think if i be a vet it's easier to get a job cause zoologist job is very rare in here
Dulce F WE HAVE THE SAME IDEA I CANT CHOOSE
I’ve heard of you love animals then being a vet isn’t great because it’s 80% putting animals down and it ends up being mentally challenging. Be a zookeeper or zoologists and feed, care and play with animals. Unless you can handle putting down animals almost everyday
@@andrewpayne5093 thank you for the advice now i really want to try to be animal keeper at the zoo or just helping the doctor at the zoo so i didn't really do anything to the animal
update more videos please!! this is the first wildlife biologist channel i found and its the best one. Really enjoy your videos and are very informative as well!
Hi, I’m interested in becoming a wildlife biologist but I am scared of being alone in the wild. Would I always have to be alone?? Also how do you find your way back after being in the wilderness?
Audrey Kent I don’t like being alone either! we have grizzlies and cougars and all sorts of critters here :) I am always paired up with someone, unless I’m working in the city or pretty close to a work crew. Most jobs like to have two people working together for safety.
Audrey Kent oh, and we use GPS and maps to find our way back to our truck :)
Thank you!
I'm a wildlife biologist too and the majority of my field work was solo. Driving a car is drastically more dangerous then being alone outdoors.
Then hit the road and leave the jobs for us that truly love every aspect
thanks for the video and greetings from ireland i am a mature student about to embark on my first year in a degree in wildlife biology . your video has given me positive motivation , thank you kindly
noel fogarty thank you! Good luck on your studies 🥰
Hey I'm irish too what point are you at now? I'm thinking of going into it
This is a great video, thank you for sharing! I'm just about to graduate as an animal biologist and videos like these definitely makes me excited about my future. Haha!
That's so exciting! Happy almost graduation!
I can really relate to this video. We got this!
Roxy the Zoologist thank you!! I just checked out some of your vids! We definitely have similar channels ☺️
i’ve been on the fence looking through tons of videos but after watching this one i think i totally wanna
This honestly only makes me want to do it even more XD Thanks so much for this awesome video!
i really love the field work....
omg i want to major in wildlife. but i heard there is less jobs in this field. do you enjoy your job?
I recommend you check out my other video about my favorite things about my job (and there's a link to my least favorite things in the description): czcams.com/video/7yRSbbLxYVc/video.html
Always wanted to be a wildlife biologist. That is why I watched this video
Please tell me how to became a wildlife researcher and also wildlife biologist 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
This was awesome!! Please post more field videos! :)
How much should one worry about not being able to find a job once they graduate college if they want to major in conservation Biology
Kelly make sure you graduate with a ton of experience already through internship and volunteer work and it will increase your chances. I’d be pretty worried about finding a job graduating with 0 experience
@@kristina_lynn A question going along with this. Would you recommend going on to grad school for this kind of work and/or is grad school required for work as a WlBio?
@@soccerstarlover2008 I have seen many prefer a masters, but not required. In my field its mostly field reports being written and not actual research. I have been told most hire a graduate student because their writing is better because of all the papers they have had to write and be reviewed.
Ik its been a year but thank you for giving me a better understanding about what i am getting into
Hello! When I’m older I want to become a Wildlife biologist or an ecologist. I was wondering how do I get a job as one?
Thank you!
You have to study the biological sciences career and then specialize at wildlife, because there's so many fields!
Animals!!! here I come!
Working towards a master's in bio right now and researching post grad careers ! I really love your channel. When you're out in the field how often are you running solo vs with a partner ?
Wow! You Are The Beauty Of Nature.
I find this Job very interesting
I just have on question:
Are you most of the time in solo adventures?
No they sad in a previous comment that they get paired up with someone else so if someone gets hurt the other can help them.
I want to go to this exact field
That is why i took biology i love animals and nature
Hello!! So, this may be a bit lengthy and scattered, but I just really want to write to you. I'll begin by saying HI!! My name is Brooke Huxell. I'm 15 and I found out about being a wildlife biologist around 2 years ago, and I decided that was what I wanted to become. Since then my love of nature and animals has continued to grow and grow. I did some research about what colleges have a good program for Wildlife Biology. The University of Montana repeatedly showed up. I had already developed a crush on Montana from a previous family vacation to Glacier National Park. In July of 2017, my mom, uncle, and brother all took a trip to tour the university! This was when I was just out of the eighth grade. Anyway, my crush on Montana developed into a strong love, basically an obsession. I loved the University and it seemed like they had so many great opportunities for field work and research. They have a on campus rock climbing gym, too! I love to climb. I still plan to go there and I would absolutely love to, but I am leaving myself room to find another college with a great program and opportunities. A bit after the time I discovered this magical dreamy career called Wildlife Biology, I found the CZcams channel called Brave Wilderness. I LOVE THAT GUY. His videos on animal education and preservation have only fueled my flame for pursuing my love for animals. SO, let's get to now. Every once in a while I'll search "Wildlife Biology" on CZcams with the only results being like 4 year old videos and I've seen them all now haha. So what I've begun doing is putting a filter on the search for recent uploads and I found YOU!! I promise I'm not creepy; just really really excited and happy. I've watched your video on how you got your career and it's been so helpful. I also watched your honest day video. You give me so much hope that it's actually really cool and possible to be a wildlife biologist! Even if you have to work on pipes first :) SO WORTH IT!! It seems, anyway :) I'm also vegan so it's so awesome to see our similarities! I also also just came back from a trip to Banff NP, and I fell in loooovvveeee! And to find out you've been in Alberta, I'm just overwhelmed with happiness. It's like I was meant to find this channel, not to be too dramatic or creepy haha. I honestly used to feel like maybe not a lot of people got into that field anymore but you've given me hope :) I suppose I'm writing this to express my excitement and also to tell you thank you, so much. I truly look forward to seeing all of the content you put out and will soak it up like a sponge. Do you have any advice? Have you heard anything about the University of Montana and their Wildlife Biology program? Does being a biologist secretly suck? Will I ever have a husband or will I become a hermit? I'm half kidding but actually serious because, I really want to be with someone and I'm curious how that is as a wildlife biologist. I appreciate it so much. THANK YOU! :)
This looks way better than working security
I wanna be a wildlife biologist but im gonna have a problem with "construction"
Not all wildlife biologist jobs are in construction, there's a ton in the non-profit sector and research :)
I have no idea what I want to do but I know I want travel and animals to be a big part of my life. How often are you out on the field?
very rarely now. When this video was filmed I was out usually four-five months a year (2 weeks at a time). Now I work an office wildlife job :) if you wanted to be out in the field year around you could. If you are willing to travel this job is for you!!
Thanks for sharing these videos, glad I came across your channel.. I was wondering (a) what is the scariest encounter/job you have had to do in the field and (b) what are the pros and cons of a government job vs private companies? Maybe you could do a video on that?? :D
Thank you! My scariest encounter in the field was definitely the last story from this video: czcams.com/video/-lDgEN1Ee6o/video.html
And the second question is a good idea for a whole video! Surprisingly relevant in my life right now too...will tell more later :) Added to the video idea list!
I’m really confused on what to major in😩 I want to be in some sort of environmental field, but I’m not sure if I want to be an environmental planner, wildlife biologist, or something completely different.
couldnt get any more motivating than the last 10 seconds of the video lol, count me in tho
I love your sense of humour....lol.
I have the biggest dilemma.... I’ve always been an animal lover and I’m a scout, love being in nature etc. A job like this is my dream job, and I’ve also been interested in marine biology, zoology, or being a conservation biologist. The problem is that my other big passion in life is art. I draw all the time and right now I’m in art school (not really what it’s called here but you could sort of refer to it as my major). I hate that you sort of have to “decide” your future already, at such a young age (I’m sixteen) when that is only the small beginning of your life...
i definitely think you can do both! i hate having to decide between two things especially if it is between two things i really really love. but, you could probably sustain yourself with either career while doing the other as a hobby! like you can be a wildlife biologist and do art on the side, or be a full time artist doing volunteer work in wildlife! best of luck to you!!!
I hope things have worked out!
i’ll take the insects over dealing with awful customers any day! can’t wait to start school for my degree :)
Haha yes I know that feeling!
I just subscribed love your channel I am currently a freshmen undergrad with a major in biology school just started for me so for now I’m taking my prerequisites
Could you tell me how often you fly out places and typically how long you stay?
I would love to have a job like this although I am terrified of heights 😂
And the mosquitos are no problem, where i live we get them every single night and they bite hard. At least it's good to know at least these buggies are attracted to me 😂
Ok guys. I'm about to be señor in high school and i definitely want to be a wildlife biologist. man i got a worry bout money for college and volunteering and stuff. But it's worth it
Hiii i fell very happy because i discovered this channel! I am going to study biology at a public university in my country Ecuador(southamerica) and sometimes I’m afraid of not choosing the best choice, because i know i love nature been in forests beaches mountains anywhere! And also i loveeeee animals so much that i have recently thought about being a vet but the idea of being in a room all day don’t make me happy, When searching for information i only found laboratory stuff but what you fo IS AMAZING THAT’S WHAT I LIKE but I don’t know if I’m going to gain money well or if I could get a job like that😔
Welcome, thank you!
Your job looks so fun! 😃 I downloaded a PDF to feul my interest ☺
awesome!
Really more loved one and please take care of about your self and we all following your videos and motivational for us ...
That reminds me of working in northern Alberta in some of the thicker spots. The end of day shower would practically clog the drain with smashed up mosquitoes from my hair lol.
Lol accurate
I’ll be going to an agriculture college soon and I cannot wait!!!
Really cool insight! Hi btw! I’m your 800th subscriber! 😆
Hailey Carroll woohoo number 800!!!! 🎉
The key to keeping the bugs off is to smoke cigars all day! Or burn some dried sage, smoke is your friend!
Well my dreams are shattered:(
Just means it's not your real dream job. Keep looking :)
that's exactly how collecting data for my bachelor thesis went 😂😂
Hey Kristina,
Inspiring for a career such as this. I am in transition. I am in my last your in Photojournalism at SAIT in Calgary Alberta and I hope to continue my studies in Environmental Biology. There is something about being in the bush for a long periods of time, travelling to the destination, and making correct decisions (not assumptions). I am 38 and by the time I finish my studies, I should be 43 or 44. Do you think it is too late? I am enjoying your videos and sound advice.
Never too late! It sounds like the career would be a good fit for you :) I have worked with people into their 60s in the field.
@@kristina_lynn Hey thanks. That answered my questions and just a follow up on that, how do you bring the data back to the companies. I initially was thinking about marine biology but then environmental sciences made me more curious and since I am originally from Vancouver Island, I would love to work on the island or even up in Alberta. I was thinking of something about water testing. I mean there are various positions I could do with an Enviornmental science degree.
@@brandonpeniuk Sorry I don't think I understand your question, I don't know what you mean about bringing the data back to the companies. Water testing is definitely something an environmental scientist or technician would do!
@@kristina_lynn Hey thanks for getting back. I am referring to when you go out into the field to get data, how do you present it to the company that you are working for?
@@brandonpeniuk Oh ok! Usually you write it up into a report and it gets reviewed by your company :)
Yeah I’m down to go into the wild
I do that for fun, but considering going to school for it since they say do what you're passionate about. Only thing I would've done different is bring or get bug spray lol
Ugh yes, I’m mildly allergic to DEET so I was using citronella. Doesn’t stand a chance against boreal muskeg bugs 😭😭
@@kristina_lynn That is terribly unfortunate, and I've tried citronella oil before but I feel it didn't work too well.
I'm planning on becoming a wildlife biologist so I'm already studying about animals even though I'm not that old yet😅
Awesome!
I wish I had field trips in school like that! Just enjoying the nature, walk in knee-deep swamps, stuck, get bitten by mosquitoes. Instead I had in high school boring tests. :( Which made me hate biology.
I am still interested in the nature, though. As soon I get vaccinated, I am planning to go on hinking, to mountains and swamps.
LOL that face at 2:32
Do you pay a lot of money for travel or does your job pay for it? Are there different types of wildlife biologist? If so, what is the best/recommend one? And is being a wildlife biologist hard if someone has a family? I want a family really bad when I grow up and I’m scared I’ll have to spend a lot of time away from them
Oh no any work related travel they pay for everything and I get around a $75 a day stipend on top of salary for being away from home. There is no best wildlife biologist, it’s all about what interests YOU. some people love birds, some bugs, so it will take some time to discover what you love the most. While many wildlife biologists spend time in the field, it is possible to have a work life balance too :)
THANK YOU!
Which is best , forest ranger or wildlife biologist ?
I’ve been interested in becoming a wildlife biologist however I’m quite worried that it’ll interfere with my rights from a vegan perspective. I don’t want to put an animal in a bad position (e.g. opening a dead one up, caging, killing, forcing in a harsh way). What do you think and what happened with you in university and your job in general? Did you ever come across an awkward situation with what you’re supposed to do in job terms and vegan rights? If so what did you do?
By the way I loved your video x
This is a really great question I've never got before. I also am like you and could never morally kill/cage/dissect an animal and I have had no issues during work and university. There are a few jobs that require this, but it's generally pretty easy to avoid. During university, I did not have to dissect any animals (surprisingly we did dissect cadavers though) and in high school I just opted out and was able to do an electronic version of dissection all on the computer. At work, all of my work involves simply observing wildlife and their signs so I have never had to disturb them in any way beyond just surprising them sometimes. The few situations that I have felt morally torn on was in a previous position when I worked closely on pipeline construction and I was observing bird nests being damaged and had to step in and shut down a project because of it. It's tough, but you don't have to compromise your morals to do a wildlife biologist job. Hope that helps!
Does repellent spray not work against the mosquitoes? Is there protective gear you could wear?
I’m definitely doing this, oof nvm the mosquitoes are evil idk now
lol story of my life
I would be afraid of encountering more intimidating wildlife such as bears, bobcats, ect., and I'm horrible with directions, no internal compass. This worries me.
Kristen Gibson we carry bear spray, a GPS, paper maps and always travel with two people so risk is pretty low. :)
It’s odd that this seems like a pretty okay day.
New subscriber here, I enjoy the content. Do you have any advice on a masters of natural resource stewardship?
Hi! I just wanted to ask. Is it common to befriend a beast that you're observing? Like those friendly beasts. Also is it allowed to have your own creature with you? I have a bird and I would love to take him on these fascinating journeys but It would be OK if he couldn't come.
As a wild life biologists I was wondering how much you make, you seem to live very well.
I make around 70k Canadian right now but it’s varied across my career
Is it hard always travelling? I like to exercise and have a workout schedule I feel like all the travelling I would do can interfere with my health and fitness goals! Weird question I know
It is tough! Towards the end of the field season (about now) I am extremely sick of it, haha.
Ackk! I can’t decide!! I wanna be a wildlife biologist and a palaeontologist. Someone help me
I still want to do this, buy how often do you have to fly around on plains and stuff?
Question, Do wildlife Biologist pay for their own flights?
Try being a land surveyor. Hope you're aware surveyors are before the wildlife biologist gets there we're the ones that make the site up. Stake center line on rightway.
Yeah I have worked with a lot of badass surveyors!
@@kristina_lynn lol.. Surveyors are the rock of the job site. Without survey everyone would be lost and nothing would happen 😆😆.. We are the mountain goats 🐐 that just appear out of nowhere.
Still worth it. Is it possible to have pets if you travel a lot for work? Or is it a bad idea because moving stresses them out? I have a bearded dragon. In the future I’m hoping to get a Tegu and a hognose snake, maybe a bigger sized snake. Maybe a dog.
If you have all those pets you definitely won’t be able to move them around with you for field work since it’s usually moving around and staying in hotels, nor would that be a good idea for the pets. If you have a partner or parent who can take care of your pets while you’re gone that would be best. My partner watches my cat when I’m gone since he works a normal 9-5. It’s tough to have pets though since it limits your careers you can take - for example, you couldn’t take a park ranger job in a remote national forest since they don’t allow pets there. Just something to think about.
In first ninety seconds, three foods or juices, nice. 🤗🤗🤗
This seems exactly what I want to do. I am from Canada in Kelowna. Would love to speak with you further on what you went to school for etc!
Sure, check out my channel since I have a ton other videos on how I got into my job! My wildlife career series (first ep: czcams.com/video/HRwyF8ST_9c/video.html) sounds like it would be good to watch for you too :) Feel free to comment if you have any specific questions, or if you want to message me I'm on instagram @veganbelowzero
Would love to do this lol
What's the difference between a Wildlife Biologist and a Zoologist?
Hi! I answer this question at time 5:06 in this video: czcams.com/video/J14GXzMWaLk/video.html
Hope that helps!
Can a zoologist do the same?
Even though they observe animals in their natural habitat and zoos and aquariums?
how to apply for your major?what qualification should I have? do I have to learn mathematics and chemistry in order to apply for this major? I'm really a big fans of animals!
You do have to know math and take chemistry for a biology major. The colleges I've looked at require a year of calculus for a biology degree.
You can look at a college's requirements for a major by looking at their website.
Still want to become one
You passed the test 😎
Gd wrt👍Very Appreciating
Are you a zoologost? What is the difference between wildlife and zoologist?
They're very similar, the only difference really is that zoologists tend to focus more on the individual animals such as physiology, anatomy or individual animal behaviors. While that is important for wildlife biology too, there's a bit of a broader focus on management/habitats.
Do you pay for your own fight or are the expenses paid for?
Very realistic haha one season I got covered in poison oak from a logging road gate I had to open and close
I wanna be a zoologist when I grow up
So u do stuff for environmental consulting?
I have a phobia of mice and rats. Will that sever my chances of success and/ or enjoying this job? Thank you so much.
I’ve probably only seen one or two mice ever at work in north america. It depends the extent of the phobia. If you’re afraid to walk through the woods or go on a hike you might not enjoy it. But if you’re only scared if you see a rat or mouse then it’s fine. Some of my coworkers are terrified of snakes. But when I worked in the Amazon there were rats everywhere so don’t go there lol
Kristina Lynn haha thank you so much for the reply. I love walks/ hikes and go on them daily. Only the sight freaks me out, but I guess the phobia can be overcome with therapy and determination. As for the Amazon, I’ll keep that in mind. :D
Have you ever been uncomfortably close/ attacked by a wild animal before?
I got bit/scratched by a cougar and bit on the butt by a wolf lol. All from a rescue sanctuary
skeeters will not bite you if you take vitamin B1,and the swamp of death is near Houston Texas with alligators and cotton mouths ,but it was funny
Omg I believe you - we have grizzlies and cougars but alligators and venomous snakes are more scary to me
When through wet areas do you wear water boots
Yep! For super deep water we also use waders
I have been inspired by a channel named brave wilderness
Wow, I checked him out, he's got a sweet channel!
Do you spend your time around animals a majority of the time?
Only wild ones! and not always the animals I intend to find but there's usually an animal or two around :)