Zoologist

How did our young scientists get interested in the natural world?

Miranda Lowe - Zoology

A zoologist studies a wide range of animal groups, ranging from the huge Blue whale to the smallest microbe.

What made you want to be a zoologist?

I had a very big interest in nature and natural history. I also came to visit the Museum and London Zoo many times as a child.

What advice would you give anyone wanting to be a zoologist?

You have to be passionate about science and nature.

What subjects at school were you best at?

Biology, chemistry and classical civilisation. It helped with my Latin and therefore scientific animal names!

What's the best thing about being a zoologist?

Being able to see and use the Museum's collections. Every day is different and exciting!

What's the worst thing about being a zoologist?

The smell of some of the preserved animals. Yuk!

What's the most exciting thing you've found, discovered or researched?

I have found some marine invertebrate glass models of jellyfish, sea anemones, corals and sea slugs made more than 100 years ago. They have been made to look exactly like the real animals. This is something very different and special for a Museum to have.

What's your favourite animal?

Puffin birds. They are fun to watch and have great colourful beaks.

What's your favourite thing on display in the Museum?

The giant isopod on show in the Darwin Centre. It lives in the deep sea and looks like a huge woodlouse.

What's your favourite website about zoology?

My favourite site is The Electronic Zoo. It brings together other sites for just about every animal you can think of.

What's your favourite book about zoology?

The Collins Pocket Guide of the Seashore of Britain & Northern Europe. It's a good all-round guidebook.

Are there any clubs or societies young people can join if they want to take their interest further?

There are lots of local nature clubs you can find by contacting your local council. You can also become a Museum Member, and get sent our quarterly magazine for kids, Second Nature.

What would you do if you weren't a zoologist?

A pharmacist or a science TV presenter!

Further info

Life galleries Mission: Explore

External links

The Electronic Zoo

Glossary - what does that word mean?

Marine invertebrate – animals that lack a vertebral column (a spine). To protect themselves, they usually have a shell or a hard exoskeleton.

Isopod – a small-sized crustaecean related to crabs and lobsters whose bodies are flattened front to back.

Giant isopod – one of a few species of large isopods. They are thought to be abundant in cold, deep waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.

Pharmacists – people trained to prepare and give out medicine. They are sometimes wrongly called chemists.