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Janet Ng on Becoming a Wildlife Biologist
Reflecting on a career focused on studying wildlife populations.
© Janet Ng
When Janet Ng was a kid, there was a very specific moment when she realized what she wanted to be as a grown-up: seeing a wildlife biologist being interviewed in a documentary and realizing that was a possible career path. Now working for the Canadian Wildlife Service and surveying birds in Canada’s southern plains, Janet and her colleagues help find out whether bird populations are increasing or declining, so that we know which species need the most help.
BirdNote®
Janet Ng on Becoming a Wildlife Biologist
Written by Conor Gearin
This is BirdNote.
[Saskatchewan wetland soundscape]
When Janet Ng was a kid, there was a very specific moment when she realized what she wanted to be as a grown-up.
Janet Ng: I actually expressly remember watching a nature documentary, and they were interviewing a wildlife biologist. And seeing their job title come up as part of their byline that they were a wildlife biologist — a lot of pieces clicked into place, that that was actually a real profession that I could pursue.
[Black Tern calls]
Janet now works for the Canadian Wildlife Service, surveying birds that live in Canada’s southern plains, like these Black Terns. She and her colleagues help find out whether bird populations are increasing or declining, so that we know which species need the most help.
[Black Tern calls]
Janet Ng: I guess a wildlife biologist's job is to have the finger on the pulse of what's going on with what their focus is. Right now my focus is on shorebirds and waterbirds. So it's really my job to know what's happening with the birds, anticipate what might be threats that they might encounter, and to know as much as possible about the species that I'm taking care of, really.
[Red-winged Blackbird song]
Janet Ng: If I had words of advice to young people interested in biology — it’s to, like, embrace every possibility. I've been really lucky as to like, what funny little career trajectory took me to where I am now. The pieces did kind of fall into place in a really lovely, unexpected way. And so taking opportunities, being paid for your time, being paid for your value, and also being a little bit outside of your comfort zone is a good place to be.
[Red-winged Blackbird song]
For BirdNote, I’m Conor Gearin.
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Senior Producer: John Kessler
Producer: Mark Bramhill
Managing Editor: Jazzi Johnson
Managing Producer: Conor Gearin
Content Director: Jonese Franklin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Black Tern ML348117611 recorded by Pat Lucas.
Soundscape Xeno Canto 164231 recorded by Patrick Turgeon.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2023 BirdNote March 2023
Narrator: Conor Gearin
ID# ngj-02-2024-03-22 ngj-02
Conor Gearin
Writer NarratorSights & Sounds
