Herpetologists are zoologists who specialize in the study of reptiles and amphibians, for example snakes, lizards, crocodiles, and frogs.
Herpetology can be split into two broad categories:
Basic herpetologists study the origin of these animals, their interrelationships with other species, how they are affected by the environment, their behaviour, growth and development, genetics and distribution. They sometimes also work in museums as taxonomists where they are responsible for naming and classifying species.
Applied herpetologists work as curators of reptile parks or in the reptile sections in zoos, and in other positions managing the breeding of reptiles and amphibians.
This work may also entail working in positions which require educating the public with regard to these species. As this is a highly specialised field, the advice of herpetologists is often sought by the media or by medical teams in the treatment of snakebite victims.
This field does offer some entrepreneurial possibilities with regard to writing articles and appearing on nature conservation programmes on television, but it is unlikely that this would be a full-time option.