Wildlife Technician/Technologist

Todd Powell

Todd Powell remembers the day he heard that his hometown still conducted annual wolf bounties, where hunters were offered financial incentives to kill wolves. "It shocked me when I realized that we managed wildlife in such an archaic fashion.” At that point, Todd’s interest in how humans affect wildlife was sparked: "I knew I had to get more involved to learn more about what it means to manage wildlife.” More than 10 years later, Todd has a B.A. in Geography and a Master’s in Ecology from the University of Sherbrooke. The native Ontarian is currently a wildlife technician for the Yukon Territory. Todd spends most of his time in the field, managing a wildlife region of more than 100,000 square kilometres.

There is no such thing as a typical day for Todd. He can be found doing anything from netting caribou and tagging them with radio collars, to using GIS computer mapping to track wildlife or banding and studying different species of bats. This wildlife technician enjoys his job because he creates his own positive influence on the conservation of wildlife populations within his region. "I get a lot of job satisfaction in being able to see and understand wildlife.”

Todd’s advice for students considering a career as a wildlife technician is to stay in school. "Here I am with a Master of Science at a technician level. This job requires a lot of education, a lot of experience, and a very strong work ethic to find your way into a system like this.” Todd points out that working as a wildlife technician will not make him rich, but that his job "is very much a labour of love.” He is proudest when he’s able to "pass on the message about the value of wildlife and our effects and how we need to be aware of them.”