Vertebrate Zoology - Endorsed Certificate Course (TQUK - Training Qualifications UK)

Vertebrate Zoology Online Course.100 Hours Endorsed Certificate Course (TQUK - Training Qualifications UK).

This course is "experiential based" and designed to provide you with practical components to make the course as interactive as possible. It will also provide an opportunity to learn from industry professionals, while exploring the fundamental principles of vertebrate zoology. It will give you a thorough understanding of “higher” animals’ Zoology, Taxonomy and Biology, together with some principles on animal ecology and morphology.

You will learn the essentials of Vertebrate Zoology, giving you a solid foundation to understand animals. It will benefit anyone who is working with animals or it will build a sound foundation for further studies whether in farming, wildlife, veterinary or pet care industries.

The Academy for Distance Learning has a history of supporting wildlife projects. The world renowned Conservationist David Youldon, Chief Operating Officer of AFRICA NEEDS LIONS, completed our Advanced Certificate in Wildlife Management and with previous qualifications, went on to study a Masters in Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health at Edinburgh University. He was also accepted for a short course in Data Analysis in Ecology at the University of Oxford.

Currently we have the Primate Naturalist: Karin Saks, studying our Primatology course. Karin has been fostering and rehabilitating orphan baboons, caring for injured monkeys returned to the wild, plus promoting a harmonious co-existence between primates and humans since 1997. She also founded The Darwin Primate Group as a non-profit organisation in 2008 and in 2014, moved to Kwazulu Natal to research the endangered samango monkey populations in the Midlands.

Benefits of an ADL Endorsed Course?

Endorsed courses are skills based. They have been evaluated and approved by an independent awarding body such as Training Qualifications UK (TQUK).

What makes ADL’s Endorsed courses different?

• Flexible Self-Paced Learning– adjust your learning around your home and work commitments
• Start and Finish at any time
• Courses globally and industry relevant
• Practical Component at the end of most lessons.

Allocated your own tutor relevant to your subject. You can have as little or as much contact as you like with your tutor. They are there to support you all the way through.

This course is endorsed by TQUK -Training Qualifications UK, an OFQUAL awarding body.

Lesson Structure: Vertebrate Zoology BEN104

There are 10 lessons:

1 Vertebrate Taxonomy and Diversity Taxonomic classifications (Kingdom, Phylum, Division, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species).

• Morphology and Evolution
• Environmental and Genetic Influences
• Speciation
• Diversification Convergence
• Diet
• Habits
• Distribution
• Terminology

2 Fishes Fish Diversity (major groups):

• Class Agnatha (jawless fishes)
• Class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fishes) and
• Class Osteichthyes (bony fishes).

3 Ectotherms - Amphibians and Reptiles:

• Definitions, Endothermy, Ectotermic, Tetrapods
• Class Amphibia
• Order Anura (Salientia) Frogs and Toads, Salamanders and Newts
• Order Apoda (Gymnophiona) Caecilians
• Class Reptilia: Reptiles (turtles, lizards, snakes, crocodiles and the extinct Dinosauria)
• Order Rhynchocephalia - Tuatara
• Order Chelonia (Testudines) - Turtles, tortoises
• Order Crocodilia - Crocodilians
• Order Squamata - Lizards and Snakes

4 Birds -Physiology (Structure) and Anatomy, Feathers, Colour, Legs, Skeletal structure, Muscles, Senses, Behaviour (Flight, Diving, etc), Egg formation, Hatching.

• Bird Taxonomy
• Ratitae (flightless) birds
• Carinatea (flying birds)
• Water Birds (eg. Grebes, divers, Ducks, geese and swans, Storks, flamingoes and herons, pelicans, gannets and cormorants,)
• Owls, Eagles, falcons and hawks
• Chickens, turkeys, game birds and mount birds
• Rails, coots and cranes,
• Pigeons and sand grouse,
• Gulls, auks and plovers,
• Parrots, parakeets, Hummingbirds, swifts, Woodpeckers, toucans, Kingfishers, bee-eaters and hornbills, Trogonos, quetzals, plumed birds
• Perching birds such as sparrows, starlings, swallows (Passeriformes),
• Diving birds, loons, Cuckoos, coucals Nighthawks, whippoorwills, Mousebirds, etc.

5 Mammals (Mammalia)

• Overview - Taxonomy
• Sub class Prototheria (egg laying animals) - echidna and platypus
• Sub class Metatheria (Marsupials) eg. koala, kangaroo and opossum
• Sub class Eutheria (Placental masmmals -these include such diverse forms as whales, elephants, shrews, and armadillos, dogs, cats, sheep, cattle and horses. Humans, of course, are also placental mammals).

6 Marsupials -Subclass Theria

• kangaroos
• koalas
• wombats
• bandicoots
• opossums
• phalangers, etc
• Marsupials Physiology and locomotion, Reproduction

7 Grandorders Glires and Insectivora

• Rodents
• Rabbits
• Pikas
• Hedgehogs
• Moles
• Shrews and Tenrecs
• Taxonomy, structure, Adaptations

8 Carnivores

• dogs
• wolves
• bears
• racoons
• cats
• weasels
• hyenas
• seals, sea lions and walruses
• Taxonomy, Physiology, Adaptations

9 Hoofed Mammals (Ungulata: Includes seven orders)

• Order Artiodactyla. This includes: Hippopotami, Deer, Giraffe, Sheep, Cattle, Antelope, Camelids
• Order Cetacea. This includes: Dolphins, Porpoises, Whales
• Order Perissodactyla. This includes: Horses, Rhinoceroses, Tapirs
• Order Tubulidentata. This includes: Ardvarks
• Order Hyracoidea. This includes: Hyraxes (or Conies)
• Order Proboscidea. This includes: Elephants
• Order Sirenia. This includes: Manatees and Dugongs

10 Primates and other Archonta. This grandorder is sub divided into four sub orders:

• Scandentia e.g. Tree Shrews
• Dermoptera e.g. Flying Lemurs, Colugos
• Chiroptera. This order comprises the bats.
• Primates (Or Order Primates and sub order Strepsirhini) e.g. humans, monkeys, apes and lemurs

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the academy, marked by the academy's tutors and returned to you with feedback, any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Enthusiasts, Zoologists, Botanists, Zookeepers

A pc or laptop with internet connection

There are numerous career paths within Zoology which include the following:

• Academic researcher.
• Animal nutritionist.
• Ecologist.
• Environmental consultant.
• Field trials officer.
• Marine scientist.
• Nature conservation officer.
• Research scientist (life sciences)

Search questions

---