Zoology students specializing in veterinary science will spend hours dissecting animal corpses. This helps them to understand the anatomy of animals such as domestic pets and farm animals, which are the usual recipients of veterinary care. They learn the illnesses and injuries that affect domestic animals and the best forms of treatment. They find out how to prepare slides to test samples and identify viruses and bacteria, how to set broken bones and treat injuries and how to remove tumors.
For students who dream of becoming conservationists, game rangers or zookeepers, experiments are less medical in nature. These include collecting specimens from the environment to understand how the ecosystem of a particular area works, such as the effect of insecticides on local wildlife. Experiments are also conducted outdoors observing wildlife to understand animal behavior.
Future marine biologists study entire populations of marine life and the ways in which they adapt to their environment. Laboratory experiments include chemical analysis of water, the study and reproduction of ocean currents and temperatures and their effects on creatures. Many experiments are carried out under water, so scuba diving training is essential for students. A study of geology to understand the habitat is conducted through experiments on specimens of rock taken from different bodies of water.
The study of invertebrates, or animals without a backbone, is a specialized area in zoology. Students focusing on this field conduct experiments such as identifying insect metabolism through measuring the amount of oxygen used and carbon dioxide produced over time, which enables them to understand the effect of the environment on the species. They also study a vast variety of life forms to learn the purpose of their appendages, how they function and ultimately how they survive.