How can I become a herpetologist?

Well Paula, first of all it's really great that you want to achieve that. A "real" Herpetologist is a person with a Phd in Herpetology which is a branch of Zoology. If you get a degree in that field you can write your own ticket in the animal business. You can work in a prominent position in a Museum, at a Zoo, at a Conservation Center, in wildlife rehabilitation centers, for the government, etc, etc. Getting that degree will be the MOST important thing for you to achieve in your life.

I realize you are very young, but you must realize that Steve Irwin was a nin-com-poop. Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's true. He used sensationalism to make money and took serious chances no sane person would take, and it got him killed. A "true" animal lover and conservationist, really CARES about the animals and does NOT harass and molest them just to make money and glorify himself.

If you want someone to idolize just make friends with the Curator of Herpetology at your local Natural History Museum, or the Curator of Reptiles at an animal conservation park like the San Diego Wild Animal Park. Since you live in Ireland (which is a great place, by the way) the museum would probably be your best bet. These people can teach you a great deal and steer you in the right direction as far as your career goals are concerned.

Good luck to you.

I know many herpetologists who have degrees in Zoology, biology, or molecular biology. Do you want herpetology to be a job or a hobby? I know many people who have higher paying jobs and do some herping only as a hobby, even though it is their real interest in life. Examples of this include plumbers, electricians, college teachers, and molecular biologists. You can't really be a "herpetologist" strictly, but you can still work with nature, you just have to be a "naturalist", who knows a little bit about everything (trees, birds, rocks). As a naturalist, you can still specialize in herpetology (I know some people who do this), you just have to know a little about everything else in nature. If you're still young (13, 15) volunteering at nature centers and zoos is a great way to gain experience for a job as a naturalist. You can also work at a zoo, and try to mainly work at the reptile house.

Right now, what you want to do is to get a good background in the sciences. Then get a bachelors' degree in zoology. If you still want to, go for graduate degrees in herpetology. I say "if you want to" because Steve Irwin was not really a herpetologist. He was a showman. Aside from handling his son inside a crocodile enclosure (Who did he think he was, Michael Jackson?) he did some fine work in conservation and education. That still didn't make him a herpetologist.

Depending on what you want to specialize in, you might want to consider doing your graduate work in another country with more herps. It is not too early for you to start reading the professional literature in the field. See who is publishing and what university the author is affiliated with. That can help you pick a graduate school. You can also correspond with the authors, ask for advice (better than you will get here), and request reprints of their papers. Eventually, students will be asking you for the same.

You cannot major in herpetology as an undergraduate. To become a herpetologist, you would need to go to grad school. There may be some universities with professors who are herpetologists in Ireland, so you can become a PhD candidate under him/her. If not, then you may want to go to grad school in continental Europe, Britain, Australia or the USA. Herpetologists are scientists first, biologists second and herpetologists third. That means you must be well trained in science, including chemistry and physics. Math helps too. And of course you must be well trained in biology and even botany, since zoologists cannot ignore the plants, even though a botanist can ignore the animals. While in school you can take courses in chemistry and physics to familiarize yourself with the subjects so that it would not be such a shock when you do go to college. Take as much math as you can handle because the language of science is mathematics. And you cannot learn genetics effectively without a math background.

As a herpetologist you may need to specialize on one aspect of the biology of reptiles and amphibians, such as physiology, or behavior or systematics or whatever. There is a long road ahead and you may change your mind and something else may interest you. Keep your options open, but if you think herpetology is what interests you most, then go for it.