Zoology Merit Badge History
Introduced1930
Preceded byNone
StatusDiscontinued 1972
Replaced withGeneral Science, Mammals
Earned through 197264,994
Best year19393,599 earned
All-time popularity#162official, as of 2020#172by 2025 (estimate)
The Story
Zoology was added in 1930, the same year as Wood Turning and Landscape Gardening. It sent Scouts outdoors to study wild animal life, but left out birds, snakes and insects, which had merit badges of their own.
The badge was most popular just before World War II, when 3,599 were earned in 1939. It was discontinued in 1972, after Scouts had earned 64,994 Zoology merit badges.
1942 requirements
- Make five field trips of at least two hours each, if possible in different seasons, to watch wild animals. Keep a record of every animal seen, with the date, place, kind of habitat and what it was doing.
- Use a classification key to identify at least five animals from different phyla.
- Learn the life processes all animals share, such as birth, self-protection, feeding and breathing, and keep a record from your own observation of the life cycle and habits of two animals from different phyla.
- On a map of your area, mark the animals found in each habitat, such as forests, streams and marshes, and learn what your state does to protect wild animals.
- For at least three months, do one of these: raise a young animal such as a squirrel, rabbit or guinea pig and keep a weekly diary of its habits, food, weight and health; keep an aquarium or "toad pen" and follow frogs, toads, turtles or fish from the egg on; or photograph or sketch microscopic animal life you find and prepare three microscope slides.
Source: Handbook for Boys (1940), requirements in effect January 1, 1942, summarized
Timeline
1930 The Zoology merit badge is introduced. The first Zoology merit badges are earned: 217 that year.
1931 The earliest known Zoology pamphlet printing (Type 3B-1).
1935 Best ranking: 41st of 101 merit badges.
1939 All-time high: 3,599 Zoology merit badges earned.
1942 New requirements take effect January 1, with a choice of three long-term projects.
1972 Last year the Zoology merit badge is offered; it is replaced by General Science Mammals.
Merit Badge Patches
Select a patch to enlarge it; many include the back.
- Type A1930 - 1933heavyweight cloth
- Type B1934 - 1935heavyweight and depression cloth
- Type C1936 - 1942heavyweight and lightweight cloth
- Type D1942 - 1946fine twill and war cloth
- Type E1947 - 1960
- Type F1961 - 1968rolled edge
- Type G1961 - 1971cloth back
- Type H1972molded
What do the patch types mean?
- Type A
- Square (1911 - 1933). Embroidered on tan cloth and cut into squares. The Scout folded the edges under when sewing it on.
- Type B
- Wide border crimped (1934 - 1935). The maker folded the edge under and pressed it round, leaving a wide cloth border. Made on depression cloth and heavyweight cloth.
- Type C
- Tan narrow border crimped (1936 - 1942). The same crimped edge with a narrow border of about 1/8 inch, on tan cloth.
- Type D
- Fine twill (1942 - 1946). Wartime badges on lighter, finer-weave cloth (fine twill and war cloth) while heavier cloth went to the war effort.
- Type E
- Khaki narrow border crimped (1947 - 1960). Back to heavier cloth after the war, now in khaki.
- Type F
- Rolled edge twill (1961 - 1968). The embroidered border is rolled over the edge instead of crimped, with a gauze backing.
- Type G
- Cloth back (1961 - 1971). Fully embroidered with a cloth back. By about 1969 every merit badge was made this way.
- Type H
- Plastic back (1972 - 2002). A plastic stiffener on the back. Collectors tell them apart by the back, which can be clear, white, or a very light blue plastic, with waffle-textured and smooth molded versions. These are sorted into variations H1 through H5.
Dates are approximate and can vary by badge.
Merit Badge Pamphlets
The printings come from Scoutmaster Bucky's own collection and research.
Select a cover to see its back covers and every known printing.
42 printings:34 in collection5 confirmed, not in collection3 unconfirmed
- Type 3B-11931 - 1940
- Type 3B-21932
- Type 3C1936 - 1940
- Type 41940 - 1944
- Type 5A1944
- Type 5B1945 - 1951
- Type 61952 - 1965
- Type 71966 - 1970
Type 3B-1 1931 - 19401 back · 4 printings · 3 in collection
back 31931 - 1940 · No. 3356
- 1931
- 1933 Oct · 1M
- 1935 Feb · 1M
- 1940 Feb · 1M
In collectionConfirmed, not in collectionUnconfirmed: not yet seen, may not existM = thousand copies, as printed on the pamphlet.
Type 3B-2 19321 back · 1 printing · 1 in collection
back 31932 · No. 3356
- 1932 Apr · 1M
In collectionConfirmed, not in collectionUnconfirmed: not yet seen, may not existM = thousand copies, as printed on the pamphlet.
Type 3C 1936 - 19401 back · 5 printings · 3 in collection
back 31936 - 1940 · No. 3356
- 1936 Feb · 1M
- 1937 Jan · 1M
- 1938 Mar · 1M
- 1939 Feb · 1M
- 1940 Feb · 1M
In collectionConfirmed, not in collectionUnconfirmed: not yet seen, may not existM = thousand copies, as printed on the pamphlet.
Type 4 1940 - 19441 back · 3 printings · 3 in collection
back 41940 - 1944 · No. 3356
- 1940 Feb · 1M
- 1941 Jun · 3MHard cover HCB
- 1944 Mar · 3M
In collectionConfirmed, not in collectionUnconfirmed: not yet seen, may not existM = thousand copies, as printed on the pamphlet.
Type 5A 19441 back · 1 printing · 1 in collection
back 5A1944 · No. 3356
- 1944 Mar · 3M
In collectionConfirmed, not in collectionUnconfirmed: not yet seen, may not existM = thousand copies, as printed on the pamphlet.
Type 5B 1945 - 19512 backs · 9 printings · 6 in collection
back 5blank1945 - 1951 · No. 3356
- 1945 May · 1M
- 1946 Mar · 2M
- 1947 Jan · 2M
- 1947 Mar · 2MHard cover HCF
- 1949 Jun · 1M
- 1950 Jan · 1MHard cover HCH
- 1951 Jan · 1M
back 6A1951 · No. 3356
- 1951 Jun · 1M
- 1951 Oct · 1M
In collectionConfirmed, not in collectionUnconfirmed: not yet seen, may not existM = thousand copies, as printed on the pamphlet.
Type 6 1952 - 19658 backs · 14 printings · 13 in collection
back 6B-11952 - 1953 · No. 3356
- 1952 Jul · 2Mdate code 200075Hard cover HCI
- 1953 May · 2M
back 6B-21954 - 1957 · No. 3356
- 1954 Jan · 3MHard cover HCI
- 1955 Jan · 3M
- 1955 Sep · 4MHard cover HCJV1
- 1956 Sep · 4MHard cover HCJV1
- 1957 May · 5MHard cover HCJV1
back 6C-21958 - 1960 · No. 3356
- 1958 Sep · 5MHard cover HCJV1
- 1960 Feb · 5M
back 6D1961 · No. 3356
- 1961 Mar · 45C
back 6F1962 · No. 3356
- 1962 May · 4MHard cover HCP
No photo
back 6G1963 · No. 3356
- 1963 Jul · 4MHard cover HCK
back 6H1964 · No. 3356
- 1964 Jul · 4.5MHard cover HCK
back 6I1965 · No. 3356
- 1965 Aug · 4.5MHard cover HCP
In collectionConfirmed, not in collectionUnconfirmed: not yet seen, may not existM = thousand copies, as printed on the pamphlet.
Type 7 1966 - 19701 back · 5 printings · 4 in collection
back 71966 - 1970 · No. 3356
- 1966 Sep · 4.5M
- 1967 Jun · 4.5M
- 1968 Jun · 5M
- 1969 May · 5.5M
- 1970 May · 6MHard cover HCM
In collectionConfirmed, not in collectionUnconfirmed: not yet seen, may not existM = thousand copies, as printed on the pamphlet.
Hard Cover Varieties
Earned by Year
First earned in 1930. Peak year 1939 with 3,599. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.
"#101 of 124" means the badge was number 101 of the 124 merit badges earned that year. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.
1930217#88 of 92
193159#96 of 96
19321,721#58 of 98
19332,157#55 of 101
19342,088#52 of 101
19353,564#41 of 101
19362,615#43 of 101
19372,291#50 of 102
19382,492#51 of 105
19393,599#44 of 106
19402,908#50 of 106
19412,670#50 of 106
19421,525#60 of 110
19431,256#67 of 112
19441,421#73 of 111
19451,125#77 of 111
1946895#77 of 111
1947647#83 of 111
1948630#82 of 111
19491,314#69 of 111
1950759#84 of 111
19511,027#82 of 111
1952778#94 of 120
1953580#93 of 105
1954746#90 of 103
19551,007#88 of 100
1956958#90 of 100
1957854#91 of 100
1958945#90 of 101
19591,151#90 of 101
19601,345#89 of 100
19611,473#87 of 101
19621,575#88 of 101
19631,548#88 of 102
19641,456#92 of 107
19651,392#92 of 109
19661,793#83 of 110
19671,497#96 of 112
19681,634#89 of 112
19691,906#87 of 113
19701,943#86 of 113
19711,688#90 of 113
19721,745#101 of 124
Grand total through 1972: