Dr Marissa Parrott grew up surrounded by animals. Fish, frogs, turtles, cats, guinea pigs and even a horse.

"As a three year old, I told my parents I was going to work in a zoo and breed animals," she says, now 39.

Dr Marissa Parrott always knew she wanted to work in zoos. Credit:Chris Hopkins

That dream has become a reality and she now works as a reproductive biologist at Zoos Victoria. This International Day of Women and Girls in Science, today, she is calling for other women to "follow their passion".

"Women can do anything that men can do in science and when we work together, we can do amazing things," she says.