Austin Roberts
Austin Roberts (born January 3, 1883 in Pretoria , South Africa ; † May 5, 1948 near Lusikisiki in what was then Transkei ) was a South African zoologist specializing in ornithology .
Life
Roberts grew up as the son of a pastor in Potchefstroom , South Africa. He worked at the Transvaal Museum from 1910 to 1946 , where he studied the birds and mammals of South Africa. Thomas Ayres (1828–1913), one of the first amateur ornithologists in South Africa, gave him a lot of basic knowledge . Roberts collected approximately 30,000 birds and 13,000 mammals for the museum for further research. He has published several books as well as manuscripts and articles for academic journals. In 1935 the University of Pretoria made him an honorary doctorate.
Bird protection
Austin Roberts died in a traffic accident on May 5, 1948. Named after him, Mr. WJ Seymore opened an 11.8 hectare bird sanctuary, the Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary . This is considered the largest reserve in South Africa and is located in the Walkerspruit Open Space System . It was fenced in in June 1970 and has been a recreational facility with cognitive and recreational value ever since. On February 26, 1985, it was officially declared a nature reserve.
Works
- The mammals of South Africa. Johannesburg 1951–54 (pm)
- Our South African birds (Ons Suid-Afrikaanse vöels). Cape Times, Cape Town 1941.
- The birds of South Africa. Witherbys, London 1940–51 (pm)
- Museums, higher vertebrate zoology and their relationship to human affairs. Pretoria 1935.
literature
- Charles Kimberlin Brain: Austin Roberts. Cape Town 1998, ISBN 0-620-22883-0 .
Web links
- Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary, Pretoria with bibliography
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Roberts, Austin |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | South African zoologist specializing in ornithology |
| DATE OF BIRTH | January 3, 1883 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Pretoria , South Africa |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 5, 1948 |
| Place of death | near Lusikisiki what was then Transkei |