Charles-André Vaucher

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Charles-André Vaucher (born August 25, 1915 in Geneva , † March 13, 1997 in Cologny , Canton of Geneva ) was a Swiss ornithologist, nature photographer, conservationist and non-fiction author.

Life

Even in his childhood, Vaucher was fascinated by the observation and study of natural processes. In 1925 he wrote his first ornithological notes. Driven by two friends, he observed birds near Geneva, writing each new species in his books. Ornithology quickly led him to research on other vertebrates and some invertebrates, and finally to botany to determine the diet of herbivores and predators. A passionate ethologist , Vaucher was a field researcher and focused his observations on animal behavior. Full-time construction contractor, Vaucher devoted himself to hunting and nature photography in his free time . He traveled to Europe (e.g. to the Coto de Doñana National Park , the Camargue and the Danube Delta ), North America, the Middle East and 35 excursions to Africa. Vaucher published around 30 photo books with his own texts, most of which were self-published and financed by himself. His four most recent publications (1995–1996) deal with wildlife in South Africa, the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, with bears in North America and with Mont Salève near Geneva.

In 1988, at the age of 73, Vaucher wrote a 500-page doctoral thesis at the University of Nancy with the title Contribution à l'étude éco-éthologique du chamois, Rupicapra rupicapra, au Mont Salève (German: Contribution to the eco-ethological study of the chamois , Rupicapra rupicapra, on Mont Salève).

Vaucher was a member of the WWF's advisory board , committee member in numerous national and international organizations and an honorary member of the Swiss Confederation for Nature Conservation (today Pro Natura ).

Works (selection)

  • Chamois , Editions de la Frégate, Geneva 1944
  • La vie sauvage en montagne , self-published, Geneva 1946
  • Chasseurs de chamois , Victor Attinger, Neuchâtel 1950
  • The hunt in Switzerland , Geneva 1952
  • Oiseaux du marais , R. Kister, Geneva 1953
  • Oiseaux de mer , Delachaux & Niestlé, Neuchâtel 1958
  • Overheard nature , Association printing company Bern, 1960
  • La vie des oiseaux , Delachaux & Niestlé, Neuchâtel 1961
  • Hunting in the mountains , Fretz & Wasmuth, Zurich 1962
  • Birds in Flight , Fretz & Wasmuth, Zurich 1964
  • Protect the wild chickens! , Natural Research Society, Schaffhausen 1966
  • Wild Andalusia. Coto Doñana , Fretz & Wasmuth, 1967
  • Les échassiers , Delachaux & Niestlé 1967
  • Nature sauvage dans l'est africain , Marguerat, Lausanne 1968
  • Nakuru, Lake of the Flamingos , WWF, Zurich 1972
  • Vivantes Préalpes / Magic of the Pre-Alps , WWF, Zurich 1973
  • Notes sur les vertébrés et les milieux naturels du delta du Danube et de la Dobroudja , self-published in 1975
  • Living in Weiher, Ried and Moor , Swiss publishing house, Zurich 1976
  • De la mer rouge à la mer morte , Editions Nicolas Junod, Geneva 1995
  • La vie sauvage d'Afrique australe , self-published 1995
  • La vie sauvage dans les Alpes , Delachaux & Niestlé 1995
  • Au pays des ours , Grandson 1996
  • Salève sauvage , Editions Nicolas Junod, Geneva 1996

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Vaucher, Charles-André
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Vaucher, Charles A.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss ornithologist, nature photographer, conservationist and non-fiction author
DATE OF BIRTH August 25, 1915
PLACE OF BIRTH Geneva
DATE OF DEATH March 13, 1997
Place of death Cologny , Canton of Geneva