Franz Sikora (explorer)

Photo by Franz Sikora (1897): Queen of Madagascar

Franz Sikora (born January 12, 1863 in Stockerau , Lower Austria , Austria-Hungary ; † May 23, 1902 on the island of Reunion, Indian Ocean ) was a collector, dealer and naturalist.

Life

Franz Sikora grew up in Vienna, in Mariahilf (7th district), and was trained as a pipe cutter assistant. He traveled to numerous countries (including Sardinia, Turkey, Tanzania, Madagascar, Reunion Island), where he a. a. Collecting insects and other animal species and taking documentary photos. He sold his finds to European museums (especially to the Natural History Museum Vienna ), to institutes and to specialists. Due to political unrest in Antananarivo (Madagascar), he had to move to the island of Reunion and died there of blackwater fever at the age of almost 39 .

His discoveries led to the discovery of new species, some of which were given the species name sikorae (e.g. a species of the leaf- tailed gecko and the Rheocles ). Despite his contributions to science, he remained largely unknown in his native Austria.

Photo by Franz Sikora (before 1898): Queen's palace; Antananarivo

Web links

Online collection - photographs by Franz Sikora. World Museum Vienna .; accessed on March 25, 2020
A young world traveler. In: Bukowinaer Rundschau , December 21, 1886, p. 3 (online at ANNO ).Template: ANNO / Maintenance / bur

Individual evidence

↑ Baptismal Book - 01-22 | Stockerau | Vienna / Lower Austria (East): Rk. Archdiocese of Vienna | Austria | Matricula Online. Retrieved March 23, 2020 .
↑ ANOM, Etat Civil, Résultats. P. 39 , accessed on March 24, 2020 (French).
^ ^A ^b V. Stagl: Sikora, Franz. In: Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Volume 12, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 2001-2005, ISBN 3-7001-3580-7 , p. 257.
↑ Verena Stagl: I spared no effort or expense to get the largest fish and the smallest worms . In: Natural History Museum & Association of “Friends of the Natural History Museum” (ed.): Magazine - Das Naturhistorische . No. 9 . Vienna March 2002, p. 10-11 .

personal data
SURNAME	Sikora, Franz
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Austrian natural resource collector and dealer
DATE OF BIRTH	January 12, 1863
PLACE OF BIRTH	Stockerau
DATE OF DEATH	May 23, 1902
Place of death	Reunion Island, Indian Ocean

[1] Baptismal Book - 01-22 | Stockerau | Vienna / Lower Austria (East): Rk. Archdiocese of Vienna | Austria | Matricula Online. Retrieved March 23, 2020 .

[2] ANOM, Etat Civil, Résultats. P. 39 , accessed on March 24, 2020 (French).

[oebl-3] A ^b V. Stagl: Sikora, Franz. In: Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon 1815–1950 (ÖBL). Volume 12, Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Vienna 2001-2005, ISBN 3-7001-3580-7 , p. 257.

[4] Verena Stagl: I spared no effort or expense to get the largest fish and the smallest worms . In: Natural History Museum & Association of “Friends of the Natural History Museum” (ed.): Magazine - Das Naturhistorische . No. 9 . Vienna March 2002, p. 10-11 .