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Romulus Whitaker

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For the New Zealand herpetologist, seeAnthony Whitaker.

Romulus Whitaker
Born
Romulus Earl Whitaker

(1943-05-23)23 May 1943(age 81)
New York City,United States
CitizenshipIndian
EducationBSc (wildlife management)
Alma materPacific Western University
Occupation(s)Herpetologist,Conservationist
Known forWildlife film-making, Herpetology,Rolex Award
Spouse(s)Zahida "Zai" WhitakernéeFutehally(m. 1974; divorced)
Janaki Lenin
RelativesZafar Futehally(father-in-law)
FamilyTyabji family(through Zai)

Romulus Earl Whitaker(born 23 May 1943) is an American-born Indianherpetologist,wildlife conservationist,and founder of theMadras Snake Park,theAndaman and Nicobar Environment Trust(ANET), and theMadras Crocodile Bank Trust. In 2008, Whitaker was selected as an associate laureate in the 2008Rolex Awards for Enterprisefor his efforts to create a network ofrainforestresearch stations throughout India.[1] In 2005, he was a winner of aWhitley Awardfor outstanding leadership in nature conservation. He used this award to found theAgumbe Rainforest Research StationinKarnataka,for the study ofking cobrasand their habitat.

For his work in wildlife conservation, he received thePadma Shriaward in 2018 by the Government of India.[2]

Background and personal life

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Whitaker (known as "Rom" ) was born inNew York City,United States, to an American couple. His mother, Doris Norden, was an artist, and his father served in the United States Army. He has one older sister, Gail (b. 1939). After his parents divorced, his mother (who had custody of her children) married Rama Chattopadhyay, son ofHarindranathandKamaladevi Chattopadhyay.[3]The family, including Rom and Gail, initially settled in New York City. In 1951, after the birth of Rom's half-sister Nina, they all moved to Bombay (nowMumbai). Rom's stepfather Rama Chattopadhyay was a pioneer in color film processing; he established India's first colour motion-picture processing lab inWorli,Mumbai. Rom's half-brother Neelkanth was born in Mumbai in 1953.

Rom continued his education (begun in New York) at theKodaikanal International School(class of 1960). He studied briefly at theUniversity of Wyoming.During the early Vietnam era, as an American citizen of the correct age, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he trained and served as a medic on a military base hospital in Japan.[citation needed]After his Army tour of duty, he apprenticed from 1963 to 1965 at theMiami SerpentariumwithBill Haast,whom he affectionately calls "guru". A short career in the Merchant Navy brought him back to India, and he has lived here ever since. He is now a naturalized Indian citizen.

In 1974, Whitaker married Zai Whitaker, and the couple had two sons, Nikhil and Samir.[4]However, the marriage eventually failed, and the couple were divorced. He later married again and his wife, Janaki Lenin, is an Indian. They live on a farm just south ofChennai,on the outskirts ofChengalpattutown inTamil Nadu.[5][6]

In 1986, well into his 40s, Whitaker earned aB.Sc.inwildlife managementfromPacific Western University.This was merely a by-product of his lifelong passion for wildlife, especially of the reptilian variety. He is also a licensed amateur radio operator, holding an Indian callsign, VU2WIT.[7]

Work in India

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Gharialand turtles at the Crocodile Bank

Whitaker was the founding director of the Snake Park inChennai.The park was conceived to rehabilitate theIrulatribe, who are known for their expertise in catching snakes. Thetribalswere left jobless after the ban of snake trading. Whitaker helped the Irula tribe to get involved in extractingsnake venomused for the production ofantivenomdrugs. Rom is the founder-director of theMadras Crocodile Bank TrustCentre for Herpetology, actively involved in crocodile breeding and conservation programs. [8]

Whitaker is currently coordinating an effort to save thegharial,acritically endangered speciesofCrocodiliaon the brink of extinction, with less than 250 individuals left in Indian waters.[9]

King Cobra at Agumbe Rainforest Research Station

On 27 December 2010, the Minister for Environment and Forests,Jairam Ramesh,during a visit with Rom at the Madras Crocodile Bank, announced the formation of a National Tri-State Chambal Sanctuary Management and Coordination Committee for gharial conservation on 1,600 square kilometres (620 sq mi) of theNational Chambal Sanctuaryfor gharials along theChambal Riverin Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The committee will comprise representatives of the states' water resources ministries, state departments of irrigation and power,Wildlife Institute of India,Madras Crocodile Bank Trust,the Gharial Conservation Alliance, Development Alternatives,Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment,Worldwide Fund for Nature,and the divisional forest officers of the three states. The committee will plan strategies for protection of gharials and their habitat. This will involve further research on the species and its ecology and socioeconomic evaluation of dependent riparian communities. Funding for this new initiative will be mobilized as a subscheme of the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats in the amount of Rs.50 to 80 million (US$1 to 1.7 million) each year for five years. This project has long been advocated by Rom Whitaker. [10][11]

Professional affiliations

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Whitaker is a member of the advisory committee and the editorial board of theBombay Natural History Society,correspondent ofThe Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles,USA, advisor of Irula Tribal Women's’ Welfare Society, Afforestation Project, member of the Centre for Science and Education, New Delhi, and of theCentre for Environment Education,Ahmedabad. He co-founded the Tamil Nadu Society for Social Forestry Research and the Palni Hills Conservation Council. He is chief technical advisor of Irula Snake Catchers’ Industrial Cooperative Society and convenor of theIndian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage,Andaman and Nicobar Islands Chapter.[12]He is honorary consultant ofInternational Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources/Species Survival Commission(IUCN/SSC), vice chairman (Western Asia), IUCN/SSCCrocodile Specialist Group,member of IUCN/SSCReptile and Amphibian Groupand of IUCN/SSCSea Turtle Specialist Group.[citation needed]

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He was producer of the 1996, 53-minute, Super 16-mm wildlife documentary,The King and I,made for theNational Geographic ChannelExplorer program. This film on the natural history of the king cobra, the largest venomous snake in the world, received theEmmy Awardfor Outstanding News and Documentary Program Achievement, 1998. It also received Best Photography Award, Progetto Natura 8th Stambecco d'Oro Nature Film Festival, Turin, 1997; it was nominated for Best Cinematography, Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival 1997; Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft-Cinematographers and News and Documentary, 1998, and Best Animal Behaviour, Wildscreen Film Festival 1998.

In February 2007, he was the subject of a critically acclaimed documentary produced byIcon FilmsandWNET(and broadcast asSupersize CrocsonPBS'sNatureseries) on oversized crocodiles, which was filmed in India,Ethiopia,andAustralia.

In January 2009, Whitaker was in anotherNaturedocumentary on real-life reptiles, such asKomodo dragonsanddracosthat inspired tales ofdragons.

In February 2011,BBCNatural Worldfollowed Whitaker during his ongoing research into the causes and prevention of snake bites in India.

He has authored several scientific articles and popular books on reptiles, especially on snakes, including the comprehensive field guide, titledSnakes of India - The Field Guidein 2004. [13]on thesnakes of India. [12] [14]

In 2018, he received the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian awards in India for distinguish services in wildlife conservation.[15]

Honors, awards, and other recognitions

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  • He won the Whitley Award (considered as top U.K. conservation prize) in 2005 for his work.[16]
  • He became the associate laureate in Rolex Awards in 2008.[17]
  • A species of Indian boa,Eryx whitakeri,is named in honor of Romulus Whitaker.[18]
  • A species ofkrait,Bungarus romulusiis named in honor of Romulus Whitaker.[19][20]
  • Romulus Whitaker was awarded the Padma Sri (the fourth-highest civilian award) by the government of India for his work done in the field of wildlife conservation in 2018.[21]

References

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  1. ^Dickie, Phil (2008)."Romulus Whitaker, Unconventional conservationist".The Rolex Awards for Enterprise.The Rolex Institute. Archived fromthe originalon 13 February 2009.Retrieved29 January2009.
  2. ^Crocodile Specialist Group (2018)."Minutes of CSG Steering Committee Meeting, Santa Fe, Argentina, 6 May 2018: 3.5. Zoos"(PDF).CSG Steering Committee Meetings(2018): 10.
  3. ^"Meet Rom Whitaker".www.sanctuaryasia.com.Retrieved18 August2019.
  4. ^Alvares, Rahul (2005).Free from School.1st World Publishing.ISBN978-1-4218-0180-3.Retrieved8 August2020.
  5. ^"There are no other books like 'My husband and other animals' in the Indian market: Janaki Lenin".Zee News. 25 December 2012.Retrieved27 January2018.
  6. ^"There's never a dull moment in life: Janaki Lenin".The Times of India.5 February 2013.Retrieved27 January2018.
  7. ^"VU2WIT Callsign Page".
  8. ^Raghavan, T. L. (2009)."Romulus Whitaker - His Story".Environment.Chennai Online. Archived fromthe originalon 14 December 2008.Retrieved29 January2009.
  9. ^"Mystery of crocs' mass die-off".Science and Environment.BBCNews. 2008.Retrieved29 January2009.
  10. ^Lenin, Janaki (2010)."New Government of India initiative for gharial conservation".Janaki Lenin's Facebook Notes.Madras Crocodile Bank, Chennai, India.
  11. ^Oppilli, P. (2010)."A sanctuary coming up for Ghariyals".S & T, Energy & Environment.The Hindu, Chennai.Retrieved27 December2010.
  12. ^ab "Earl Whitaker".Resume.Wildlife Central.Retrieved29 January2009.
  13. ^Whitaker, Romulus;Captain, Ashok(2004).Snakes of India: The Field Guide.Archived28 July 2011 at theWayback MachineChennai: Draco Books.
  14. ^ "Alumni Profile: Romulus" Rom "Whitaker (Class of 1960)"(PDF).KIS Alumni Newsletter.KIS Alumni Association. August 2008. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 24 November 2010.Retrieved29 January2009.
  15. ^"6 Padma awardees are pride and joy of Tamil Nadu".The Times of India.26 January 2018.Retrieved26 January2018.
  16. ^"King Cobra Research Station, Western Ghats, India".whitleyaward.Whitley Fund for Nature. 31 December 2004.Retrieved26 February2018.
  17. ^"romulus whitaker".rolex awards.Rolex Awards for Enterprise.Retrieved26 February2018.
  18. ^Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011).The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles.Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp.ISBN978-1-4214-0135-5.( "Whitaker, R.", p. 284).
  19. ^Sunagar, Kartik; Khochare, Suyog; Senji Laxme, R. R.; Attarde, Saurabh; Dam, Paulomi; Suranse, Vivek; Khaire, Anil; Martin, Gerard; Captain, Ashok (2021)."A Wolf in Another Wolf's Clothing: Post-Genomic Regulation Dictates Venom Profiles of Medically-Important Cryptic Kraits in India".Toxins.13(1): 69.doi:10.3390/toxins13010069.PMC7832344.PMID33477742.
  20. ^Desikan, Shubashree (23 January 2021)."Lookalike snakes but with self-styled venoms".The Hindu.ISSN0971-751X.Retrieved31 January2021.
  21. ^"Chennai: Padma Shri for Whitaker gladdens ecologists' hearts".Deccan Chronicle.26 January 2018.Retrieved31 January2021.

External sources

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Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Romulus_Whitaker&oldid=1217047418"