Edward Pritchard Gee
Encyclopedia
Edward Pritchard Gee was a Cambridge educated, Anglo-Indian
tea-planter and an amateur naturalist
in Assam
, India
. He is credited with the 1953 discovery of Gee's Golden Langur
. He is notable as an early influential wildlife conservation
ist, especially for his 1959 and 1963 surveys and recommendations resulting in the creation of Chitwan National Park, the first of nine National Parks in Nepal
.
Soon after India's Independence
, Gee was one of the first to assess the threats to endangered species
and outline conservation
measures to protect them. He believed cattle had no place in a sanctuary and thought they would arouse a sense of surprise, disappointment, and revulsion in tourists who had come looking for wild animals.
Like his contemporaries, Salim Ali
and M. Krishnan, Gee was a non-official member of the Indian Board for Wildlife, the apex body that advises the Union Government on wildlife matters. Gee argued in favor of separate wildlife wardens
within the Forest Department, who have specific powers in Relation to fauna. He wrote extensively on the role of forester
s as protectors of wildlife, as he thought it important to rely on their goodwill. He believed conservation success depended on cooperation between foresters and the forest ministers of each state and that the role of the central government was only to advise and assist.
He is famous for his discovery of the Langur species which is named after him, Gee's Golden Langur
. He had heard reports of an unusual coloured primate and he organized an expedition in 1953. He managed to film the langars near the Sankosh River on the border between Assam
and Bhutan
.
He recommended that the Govindgarh Palace
of the Maharaja of Rewa
, and its White Tiger inhabitants, be made a "National Trust", which didn't happen.
In 1959, the Fauna Preservation Society appointed E.P. Gee to undertake a survey of the Chitwan Valley
. Gee, who had spent most of his life in India and was an authority on its wildlife, recommended creation of a national park north of the Rapti river. He also proposed creation of a wildlife sanctuary south of the river for a trial period of ten years. In 1963, after he surveyed Chitwan again, this time for both the Fauna Preservation Society and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gee recommended extension of the national park to Rhinoceros
areas to the south of the river. In December 1970, His Majesty King Mahendra approved extension of the national park as recommended, thus creating the first National Park in Nepal
.
After retirement from tea planting in Assam, Gee settled in Shillong
, where he assembled one of the finest private orchid collections.
After Independence, sensitive to the nationalism of the new Indian leadership, Gee searched for and emphasized indigenous nature conservation practices, ranging from ancient imperial edicts to village traditions of protecting nesting bird colonies. This cooperative and culturally sensitive style won recognition from Jawaharlal Nehru
whom Gee accompanied together with Nehru's daughter Indira Gandhi
and son-in-law Feroze Gandhi
on a tour of Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary
on October 20, 1956. Nehru's forward to Gee's book in February 1964 was one of the only pieces he ever wrote on wildlife conservation. In it he said,
Nehru called for more refuges for vanishing wildlife, but he died in May and Gee died 4 years later. It was the end of an era.
Book review by India Club says,
Some of his other publications are:
Other Articles Written by E. P. Gee, published in Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society:
Anglo-Indian
Anglo-Indians are people who have mixed Indian and British ancestry, or people of British descent born or living in India, now mainly historical in the latter sense. British residents in India used the term "Eurasians" for people of mixed European and Indian descent...
tea-planter and an amateur naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
in Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He is credited with the 1953 discovery of Gee's Golden Langur
Gee's Golden Langur
Gee's golden langur , or simply the golden langur, is an Old World monkey found in a small region of western Assam, India and in the neighboring foothills of the Black Mountains of Bhutan. It is one of the most endangered primate species of India...
. He is notable as an early influential wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...
ist, especially for his 1959 and 1963 surveys and recommendations resulting in the creation of Chitwan National Park, the first of nine National Parks in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
.
Conservationist
As a tea planter, Gee was part of a highly influential group of British landowners very close to the highest levels of provincial power.Soon after India's Independence
Independence Day (India)
The Independence Day of India is celebrated on the fifteenth of August to commemorate its independence from British rule and its birth as a sovereign nation in 1947. The day is a national holiday in India. All over the country, flag-hoisting ceremonies are conducted by the local administration in...
, Gee was one of the first to assess the threats to endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
and outline conservation
Wildlife conservation
Wildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...
measures to protect them. He believed cattle had no place in a sanctuary and thought they would arouse a sense of surprise, disappointment, and revulsion in tourists who had come looking for wild animals.
Salim Ali
Sálim Moizuddin Abdul Ali was an Indian ornithologist and naturalist. Known as the "birdman of India", Salim Ali was among the first Indians to conduct systematic bird surveys across India and his bird books helped develop ornithology...
and M. Krishnan, Gee was a non-official member of the Indian Board for Wildlife, the apex body that advises the Union Government on wildlife matters. Gee argued in favor of separate wildlife wardens
Deputy Conservator of Forests (India)
A Deputy Conservator of Forests or, equivalently a Divisional Forest Officer is an officer belonging to the elite Indian Forest Service. The Deputy Conservator of Forests is responsible for managing the Forests, Environment and Wild-Life related issues of a Forest Division of a state or a union...
within the Forest Department, who have specific powers in Relation to fauna. He wrote extensively on the role of forester
Forester
250px|thumb|right|Foresters of [[Southern University of Chile|UACh]] in the [[Valdivian forest]]s of San Pablo de Tregua, ChileA forester is a person who practices forestry, the science, art, and profession of managing forests. Foresters engage in a broad range of activities including timber...
s as protectors of wildlife, as he thought it important to rely on their goodwill. He believed conservation success depended on cooperation between foresters and the forest ministers of each state and that the role of the central government was only to advise and assist.
He is famous for his discovery of the Langur species which is named after him, Gee's Golden Langur
Gee's Golden Langur
Gee's golden langur , or simply the golden langur, is an Old World monkey found in a small region of western Assam, India and in the neighboring foothills of the Black Mountains of Bhutan. It is one of the most endangered primate species of India...
. He had heard reports of an unusual coloured primate and he organized an expedition in 1953. He managed to film the langars near the Sankosh River on the border between Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
and Bhutan
Bhutan
Bhutan , officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked state in South Asia, located at the eastern end of the Himalayas and bordered to the south, east and west by the Republic of India and to the north by the People's Republic of China...
.
Govindgarh, Madhya Pradesh
-Description:Govindgarh the summer capital of Mahraja Rewa is about 13 k. M. from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh. The Rewa, with an area of about 13,000 mi², was the largest princely state in the Bagelkhand Agency and the second largest in Central India Agency. The British political agent for...
of the Maharaja of Rewa
Rewa (princely state)
Rewa was a princely state of India, surrounding its eponymous capital, the town of Rewa.-Description:With an area of about 13,000 mi², Rewa was the largest princely state in the Bagelkhand Agency and the second largest in Central India Agency. The British political agent for Bagelkhand resided...
, and its White Tiger inhabitants, be made a "National Trust", which didn't happen.
Chitwan Valley
Chitwan Valley is an Inner Terai valley in the south of Nepal, encompassing the districts of Makwanpur, Chitwan and Nawalparasi. The valley is part of the Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands ecoregion of about 150 km length and 30–48 km width....
. Gee, who had spent most of his life in India and was an authority on its wildlife, recommended creation of a national park north of the Rapti river. He also proposed creation of a wildlife sanctuary south of the river for a trial period of ten years. In 1963, after he surveyed Chitwan again, this time for both the Fauna Preservation Society and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gee recommended extension of the national park to Rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
areas to the south of the river. In December 1970, His Majesty King Mahendra approved extension of the national park as recommended, thus creating the first National Park in Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
.
After retirement from tea planting in Assam, Gee settled in Shillong
Shillong
-Connectivity:Although well connected by road, Shillong has no rail connection and a proper air connection. Umroi Airport exists but has only limited flights.-Roadways:Shillong is well connected by roads with all major north eastern states...
, where he assembled one of the finest private orchid collections.
After Independence, sensitive to the nationalism of the new Indian leadership, Gee searched for and emphasized indigenous nature conservation practices, ranging from ancient imperial edicts to village traditions of protecting nesting bird colonies. This cooperative and culturally sensitive style won recognition from Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
whom Gee accompanied together with Nehru's daughter Indira Gandhi
Indira Gandhi
Indira Priyadarshini Gandhara was an Indian politician who served as the third Prime Minister of India for three consecutive terms and a fourth term . She was assassinated by Sikh extremists...
and son-in-law Feroze Gandhi
Feroze Gandhi
Feroze Jehangir Gandhi was an Indian politician and journalist, and publisher of the The National Herald and The Navjivan newspapers from Lucknow....
on a tour of Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary
Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park is a national park in the Golaghat and Nagaon districts of the state of Assam, India. A World Heritage Site, the park hosts two-thirds of the world's Great One-horned Rhinoceroses. Kaziranga boasts the highest density of tigers among protected areas in the world and was...
on October 20, 1956. Nehru's forward to Gee's book in February 1964 was one of the only pieces he ever wrote on wildlife conservation. In it he said,
Nehru called for more refuges for vanishing wildlife, but he died in May and Gee died 4 years later. It was the end of an era.
Publications
- E.P. Gee was an active contributor to the early wildlife protection policy of India. He wrote his own account of his wildlife work in the book Wildlife of India in 1964. This work makes a good comparison with present day wildlife conservationWildlife conservationWildlife conservation is the preservation, protection, or restoration of wildlife and their environment, especially in relation to endangered and vulnerable species. All living non-domesticated animals, even if bred, hatched or born in captivity, are considered wild animals. Wildlife represents all...
efforts in India.
- The IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Minister of State (Independent Charge)Minister of StateMinister of State is a title borne by politicians or officials in certain countries governed under a parliamentary system. In some countries a "minister of state" is a junior minister, who is assigned to assist a specific cabinet minister...
for Environment and Forests since May, 2009, Jairam RameshJairam RameshJairam Ramesh born April 9, 1954, is an Indian economist and an influential politician of the Congress Party in the United Progressive Alliance ruling coalition of center-left political parties heading the Government of India. He is a Member of Parliament representing Andhra Pradesh state in the...
's acquaintance with the natural world began when he was nine (1963) and was gifted The Wildlife of India. The book is a classic with a beautiful foreword by Jawaharlal NehruJawaharlal NehruJawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
that has stayed with him all these years.
- Wildlife in India was first published in hardcover 224 page, 8 b/w and 12 color plates illustrated edition, weight 645 grams by William Collins, Sons and Co LtdHarperCollinsHarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
in London in July 1964 (Second hardback edition. green cloth. 192pp; 12 colour plates 64 b/w plates.) and E.P. Dutton & Co. 6 1/8" x 9", Green hardback with gold print on black background on spine, 192 pages, 8vo. Illus. with 8 b/w and 12 color plates) in New York in Dec. 1964. Third impression in March, 1965 had 192 pages with 12 colour and over 60 b/w illustrations. The book was republished by Fontana paperbacks in London in 1969 and again in 177 page version on May 1, 1992 by Indus, South Asia Books. It was reprinted by Harper CollinsHarperCollinsHarperCollins is a publishing company owned by News Corporation. It is the combination of the publishers William Collins, Sons and Co Ltd, a British company, and Harper & Row, an American company, itself the result of an earlier merger of Harper & Brothers and Row, Peterson & Company. The worldwide...
in New Delhi in 2000.
Book review by India Club says,
Some of his other publications are:
- The White TigerWhite tigerThe white tiger is a recessive mutant of the Bengal tiger, which was reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar and especially from the former State of Rewa.-Color comparison:...
in AnimalAnimal (journal)Animal: An International Journal of Animal Bioscience is an academic journal established February 2007 and published monthly by Cambridge University Press....
, 1964, vol. 3, pages. 282-286.
- "The breeding of the Grey or Spottedbilled Pelican Pelecanus philippensis (Gmelin)". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., Vol.57, 1960, issue 2, pages 245–251.
- AlbinismAlbinismAlbinism is a congenital disorder characterized by the complete or partial absence of pigment in the skin, hair and eyes due to absence or defect of an enzyme involved in the production of melanin...
And Partial Albinism In TigerBengal TigerThe Bengal tiger is a tiger subspecies native to the Indian subcontinent that in 2010 has been classified as endangered by IUCN...
in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History SocietyJournal of the Bombay Natural History SocietyThe Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society is a natural history journal published several times a year by the Bombay Natural History Society...
, 1959, Vol. 56, pages. 581-587.
- History of the Rhino Area in Nepal in the Journal Cheetal, Vol 4, 1961, pp. 16–28
- Note on the Indo-Burmese Pied Hornbill, JBNHS, Vol. 36 (1933) pp. 505–506
- Fishing and Fish Tackle, IF, Vol. 82, 1954, pp. 423–426
- The Management Of India's Wildlife Sanctuaries and National ParksProtected areas of IndiaAs of May 2004, the protected areas of India cover , roughly 4.95% of the total surface area.-Classification:India has the following kinds of protected areas, in the sense of the word designated by IUCN:-National Park:...
, Part II, JBNHS, Vol. 52, 1954, pp. 717–731
Other Articles Written by E. P. Gee, published in Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society:
- A leopard cat (Felis bengalensis Kerr) in captivity 59(2), PLATES - 1
- A new species of langur in Assam 53(2)
- A note on the conference on conservation of nature and natural resources in tropical South-East Asia held at Bangkok, Thailand. November 29 to December 4, 1965 63(1), PLATES - 1
- A note on the occurrence of the Malayan sun bear Helarctos malayanus (Raffles) within Indian limits 64(2), PLATES - 1
- A possible cause of blank days when MahseerMahseerMahseer is the common name used for the genera Tor, Neolissochilus, and Naziritor in the family Cyprinidae . The name Mahseer is however more often restricted to members of the genus Tor...
fishing 48(3)
- Bharatpur `wild’ cattle 55(2), PLATES - 1
- Black leopard cubs 48(1)
- Effect of atmospheric pressure while fishing 49(1)
- Effect of atmospheric pressure while fishing 49(4)
- Extermination of snakes upsets balance of nature 51(1)
- Further observations on the great Indian one-horned rhinoceros (R. unicornis Linn.) 51(4), PLATES - 1 2
- Great Indian one-horned rhinoceros (R. unicornis Linn.) cow with (presumptive) twin calves 53(2)
- Lion v. tiger 54(1)
- Mystery predator 51(3)
- Note on the development of the casque of the Indo-Burmese pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) 36(3), PLATES - 1
- Occurrence of the brown bear, Ursus arctos (Linnaeus), in Bhutan 64(3)
- Occurrence of the nayan or great Tibetan sheep, Ovis ammon hodgsoniArgaliThe argali, or the mountain sheep is a wild sheep, which roams the highlands of Central Asia . It is the biggest wild sheep, standing at the shoulder, measuring long and weighing , with a maximum known weight of...
(Blyth) in Bhutan 64(3)
- Occurrence of the snow leopard, Panthera uncia (Schreber), in Bhutan 64(3)
- On the leopard cat. (Prionailurus bengalensis) 47(2)
- Possible occurrence of the snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellanaeGolden Snub-nosed MonkeyThe golden snub-nosed monkey is an Old World monkey in the Colobinae subfamily. It is endemic to a small area in temperate, mountainous forests of central and Southwest China. The Chinese name is sichuan golden hair monkey . It is also widely referred to as the sichuan snub-nosed monkey...
) in Assam 51(1)
- Predator and prey at salt-licks 54(1)
- Report on the status of the brow-antlered deer, Cervus eldi (MacClelland) of Manipur (India)- October-November 1959 and March 1960 57(3), PLATES - 1 2 3 4
- Report on the status of the Kashmir stagKashmir stagThe Kashmir stag , also called hangul, is a subspecies of Red Deer native to northern Pakistan and India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir where it is the state animal.-Description:...
- October 1965 62(3), PLATES - 1 2 3 4 5
- Some notes on the golden cat, Felis temmincki Vigors & Horsfield 58(2)
- Strange behaviour of a tigress 39(3)
- The Assam earthquake of 1950 50(3), PLATES - 1 2 3
- The brow-antlered deer (Cervus eldi MacClelland) 52(4), (PLATES - 1
- The Distribution and Feeding Habits of the Golden Langur, Presbytis geei, Gee (Khajuria, 1956) 58(1), PLATES - 1 2 3
- The function of zoological gardens in the preservation of wild life 53(1), PLATES - 1 2 3 4
- The great Indian rhinoceros (R. unicornis) in Nepal-Report of a fact-finding survey, April-May 1959 56(3), PLATES - 1 2 3 4 5 6
- The Indian elephant, (E. maximusIndian ElephantThe Indian Elephant is one of three recognized subspecies of the Asian elephant, and native to mainland Asia. Since 1986, Elephas maximus has been listed as endangered by IUCN as the population has declined by at least 50% over the last three generations, estimated to be 60–75 years...
)- Early growth gradient and intervals between calfing 53(1), PLATES - 1 2 3 4
- The Indian Wild AssIndian Wild AssThe Indian wild ass also called khur, is a subspecies of the Onager native to Southern Asia.-Description:The Indian wild ass, as with most other Asian wild ass subspecies, is quite different from the African species. The coat is usually sandy, but varies from reddish grey, fawn, to pale chestnut...
- A survey-February 1962 60(3), PLATES - 1
- The life history of the great Indian one-horned rhinoceros (R. unicornis Linn.) 51(2), PLATES - 1
- The management of India’s wild life sanctuaries and national parksProtected areas of IndiaAs of May 2004, the protected areas of India cover , roughly 4.95% of the total surface area.-Classification:India has the following kinds of protected areas, in the sense of the word designated by IUCN:-National Park:...
51(1), PLATES - 1 2 3 4
- The management of India’s wild life sanctuaries and national parks. Part II 52(4), PLATES - 1 2 3 4 5 6
- The management of India’s wild life sanctuaries and national parks. Part III 54(1), PLATES - 1 2 3 4 5 6
- The management of India’s wild life sanctuaries and national parks. Part IV 59(2), PLATES - 1 2
- The management of India’s wild life sanctuaries and national parks. Part V 64(2)
- The present status of the whitewinged wood duck, Cairina scutulata (S. Muller) 55(3), PLATES - 1
- The shou or `Sikkim stag’ 55(3), PLATES - 1
- The size of the jungle cat (Felis chaus affinisFelis chaus affinisFelis chaus affinis is a subspecies of the Jungle Cat, endemic to northern Pakistan....
) 39(4)
- The wildfowl trust at Slimbridge in Britain 58(2), PLATES - 1 2
- What is the best means of control and destruction of flying foxes (Pteropus giganteus) (Brunn.) 50(2)
- What is the best means of control and destruction of flying foxes (Pteropus giganteus) (Brunn)? 51(1)
- Wild buffaloesGaurThe gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
and tame 51(3)
- Wild elephants dying in Assam 49(1)
- Wild elephants dying in Assam 49(2)
- Wild life Preservation In India. 52(2)
- Wild life reserves in India- Assam 49(1), PLATES - 1 2 3