Wolfgang Gewalt
Encyclopedia
Wolfgang Gewalt was a German zoologist, author and former director of the Duisburg Zoo
.
, chemistry
and anthropology
, his main focus was research of the Great Bustard
. He recorded his observations in the breeding grounds and his experience with hand bred Great Bustards in several publications. Moreover, he was chief assistant at the Berlin Zoo. In 1966, he became director of the Duisburg Zoo
and landed in the headlines in May 1966 when the white whale Moby Dick
strayed into the Rhine. After futile attempts to capture Moby Dick, Wolfgang Gewalt came in for ever more negative criticism. A few newspapers even demanded: "Arrest Wolfgang Gewalt". In June 1966, the whale fortunately succeeded in swimming back to the North Sea. In 1969, Gewalt led an expedition to Canada and brought back the first Beluga to Duisburg
. For this he reaped angry criticism. In the same year Wolfgang Gewalt participated in the Encyclopedia Grzimeks Tierleben for which he wrote a contribution on Didelphidae
. In 1972, he and his colleagues founded the European Association for Aquatic Mammals at the Dolfinarium Harderwijk in the Netherlands. This is a society for the care of aquatic mammals in human custody. In 1975, he brought five Orinoco River Dolphins or Tonina
s back to Duisburg from an expedition to Venezuela
. In 1978 one of Wolfgang Gewalt’s dreams was fulfilled with the birth of the first bottlenose dolphin
in a German Zoo. In 1993, Wolfgang Gewalt retired.
On March 26, 2007 he died from the consequences of an accident in his home.
Duisburg Zoo
The Duisburg Zoo, founded on May 12, 1934, is one of the largest zoological gardens in Germany. It is especially well known for its dolphinarium and, since 1994, for breeding koalas....
.
Biography
After the study of zoology, botanyBotany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
, chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
, his main focus was research of the Great Bustard
Great Bustard
The Great Bustard is in the bustard family, the only member of the genus Otis. It breeds in southern and central Europe, where it is the largest species of bird, and across temperate Asia...
. He recorded his observations in the breeding grounds and his experience with hand bred Great Bustards in several publications. Moreover, he was chief assistant at the Berlin Zoo. In 1966, he became director of the Duisburg Zoo
Duisburg Zoo
The Duisburg Zoo, founded on May 12, 1934, is one of the largest zoological gardens in Germany. It is especially well known for its dolphinarium and, since 1994, for breeding koalas....
and landed in the headlines in May 1966 when the white whale Moby Dick
Moby Dick (Rhine)
Moby Dick was a Beluga, or white whale, that caused a sensation in 1966 along the Lower Rhine and then in all of Germany and the Netherlands. It was named after the whale in the novel Moby-Dick by Herman Melville....
strayed into the Rhine. After futile attempts to capture Moby Dick, Wolfgang Gewalt came in for ever more negative criticism. A few newspapers even demanded: "Arrest Wolfgang Gewalt". In June 1966, the whale fortunately succeeded in swimming back to the North Sea. In 1969, Gewalt led an expedition to Canada and brought back the first Beluga to Duisburg
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
. For this he reaped angry criticism. In the same year Wolfgang Gewalt participated in the Encyclopedia Grzimeks Tierleben for which he wrote a contribution on Didelphidae
Didelphimorphia
Opossums make up the largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, including 103 or more species in 19 genera. They are also commonly called possums, though that term technically refers to Australian fauna of the suborder Phalangeriformes. The Virginia opossum was the first animal to be...
. In 1972, he and his colleagues founded the European Association for Aquatic Mammals at the Dolfinarium Harderwijk in the Netherlands. This is a society for the care of aquatic mammals in human custody. In 1975, he brought five Orinoco River Dolphins or Tonina
Boto
The Amazon river dolphin, alternatively Bufeo, Bufeo Colorado, Boto Cor de Rosa, Boutu, Nay, Tonina, or Pink Dolphin , is a freshwater river dolphin endemic to the Orinoco, Amazon and Araguaia/Tocantins River systems of Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela...
s back to Duisburg from an expedition to Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
. In 1978 one of Wolfgang Gewalt’s dreams was fulfilled with the birth of the first bottlenose dolphin
Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose dolphins, the genus Tursiops, are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Recent molecular studies show the genus contains two species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin , instead of one...
in a German Zoo. In 1993, Wolfgang Gewalt retired.
On March 26, 2007 he died from the consequences of an accident in his home.
Selected works
- 1954 Die großen Trappen
- 1956 Die Großtrappe
- 1959 Das Eichörnchen
- 1964 Bakala
- 1965 Löwen vor dem zweiten Frühstück
- 1968 Tiere für dich und mich
- 1970 Delphine, meine Freunde
- 1972 Haltung und Zucht von Park- und Ziergeflügel
- 1973 Mein buntes Paradies
- 1976 Der Weißwal
- 1984 50 Jahre Zoo Duisburg
- 1985 Wie machen die das bloss?
- 1986 Auf den Spuren der Wale
- 1993 Wale und Delphine
- 1995 Liebe und Geburt im Zoo, Lübbe, Bergisch Gladbach