Heinz Heck (22 January 1894 – 5 March 1982) was a German biologist and director of zoo in Munich ("Tierpark Hellabrunn"" in German). Heck worked on the breeding back projects of the Heck Horse, which strove to recreate the Tarpan (True European Wild Horse, ancestor of all European domestic horse breeds), and the Heck Cattle, which was to recreate the aurochs, both of which are extinct. His work, as well as that of his brother, Lutz Heck, has been criticised on grounds that once an animal is extinct, it cannot re-exist. This is contrary to Heck's view, which is that while genes still existed in an animal, it could still be recreated. He was born in Berlin and died in Munich. Heck also was critical in saving the Wisent from extinction when the majority of its population of about 90 survived in captivity in Germany following great losses to the species during World War I. Thanks to Heck's efforts, the Wison population has significantly increased and the species is being re-released into the wild.
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| Persondata |
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Heck, Heinz |
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| Date of birth |
22 January 1894 |
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| Date of death |
5 March 1982 |
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