Johann Büttikofer

Dr. Johann Büttikofer (9 August 1850 – 24 June 1927) was a Swiss zoologist.

Büttikofer was born in Ranflüh (part of Rüderswil, Canton of Bern) in Emmenthal. After his retirement he settled in Bern.

Scientific career

Büttikofer studied biology at Bern. In 1879 he joined the staff of the Royal Zoological Museum in Leiden, becoming curator between 1884 and 1897. He made two trips to Liberia, the first was from 1879 to 1882, and the second from 1886 to 1887. During his trip, he collected the first complete specimens of the pygmy hippopotamus known to science. The specimens were taken to the Natural History Museum of Leiden. In 1893-94 he accompanied the Nieuwenhuis expedition to central Borneo.

Between 1897 and 1924 he was Director of the Zoological Garden at Rotterdam. In 1895 he became dr. h.c. at the university of Bern.

Nature conservation

He was chairman of the Dutch society of Protection of Birds (1909-1924).

Works

• Mededeelingen over Liberia. Resultaten van eene onderzoekingsreis door J. Büttikofer en C.F. Sala in de jaren 1879 - 1882. (1883)
• "Reisebilder aus Liberia: Resultate geographischer, naturwissenschaftlicher und ethnographischer Untersuchungen während der Jahre 1879-1882 und 1886-1887.", 1890.
• Büttikofer J. (1917) Die Kurzschwanzaffen von Celebes Zoologische Mededelingen Vol. 3 p. 1-86 PDF

Sources

Voous, K.H., 1994, In de ban van vogels, Scheffers, Utrecht.