Subramanian Bhupathy
Subramanian Bhupathy (also spelled as Subramaniam Bhupathy) (1963–2014) was an Indian herpetologist, wildlife biologist and researcher. He was a principal scientist at the Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON). He headed a three-year study on the patterns of distribution of selected faunal groups on the Agasthyamalai hills. He worked on lizards, amphibians and birds and his contributions and works were more focused on reptiles.[1] Dr Bhupathy was noted for work on pythons and python ecology in India[2] and Indian turtles and tortoises.[3]
He began his career in the mid-1980s when laboratories were not well-equipped. He held a Ph.D. in Zoology (Ornithology) from University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. At the age of 51, Bhupathy died after a fatal fall while conducting herpetology field work near Agastya Mala hills on 28 April 2014.[4]
Recognition
- He was posthumously honored with the Turtle Conservation Appreciation Awards in 2015 by the Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Species Survival Commission (SSC), for his contributions to the Conservation and Biology of Indian Chelonians.[3]
- Nasikabatrachus bhupathi ― In 2017, scientists discovered a new and unusual frog species in the Western Ghats mountain range in India. The scientists have named the new species Nasikabatrachus bhupathi, in honor of Subramaniam Bhupathy. It is also known as Bhupathy's purple frog.[5][6]
- Bhupathy's shieldtail ― In 2018, scientists from the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore and the Natural History Museum, London, found a new species of Shieldtail Snake called Uropeltis bhupathyi, from the Anaikatty Hills in Tamil Nadu. It is named after Dr. Subramanian Bhupathy to honour his contribution in the field of herpetology.[7][8]
References
- Janardhan, Arun (September 23, 2017). "The afterlife of Subramaniam Bhupathy". Livemint.
- Dorcas, Michael E.; Willson, John D. (2011). "Invasive Pythons in the United States Ecology of an Introduced Predator". University of Georgia Press: 33.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - "Posthumous Turtle Conservation Appreciation Awards". iucn-tftsg.org.
- "Scientist falls to death at Agasthyamalai Hills". Deccan Chronicle. April 30, 2014.
- Bittel, Jason (August 24, 2017). "New Purple Pig-Nose Frog Found in Remote Mountains". National Geographic.
- "Leap to life". New Indian Express. December 9, 2017.
- Kamath, Vignesh (January 4, 2019). "The life that we discovered". Deccan Herald.
- Jigu (May 11, 2018). "Scientists discover a new species of shieldtail snake in the Western Ghats".