Eduard Rüppell | |
|---|---|
 Eduard Rüppell | |
| Born | (1794-11-20)20 November 1794 |
| Died | 10 December 1884(1884-12-10) (aged 90) |
| Alma mater | University of Pavia |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | naturalist |
Wilhelm Peter Eduard Simon Rüppell, also spelledRueppell (20 November 1794 – 10 December 1884) was a Germannaturalist andexplorer, best known for his collections and descriptions of plants and animals from Africa and Arabia.
Rüppell was born inFrankfurt am Main, the son of a prosperous banker, who was a partner in 'Rüppell und Harnier’s Bank'.[1] He was originally destined to be a merchant, but after a visit toSinai in 1817, where he metHenry Salt and the Swiss-German travellerLudwig Burckhardt. He explored Giza and the Pyramids with Salt. In 1818, he developed an interest in natural history, and became elected member of theSenckenbergische Naturforschende Gesellschaft.[1] He attended lectures at theUniversity of Pavia andUniversity of Genoa inbotany andzoology.
Rüppell set off on his first expedition in 1821, accompanied by surgeon Michael Hey as his assistant. They travelled through the Sinai desert, and in 1822, were the firstEuropean explorers to reach theGulf of Aqaba. They then proceeded toAlexandria viaMount Sinai. In 1823, they travelled up theNile toNubia, collecting specimens in the area south ofAmbukol, returning toCairo in July 1825. A planned journey throughEthiopia only reached as far asMassawa, where the party suffered ill health.[1]
Rüppell returned to Europe in 1827, after battling pirates who had occupied his ship for 2 weeks.[1] During his absence,Philipp Jakob Cretzschmar had used specimens sent back by Rüppell to produce theAtlas zu der Reise im nordlichen Afrika (Atlas of Travels in northern Africa) (1826). In Frankfurt, he published scientific accounts with descriptions of the various animals had encountered.[1]
In 1830, Rüppell returned to Africa, and became the first naturalist to traverse Ethiopia (or Abyssinia as it was known then). He had been sent by theSenckenberg Nature Research Society (Senckenberg Naturforschende Gesellschaft), a learned association based inFrankfurt. He was one of the first collectors of old Abyssinian manuscripts.[1] He climbedMount Sinai. Then in 1831, his team was based at Massawa for 6 months, while he collected plants and animals from the Red Sea, on excursions to theDahlac Islands and also inland to Arkeko.[1] He meet an Abyssinian trader 'Genata Mariam' from Gondar, who had 49 camels and 40 mules and donkeys in hiscaravan. They travelled toAdigrat in theTigray Region and then through the valley of theTacazze River to theSemien Mountains. He studied theGelada Baboon, theWalia Ibex and the Giant Lobelia (Lobelia rhynchopetalum). InGondar, Rüppell was received an audience with the local Emperor Aito Saglu Denghe. He then collected various specimens nearLake Tana and along the uppermost part of theBlue Nile. In 1833, he left Gondar and then travelled to Kiratza and its monastery. In July 1833, the party and his collection sailed from Massawa viaJidda to Egypt, and Rüppell continued to Marseille and back to Frankfurt. Unfortunately, a Russian ship with some of his collection sank off the French coast.[1]
Around 100 new plant species were described in the years 1837-45, due to his collection. The herbarium contains more than 200 specimens and more than 25 species of vascular plants have been named after Rüppell.[1]
He and a number of collaborators described the vertebrates in a series of general publications and later books on birds appeared.From all his journeys in North East Africa and Arabia, it is estimated that Rüppell himself described 32 new genera and 450 species of animals, including the Semien Wolf (Canis simensis Rüppell 1840), the Walia Ibex (Capra walie Rüppell 1835), and the Gelada Baboon (Theropithecus gelada Rüppell 1835).[1]
Rüppell also published accounts of his travels:
Species bearing his name include:
Also named in his honor:
