https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Romulus_WhitakerRomulus Whitaker - Revision history2026-10-20T17:50:40ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Romulus_Whitaker&diff=530836&oldid=prevSaurabh jain: Created post2026-04-21T17:42:19Z<p>Created post</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|American-born Indian herpetologist}}<br />
{{For|the New Zealand herpetologist|Anthony Whitaker}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Romulus Whitaker<br />
| image = Mr._Romulus_Whitaker.JPG<br />
| image_upright = <br />
| caption = Whitaker in 2013<br />
| landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --><br />
| alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software --><br />
| pronunciation = <br />
| birth_name = Romulus Earl Whitaker<br />
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1943|05|23}}<br />
| birth_place = [[New York City]], United States<br />
| citizenship = United States (former)<br/>India<br />
|education=BSc (wildlife management)<br />
|alma_mater=[[Pacific Western University]]<br />
|occupation=[[Herpetologist]], [[wildlife conservation|Conservationist]]<br />
|employer=<br />
|known_for=Wildlife film-making, Herpetology, [[Rolex Awards for Enterprise|Rolex Award]]<br />
| spouse = Zahida "Zai" Whitaker {{nee|[[Tyabji family|Futehally]]}} (m. 1974; divorced)<br/>Janaki Lenin<br />
| relatives = [[Zafar Futehally]] (father-in-law)<br />
| family = [[Tyabji family]] (through Zai)<br />
}}<br />
''' Romulus Earl Whitaker''' (born 23 May 1943) is an American-born Indian [[herpetology|herpetologist]], [[wildlife conservation]]ist, who founded the [[Madras Snake Park]], co-founded the [[Andaman and Nicobar Environment Trust]] (ANET), and the [[Madras Crocodile Bank Trust]]. In 1984, he was selected by the [[Rolex Awards for Enterprise]] as an associate laureate for his work in establishing the Irula snake-catchers cooperative. In 2008, he was selected again for his efforts to create a network of [[rainforest]] research stations throughout India.<ref name="Dickie">{{cite web |url=http://rolexawards.com/en/the-laureates/romuluswhitaker-the-project.jsp |title=Romulus Whitaker, Unconventional conservationist |last=Dickie <br />
|first=Phil |year=2008 |work=The Rolex Awards for Enterprise |publisher=The Rolex Institute |access-date=29 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090213232031/http://rolexawards.com/en/the-laureates/romuluswhitaker-the-project.jsp |archive-date=13 February 2009}}</ref> In 2005, he won a [[Whitley Awards (UK)|Whitley Award]] for outstanding leadership in nature conservation. He used this award to found the [[Agumbe#Rainforest research station|Agumbe Rainforest Research Station]] in [[Karnataka]], for the study of [[king cobra]]s and their habitat. For his work in wildlife conservation, he received the [[Padma Shri]] award in 2018 by the Government of India.<ref>{{cite journal |date=2018 |title=Minutes of CSG Steering Committee Meeting, Santa Fe, Argentina, 6 May 2018: 3.5. Zoos |journal=CSG Steering Committee Meetings |author=Crocodile Specialist Group |issue=2018 |page=10 |url=http://www.iucncsg.org/365_docs/attachments/protarea/63f5094d55e6caf77c34e6a6131efa10.pdf}}</ref><br />
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==Background and personal life==<br />
Whitaker (known as "Rom") was born in [[New York City]], United States, to an American couple. His mother, Doris Norden, was an artist, and his father served in the United States Army. He has one older sister, Gail (b. 1939). After his parents divorced, his mother (who had custody of her children) married Rama Chattopadhyay, son of [[Harindranath Chattopadhyaya|Harindranath]] and [[Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay]].<ref name="Meet Rom Whitaker">{{cite web |title=Meet Rom Whitaker |url=https://www.sanctuaryasia.com/people/interviews/1590-meet-rom-whitaker.html |website=www.sanctuaryasia.com |access-date=18 August 2019 |language=en}}</ref> The family, including Rom and Gail, initially settled in New York City. In 1951, after the birth of Rom's half-sister Nina, they all moved to Bombay (now [[Mumbai]]). Rom's stepfather, Rama Chattopadhyay, was a pioneer in color film processing; he established India's first colour motion-picture processing lab in [[Worli]], Mumbai. Rom's half-brother Neelkanth was born in Mumbai in 1953.<br />
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Rom continued his education (begun in New York City) at the [[Kodaikanal International School]] (class of 1960). He studied briefly at the [[University of Wyoming]]. He served briefly in the Merchant Navy and worked from 1963 to 1965 at the [[Bill Haast#The Serpentarium|Miami Serpentarium]] with [[Bill Haast]], whom he affectionately calls "guru".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Whitaker |first1=Romulus |title=Snakes, drugs and rock 'n' roll |last2=Lenin |first2=Janaki |publisher=Harper Collins |year=2024 |pages=288–307}}</ref> During the early Vietnam era, as an American citizen of the correct age, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, where he trained and served as a medic on a military base hospital in Texas and later Japan.{{sfn|Whitaker|Lenin|2024|p=322-331}} He returned to India aboard the Greek freighter ''Hellenic Leader'' in 1967, and he has lived here ever since.{{sfn|Whitaker|Lenin|2024|p=343-357}} He is now a naturalized Indian citizen.<br />
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In 1974, Whitaker married Zai Whitaker, and the couple had two sons, Nikhil and Samir.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Alvares |first1=Rahul |title=Free from School |date=2005 |publisher=1st World Publishing |isbn=978-1-4218-0180-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k99SOoVxlMoC&q=Romulus+Whitaker+son+samir&pg=PA94 |access-date=8 August 2020 |language=en}}</ref> However, the marriage failed, and the couple were divorced. He later married again and lives with Indian writer Janaki Lenin on the outskirts of Mysore.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://zeenews.india.com/exclusive/there-are-no-other-books-like-my-husband-and-other-animals-in-the-indian-market-janaki-lenin_5935.html | title=There are no other books like 'My husband and other animals' in the Indian market: Janaki Lenin | publisher=Zee News | date=25 December 2012 | access-date=27 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/features/Theres-never-a-dull-moment-in-life-Janki-Lenin/articleshow/18219541.cms | title=There's never a dull moment in life: Janaki Lenin | work=[[The Times of India]] | date=5 February 2013 | access-date=27 January 2018}}</ref><br />
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In 1986, well into his 40s, Whitaker earned a [[B.Sc.]] in [[wildlife management]] from [[Pacific Western University]]. This was merely a by-product of his lifelong passion for wildlife, especially of the reptilian variety. He is also a licensed amateur radio operator, holding an Indian callsign, VU2WIT.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.qrz.com/db/VU2WIT|title = VU2WIT Callsign Page}}</ref><br />
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==Work in India==<br />
[[File:Gharial and Turtle at the Crocodile Bank - Mamallapuram - India.JPG|thumb|250px|[[Gharial]] and turtles at the Crocodile Bank]]<br />
Whitaker was the founding director of the Snake Park in [[Chennai]]. The park was conceived to educate the public and to help the [[Irulas|Irula]] tribe, who are known for their expertise in tracking and catching snakes. The [[tribals]] had been left jobless after the Wildlife Act of 1972, which banned trade in snakeskins. Whitaker helped the Irula tribe to get involved in extracting [[snake venom]] used for the production of [[antivenom]] drugs.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Whitaker |first=Romulus |last2=Andrews |first2=Harry V. |date=1995 |title=The Irula Co-operative Venom Centre, India |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0030605300021001/type/journal_article |journal=Oryx |language=en |volume=29 |issue=2 |pages=129–135 |doi=10.1017/S0030605300021001 |issn=0030-6053}}</ref> Rom was a co-founder of the [[Madras Crocodile Bank Trust]] Centre for Herpetology, actively involved in crocodile breeding and conservation programs.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Iqbal |first=Sarah |date=2018 |title=Romulus Whitaker |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26978349 |journal=Current Science |volume=115 |issue=6 |pages=1028–1030 |issn=0011-3891}}</ref><ref name="COL">{{cite news |url= http://archives.chennaionline.com/science/Environment/romulus.asp |title= Romulus Whitaker - His Story |last= Raghavan, T. L. |year=2009 |work= Environment |publisher= Chennai Online |access-date=29 January 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081214182945/http://archives.chennaionline.com/science/Environment/romulus.asp |archive-date = 14 December 2008 |url-status= dead |df= dmy-all}}</ref><br />
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Whitaker coordinated an effort to save the [[gharial]], a [[critically endangered species]] of [[Crocodilia]]n, with less than 250 individuals left in 1970, with numbers now over 3,000.<ref name="BBC">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7755393.stm |title=Mystery of crocs' mass die-off |date=2008 |work=Science and Environment |publisher=[[BBC]] News |access-date=29 January 2009}}</ref> <br />
[[File:King Cobra agumbe.jpg|left|thumb|250px|King Cobra at Agumbe Rainforest Research Station]]<br />
On 27 December 2010, the Minister for Environment and Forests, [[Jairam Ramesh]], during a visit with Rom at the Madras Crocodile Bank, announced the formation of a National Tri-State Chambal Sanctuary Management and Coordination Committee for gharial conservation on {{ Convert | 1,600 | km2 }} of the [[Chambal River#National Chambal Sanctuary|National Chambal Sanctuary]] for gharials along the [[Chambal River]] in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The committee will comprise representatives of the states' water resources ministries, state departments of irrigation and power, [[Wildlife Institute of India]], [[Madras Crocodile Bank Trust]], the Gharial Conservation Alliance, Development Alternatives, [[Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment]], [[Worldwide Fund for Nature]], and the divisional forest officers of the three states. The committee will plan strategies for the protection of gharials and their habitat. This will involve further research on the species and its ecology, and socioeconomic evaluation of dependent riparian communities. Funding for this new initiative will be mobilized as a subscheme of the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats in the amount of Rs.50 to 80 million (US$1 to 1.7 million) each year for five years. This project has long been advocated by Rom Whitaker.<br />
<ref name="Lenin">{{cite news|url=https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=152136454836182 |title=New Government of India initiative for gharial conservation |last=Lenin<br />
|first=Janaki |date=2010 |work=Janaki Lenin's Facebook Notes |publisher=Madras Crocodile Bank, Chennai, India}}</ref><ref name=sanctuary>{{cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/article995890.ece |title=A sanctuary coming up for Ghariyals|last=Oppilli, P. |date=2010 |work=S & T, Energy & Environment |publisher=The Hindu, Chennai |access-date=27 December 2010}}</ref><br />
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==Professional affiliations==<br />
Whitaker is a member of the advisory committee and the editorial board of the [[Bombay Natural History Society]], and advisor to the Irula Tribal Women's’ Welfare Society. He co-founded the Palni Hills Conservation Council. He is chief technical advisor of Irula Snake Catchers’ Industrial Cooperative Society and convenor of the [[Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage]], Andaman and Nicobar Islands Chapter.<ref name="ROM"/> He is a member of the [[IUCN Species Survival Commission|International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources/Species Survival Commission]] (IUCN/SSC) - Snake Specialist Group.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Members |url=https://www.iucnsnake.org/members |access-date=2025-11-20 |website=Iucn Snake Specialis |language=en}}</ref><br />
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==Popular culture==<br />
In 1989, Whitaker produced and directed the Tamil feature film ''The Boy and the Crocodile'' (''Dost Magarmacch'') for the Children's Film Society of India which won the Silver Elephant Award at the 6th International Children's Film Festival, New Delhi and the UNICEF Best Feature Film Award.<ref>{{cite news |date=27 October 2017 |title=Dost Magarmach screened at Tribal Museum |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2017/state-editions/dost-magarmach-screened-at-tribal-museum.html}}</ref><br />
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He was a co-producer of the 1996, 53-minute, Super 16-mm wildlife documentary, ''King Cobra'', made for the [[National Geographic Channel]] Explorer program. This film on the natural history of the king cobra, the largest venomous snake in the world, received the [[Emmy Award]] for Outstanding News and Documentary Program Achievement, 1998. It also received Best Photography Award, Progetto Natura 8th Stambecco d'Oro Nature Film Festival, Turin, 1997; it was nominated for Best Cinematography, Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival 1997; Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Individual Achievement in a Craft-Cinematographers and News and Documentary, 1998, and Best Animal Behaviour, Wildscreen Film Festival 1998.<br />
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In February 2007, he was the subject of a critically acclaimed documentary produced by [[Icon Films]] and [[WNET]] (and broadcast as ''Supersize Crocs'' on [[PBS]]'s ''[[Nature (TV series)|Nature]]'' series) on oversized crocodiles, which was filmed in India, [[Ethiopia]], and [[Australia]].<br />
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In 2008 he was in the BBC Natural World documentary ''Crocodile Blues'', on the mixed fortunes of the gharial. In January 2009, Whitaker was in another ''Nature'' documentary, ''The Dragon Chronicles'', on real-life reptiles, such as [[Komodo dragons]] and flying lizards that inspired tales of [[dragons]].<br />
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In February 2011, Icon Films and [[BBC]] ''Natural World'' followed Whitaker during his ongoing research into the causes and prevention of snake bites in India and produced the film ''One Million Snakebites''. In 2013 he did an episode on leopards, ''Leopards: 21st Century Cats'', in the same series.<ref>{{Citation |title=Leopards: 21st Century Cats |work=Natural World |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8656840/ |access-date=2025-07-11 |others=Rom Whitaker}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wollaston |first=Sam |date=2013-05-18 |title=TV review: Leopards: 21st Century Cats |url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2013/may/18/leopards-21-century-cats-review |access-date=2025-11-21 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><br />
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He has authored several scientific articles and popular books on reptiles, especially on snakes, including the comprehensive field guide, titled ''Snakes of India - The Field Guide'' in 2004.<br />
<ref>Whitaker, Romulus; [[Ashok Captain|Captain, Ashok]] (2004). [http://tucsonherpsociety.org/Villa%202005_18(4)42.pdf ''Snakes of India: The Field Guide''.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728134034/http://tucsonherpsociety.org/Villa%202005_18(4)42.pdf |date=28 July 2011 }} Chennai: Draco Books.</ref> on the [[List of snakes of South Asia|snakes of India]].<ref name="ROM"><br />
{{cite web<br />
|url=http://www.seedwiki.com/wiki/wildlife_central/romulus_whitaker<br />
|title=Earl Whitaker<br />
|work=Resume<br />
|publisher=Wildlife Central<br />
|access-date=29 January 2009}}<br />
</ref><ref name="KIS"><br />
{{cite web<br />
|url=http://www.kis.in/people/alumni/pdfs/KIS%20Alumni%20Profile%20-%20Romulus%20Whitaker%20(Class%20of%201960).pdf <br />
|title=Alumni Profile: Romulus "Rom" Whitaker (Class of 1960) <br />
|date=August 2008 <br />
|work=KIS Alumni Newsletter <br />
|publisher=KIS Alumni Association <br />
|access-date=29 January 2009 <br />
|url-status=dead <br />
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124095601/http://kis.in/people/alumni/pdfs/KIS%20Alumni%20Profile%20-%20Romulus%20Whitaker%20%28Class%20of%201960%29.pdf <br />
|archive-date=24 November 2010 }}<br />
</ref> The first of a three part autobiography was published in 2024 titled S''nakes, Drugs and Rock'' ''<nowiki/>'n' Roll.''<br />
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In 2018, he received the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian awards in India for distinguish services in wildlife conservation.<ref name="6 Padma awardees">{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/6-padma-awardees-are-pride-and-joy-of-tamil-nadu/articleshow/62658549.cms | title=6 Padma awardees are pride and joy of Tamil Nadu | work=[[The Times of India]] | date=26 January 2018 | access-date=26 January 2018}}</ref><br />
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==Honors, awards, and other recognitions==<br />
* Whitley Award (considered as top U.K. conservation prize) in 2005 for his work.<ref>{{cite web|title=King Cobra Research Station, Western Ghats, India|url=https://whitleyaward.org/winners/king-cobra-research-station-india/|website=whitleyaward|date=31 December 2004|publisher=Whitley Fund for Nature|access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref><br />
* The Peter Scott Award for Conservation Merit in 1988.<br />
* Order of the Golden Ark, Netherlands in 1985 <br />
* Salim Ali Award in 2010<br />
* Associate laureate in Rolex Awards in 1984 and 2008.<ref>{{cite web|title=romulus whitaker|url=http://www.rolexawards.com/profiles/associate_laureates/romulus_whitaker|website=rolex awards|publisher=Rolex Awards for Enterprise|access-date=26 February 2018}}</ref><br />
* A species of Indian boa, ''[[Eryx whitakeri]]'', and a gecko ''[[Hemidactylus whitakeri]]'' are named in his honour<ref>Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-4214-0135-5}}. ("Whitaker, R.", p. 284).</ref><br />
* Romulus Whitaker was awarded the Padma Shri (the fourth-highest civilian award) by the government of India for his work done in the field of wildlife conservation in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|date=26 January 2018|title=Chennai: Padma Shri for Whitaker gladdens ecologists' hearts|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/260118/chennai-padma-shri-for-whitaker-gladdens-ecologists-hearts.html|access-date=31 January 2021|website=Deccan Chronicle|language=en}}</ref><br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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==External sources==<br />
*[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1170/is_n6_v24/ai_16364232 I married a croc man - Romulus Whitaker] Whitaker, Zai. Dec 1994. National Wildlife Federation<br />
*[http://www.agumberainforest.com Agumbe Rainforest Research Station (ARRS) Web Portal]<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Whitaker, Romulus}}<br />
[[Category:1943 births]]<br />
[[Category:American emigrants to India]]<br />
[[Category:Nature conservation in India]]<br />
[[Category:Indian herpetologists]]<br />
[[Category:Indian conservationists]]<br />
[[Category:Indian people of American descent]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century American zoologists]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian zoologists]]<br />
[[Category:Living people]]<br />
[[Category:Kodaikanal International School alumni]]<br />
[[Category:Military personnel from New York City]]<br />
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of India]]<br />
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in other fields]]<br />
[[Category:Former United States citizens]]<br />
[[Category:Members of the Bombay Natural History Society]]<br />
[[Category:Tyabji family]]</div>Saurabh jain