Talk:J. Dewey Soper

Facts and References


Facts within:

Born on a farm near Guelph, Ontario
 * 1893

Interested in the arctic as a youth. Read all he could find. Worked as a builder to earn enough to go to University of Alberta to study Zoology.

met R. M. Anderson, head of Natural History Division of Victoria Memorial Museum in Ottawa.
 * 1920,

appointed naturalist for the federal Arctic Expedition of the National Museum of Canada.
 * 1923,

The first explorer to successfully cross Baffin Island and return,

Three geographical features on Baffin Island named for him: Soper River, Soper Highlands, Dewey Doper Bird Sanctuary

started looking for the blue goose (dominant colour phase of the snow goose) breeding grounds
 * 1924,

found a small colony of eight blue goose nests with juveniles.
 * 1929,

Soper's last arctic expedition
 * 1930-31,

two years of fieldwork in Wood Buffalo National Park reporting on the status and life history of bison
 * 1932,

federal Chief Migratory Bird Officer (18 years)
 * 1934,

took early retirement to pursue life as a field naturalist
 * 1952,

nesting territory set aside 55000 sq km federal Dewey Soper Bird Sanctuary
 * 1957,

met with Bill Fuller at the University of Alberta; wanted his natural history specimens to remain in Alberta rather than going to Ottawa.
 * 1959,

University of Alberta granted Soper an honorary Doctor of Laws and a research associateship in recognition of his zoological contributions to Canada. The Department of Zoology gave him a small honorarium in return.
 * 1960,


 * 1960-1980, depositing his natural history specimens in the university's Zoology Museum.

Worked independently past his 70th birthday; turned down undergraduate assistants.

Contribution to Canadian natural history: extensive travels publications and reports written, maps produced and corrected pen and ink sketches paintings, photos meticulous field notes.

Notebooks, diaries, catalogues, memorabilia 2500 mammal and bird study skins to the University of Alberta

Much is preserved in the university Archives

130 scientific and natural history articles

The Mammals of Alberta The authoritative reference for several decades.
 * 1964

Named subspecies of birds and mammals provided baseline knowledge about the bison in Wood Buffalo National Park explored arctic, prairies, Rocky Mountain parks, portions of Northwest Territories and Yukon.

Became the Federation of Alberta Naturalists first honorary member.
 * 1971


 * 1980

The Canadian Nature Federation granted him the Douglas H. Pimlott Conservation Award.


 * Character/personality

many achievements, international reputation as explorer, naturalist, and writer

quiet, unpretentious, unassuming

learned Inuit ways. Lived as a northerner rather than a visiting scientist.

1982 Died

Facts and References


Facts within:

Born on a farm near Guelph, Ontario
 * 1893

Interested in the arctic as a youth. Read all he could find. Worked as a builder to earn enough to go to University of Alberta to study Zoology.

met R. M. Anderson, head of Natural History Division of Victoria Memorial Museum in Ottawa.
 * 1920

appointed naturalist for the federal Arctic Expedition of the National Museum of Canada.
 * 1923

The first explorer to successfully cross Baffin Island and return,

Three geographical features on Baffin Island named for him: Soper River, Soper Highlands, Dewey Doper Bird Sanctuary

started looking for the blue goose (dominant colour phase of the snow goose) breeding grounds
 * 1924

found a small colony of eight blue goose nests with juveniles.
 * 1929

Soper's last arctic expedition
 * 1930-31

two years of fieldwork in Wood Buffalo National Park reporting on the status and life history of bison
 * 1932

federal Chief Migratory Bird Officer (18 years)
 * 1934

took early retirement to pursue life as a field naturalist
 * 1952

nesting territory set aside 55000 sq km federal Dewey Soper Bird Sanctuary
 * 1957

met with Bill Fuller at the University of Alberta; wanted his natural history specimens to remain in Alberta rather than going to Ottawa.
 * 1959

University of Alberta granted Soper an honorary Doctor of Laws and a research associateship in recognition of his zoological contributions to Canada. The Department of Zoology gave him a small honorarium in return.
 * 1960,


 * 1960-1980, depositing his natural history specimens in the university's Zoology Museum.

Worked independently past his 70th birthday; turned down undergraduate assistants.

Contribution to Canadian natural history: extensive travels publications and reports written, maps produced and corrected pen and ink sketches paintings, photos meticulous field notes.

Notebooks, diaries, catalogues, memorabilia 2500 mammal and bird study skins to the University of Alberta

Much is preserved in the university Archives

130 scientific and natural history articles

The Mammals of Alberta The authoritative reference for several decades.
 * 1964

Named subspecies of birds and mammals provided baseline knowledge about the bison in Wood Buffalo National Park explored arctic, prairies, Rocky Mountain parks, portions of Northwest Territories and Yukon.

Became the Federation of Alberta Naturalists first honorary member.
 * 1971


 * 1980

The Canadian Nature Federation granted him the Douglas H. Pimlott Conservation Award.


 * Character/personality

many achievements, international reputation as explorer, naturalist, and writer

quiet, unpretentious, unassuming

learned Inuit ways. Lived as a northerner rather than a visiting scientist.

Died
 * 1982

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