About the ZSSA  

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Standing on the shoulders of colourful giants: 50 years of zoological research in southern Africa (Taylor & Hamer)

 

A Brief History

Compiled by

A.N. HODGSON, R.T.F. BERNARD AND J D SKINNER

The Society was founded on 11 March 1959 at the meeting of an Interim Committee appointed to investigate the possibility of forming a society to promote zoology and the interests of zoologists in southern Africa.  The meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Dr S H Skaife who was also the first President of the Society elected in 1960.

A list of the executive members of the Council since the founding of the Society is shown in Table 1.

Table 1 — Executive members of the Council of the Society, 1960 to 2008-9

Year	President	Vice-President	Secretary	Treasurer	Editor (Journal)	Editor (Newsletter)
1960/61 1961/62 1962/63 1963/64 1964/65 1965/66 1966/67 1967/68 1968/69 1969/70 1970/71 1971/72 1972/73 1973/74 1974/75 1975/76 1976/77 1977/78 1978/79 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990-91 1992-93 1994-95 1996-97 1998-99 2000-1 2002-3 2004-5 2006-7 2008–9	S H Skaife B I Balinsky C A du Toit C A du Toit C A du Toit D H S Davis J H Day J H Day J H Day G Broekhuysen G Broekhuysen R C Bigalke R C Bigalke R C Bigalke C K Brain R C Bigalke G N Louw G N Louw J D Skinner J D Skinner J A J Meester J A J Nel T Erasmus T Erasmus T Erasmus B R Allanson T Erasmus B R Allanson J D Skinner J D Skinner A J Reinecke T J Robinson R T F Bernard van Jaarsveld G.I.H. Kerley A N Hodgson N C Bennett C A Matthee M. Hamer	B I Balinsky F H Talbot J H Day J H Day B I Balinsky T H Barry T H Barry J A J Meester G Broekhuysen C K Brain C K Brain C K Brain C K Brain J A J Nel N Fairall N Fairall J D Skinner J D Skinner J A J Meester J A J Meester J A J Nel T Erasmus J U M Jarvis J U M Jarvis M N Bruton M N Bruton A J Reinecke A J Reinecke A J Reinecke T J Robinson J A J Nel R Crewe A Payne G.I.H. Kerley A N Hodgson N.C. Bennett C A Matthee M Hamer P.J. Taylor	F H Talbot N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard J U M Jarvis J U M Jarvis J U M Jarvis J U M Jarvis J U M Jarvis N Fairall N Fairall T J Robinson F le R Fourie F le R Fourie J F K Marais J F K Marais G Rossouw G Rossouw G Rossouw G Rossouw G Rossouw S Viljoen S Viljoen A Channing N Pillay N Pillay C Baker C Baker S Maree S Maree S. Maree	A W Crompton F W Gess A C Brown A C Brown J Heeg J Heeg M L Penrith M L Penrith M L Penrith M L Penrith P A Hulley P A Hulley P A Hulley J H M David J H M David J H M David J H M David A Cruickshank P R Condy P R Condy P R Condy P R Condy J P Furstenberg J P Furstenberg J P Furstenberg J P Furstenberg J P Furstenberg J P Furstenberg J P Furstenberg H van Hamburg H van Hamburg H van Wyk H van Wyk C Downs C Downs C Downs C Downs C Downs C. Downs	- - - F H Talbot M K Rowan M E Malan M E Malan M E Malan M E Malan M E Malan M E Malan M E Malan N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Millard N A H Milalrd J D Skinner J D Skinner J D Skinner J D Skinner J D Skinner H R Hepburn H R Hepburn H R Hepburn H R Hepburn H R Hepburn H R Hepburn H R Hepburn S W Nicolson S W Nicolson S W Nicolson Hodgson Bernard Hodgson Bernard Hodgson Bronner Griffiths Bronner Griffiths Bronner Griffiths Bronner	M K Kraft M K Kraft M K Kraft J M Goldsmid J A J Nel J A J Nel J A J Nel A F Hallet A F Hallet A F Hallet A F Hallet J Nel & I  Rautenbach J Nel & I  Rautenbach J Nel & I  Rautenbach J A J Nel A E Louw A E Louw E S Vrba G de Graaff G de Graaff G de Graaff G de Graaff P Swanepoel P Swanepoel P Swanepoel P Swanepoel P Swanepoel P Swanepoel P Swanepoel P Swanepoel P Swanepoel P Swanepoel A S van Jaarsveld N.C. Bennett N.C. Bennett C. T. Chimimba C. T. Chimimba C Simon B v Vuuren Simon v. Vuuren

Membership – Various categories of membership were provided for, and today we have institutional, ordinary, student, overseas, honorary, temporary, life, family membership and pensioners.

The membership grew steadily from a small beginning of 151 (including 11 institutional) at the end of 1959 to 756 (including 240 students, 45 institutional, 2 family, 61 life) members in July 1991. In the last few years, however, the society has maintained a membership about 400.

Publications – One of the objectives of the Society from the beginning, was to publish a peer reviewed scientific journal of the highest international standard.  This was realised in 1965 with the founding of the Society’s Journal, Zoologica Africana.  It appeared for 14 years under this name.  In 1979 the Society was forced by financial circumstances to turn to the Bureau of Scientific Publications (BSP) to publish its Journal, and to accept a name change resulting in the South African Journal of Zoology. Further financial constraints in the late 1980’s resulted in the introduction of nominal page charges. In 1999 the South African Government (via The Department of Arts Culture Science and Technology) announced that in light of the poor standing of South African journals, it would in all likelihood be ending financial support to the majority of such publications (via the BSP). The ZSSA Council with the support of its membership, took the decision to publish its journal independently. After quotations, Isteg Scientific Publishers were appointed publishers, and the new look journal (Volume 35) which was renamed African Zoology to reflect the scope of the journal, appeared in 2000.

In addition to the Journal, the Society publishes a newsletter/bulletin. Initially this was on an irregular basis.  Through the years, however it become a very effective vehicle of communication within the Society and in 1990 the newsletter, better known as The Aardvark,  has appeared twice each year.

The Society also publishes a Career Guide in Zoology for students and scholars.  A revised edition appeared in 1991 and a regularly updated version is available on the website.

In 1984 "25 Years of Zoological Research in South Africa" pp1-118 Editor A J Reinecke was published as a commemorative text for the Society by the University of Potchefstroom.

Electronic Publication

In the mid-1990's  the society launch a web site, the aim of  which was to inform membership, and anyone interested, on recent ZSSA developments. The site also carries conference news, job and scholarship advertisements, electronic copies of the Aardvark and journal information (including abstracts of manuscripts published). 

Scientific Meetings – The first decision taken by the Interim Council in 1959 was to have thematic conferences at regular intervals. Between 1977 and 1999 conferences were annual and in this time the ZSSA has met in various parts of South Africa and twice in Namibia.  In 1993 Council decided themes were inappropriate and opted instead for a broad topic.  In 1999 the decision was taken to hold biennial meetings (and wherever possible joint meetings with other "zoological" societies) due to increasingly crowded local conference timetable. However it was also decided that those members wishing to use the ZSSA name to organize interim conferences would be allowed to do so.

Scientific meetings presented by the Society over the years are listed in Table 2.

Table 2 – Symposia organized by the Society since its foundation

Year	Theme	Venue
1961 1963 1967 1971 1973 1975 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2001 2003 2007 2009	Causes and problems in Animal Distribution African Mammals Ecology Animal Behaviour Ichthyology Herpetology and Behaviour Springbok Small Mammals Systematics Animal communication Invertebrates Environmental Physiology, Zoogeography and Speciation Utilization of Natural Resources Zoology of Arid and Semi-Arid Environments 25 years of Zoological Research in Southern Africa Competition and Coexistence General Alternative Life Histories Predator:  Prey Relationships Savannah Fauna Migration & Movements The influence of Water in Animal Ecology Animals in their Changing World Animal Populations Taxonomy Contemporary Zoology in Southern Africa Zoological & Aquatic Sciences in Southern Africa Integrating Zoology: Subdisciplines and the Subcontinent Zoology & Human Welfare A Zoological Odyssey A South African Odyssey Wet ‘n Wildlife: Current Trends in Limnology and Zoology in Southern Africa ZSSA/ESSA/SASQA The Sixth Extinction – Conserving Zoological Biodiversity 50 Years of Zoological Research: Reflection and Insights (ZSSA/SASSB)	Port Elizabeth Museum Harare Zimbabwe University of Pretoria Durban Kruger National Park Kimberley University of Pretoria Transvaal Museum University of Cape Town Potchefstroom University University of Durban-Westville University of Transkei Swakopmund, Namibia Potchefstroom University Natal University Rand Afrikaans University Rhodes University Pretoria University Etosha National Park, Namibia Port Elizabeth University of Stellenbosch Kimberley Transvaal Museum University of Natal Pietermaritzburg Rhodes University University of Pretoria University of Cape Town University Durban-Westville University of the North Port Elizabeth University of Cape Town North-West University, Potchefstroom Illovo Beach, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Awards – The Society annually awards two medals when suitable nominations are received.  They are the Gold Medal to a zoologist for outstanding achievements in zoology, and the Stevenson-Hamilton award (silver medal) to amateur zoologists for exceptional contributions to zoology.  The first Gold Medal was awarded in 1971 and first Stevenson-Hamilton Award in 1988.  See table 3 for a list of the Society Medal award winners.

Table 3 – Gold Medal (since 1971) and Stevenson Hamilton Medal (since 1988) awards made by the Society.  The latter is for exceptional contributions to zoology by an amateur zoologist

Year	Gold Medal	Stevenson Hamilton Medal
1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009	D H S Davis J H Day R F Lawrence - R F Ewer - C J Skead R H N Smithers C K Brain N A H Millard - - G N Louw J A van Eeden J D Skinner A C Brown B R Allanson - M J Coe J A J Nel B I Balinsky G M Branch J W Kitching J A J Meester W R Siegfried J U M Jarvis M K Seely P Best H R Hepburn D Mitchell R Crewe N Owen-Smith TJ Robinson J Field AS van Jaarsveld C Griffiths A. Hodgson, FRSSAf N. Bennett, FRSSAf S. Chown, FRSSAf	K Newman V C Carruthers E L Pringle M Cumming M Branch CR Tillbury WR Tarboton Dave Peplar Phil Hockey Richard Rubidge

Awards for the best student papers at the Society’s Scientific Meetings were instituted in 1994.

Certificates of merit have been awarded annually since 1991 to the best third year and Honours students who pass with distinction in zoology at each Southern African university.  Nominations are made by the Heads of Zoology/Biology Departments and approved by the President of the Society on behalf of Council.  A certificate and one year free membership accompanies the award.

Other Activities – The following matters are subsidized by the Society from membership fees:  student’s and pensioner’s registration fees for the scientific meetings of the Society;  transport for students who participate in these meetings;  publication costs of the journal;  and publication costs of approved zoological literature.

Members may make themselves available to be elected to serve on Council and thereby contribute to the Society’s impact on zoological matters in southern Africa.  A Biennial Annual General Meeting is convened at which members may contribute, and have voting rights.

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 31 March 2010 )