Ross Allen (herpetologist)
| Ross Allen | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | January 2, 1908 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Died |
May 17, 1981 (aged 73) Gainesville, Florida |
| Occupation |
Herpetologist Naturalist Zoologist |
| Children | Carl Tom Allen, Robert Ross Allen, Betty Allen (Bashaw) |
Ensil Ross Allen (January 2, 1908 – May 17, 1981) was an American herpetologist and writer who was based in Silver Springs, Florida for 46 years, where he established the Reptile Institute. He used it for research and education about alligators, crocodiles and snakes, also sponsoring and conducting collection expeditions.
Allen founded and was first president of the International Crocodile Society. In his research with snakes, he developed many anti-venoms, including a dried form, and professionally milked venoms for venomous snakes, which was particularly important for protecting United States forces during World War II. He mixed entertainment and science at his Institute.
Ensil Ross Allen, called Ross, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1908 and attended local schools. He moved as a teenager with his family to Florida. As a young man, Allen made a hobby of capturing turtles, snakes and other reptiles near his home in central Florida. He continued his work and study of them and became noted as an expert herpetologist.
In November 1929, Allen founded the Reptile Institute at the tourist attraction of Silver Springs, Florida. He developed it into a 10-acre center for research, as well as of entertainment, staging reptile demonstrations, including alligator wrestling and rattlesnake milking. His larger goal was education of the public about reptiles.
The Institute has been recognized for his research on native Floridian reptiles. He studied and developed anti-venom solutions, including dried powders. This was particularly important during World War II, when he helped procure anti-venom to protect US troops. Allen often collected specimens for the Institute himself, often with the help of close friend Newton ("Newt") Perry, an exceptional swimmer and diver, as well as underwater photographer and stunt man, who later opened a swim school known as Perry's Swim School run by his daughter, Delee, for many years. In 1935, the park owners added a replica of a Seminole village to the park at Allen's initiative. The park owners also added many exotic species, such as "Sophie," a large Bengal tiger, several species of monkey and ape, lemurs, exotic birds and hundreds of free-roaming peacocks, including several albinos. Along with the Ross Allen Reptile Institute, there were several other shops and stores, including the famous striped awning "beach cabanas" which could be rented while swimming at the Springs, and the Bath House, which sold Esther Williams bathing suits among other things and was visited by Ms. Williams several times, run by Bobbe Arnst, who was Johnny Weismueller's ("Tarzan") first wife. Other nearby attractions were the Prince of Peace exhibit, a series of dioramas depicting the life of Jesus and Tommy Bartlett's Deer Ranch, where you could interact with several species of deer.
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