Johannes Maria Hildebrandt, born 13 or 19 March 1847, died 29 May 1881, was a German explorer and collector. He was born in Düsseldorf to a family of painters. Originally a machine maker, he lost an eye after an accident and became a gardener, eventually starting work in 1869 for the Berlin Botanical Garden. Between 1872 and 1881 he made a number of expeditions to East Africa, collecting a large number of botanical and zoological specimens. His expeditions were modest affairs but he discovered a number of new species. He also lectured widely and wrote about many aspects of the places he visited. He died of a fever and bleeding stomach whilst on an expedition to Madagascar and was buried in the Norwegian Cemetery in Ambatovinaky. He gave his name to a number of species, including the Hildebrandt's Starling and Hildebrandt's Francolin, both of which he discovered in Kenya.[1]