| Ross Allen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1908 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Died | May 17, 1981 Gainesville, Florida |
| Occupation | Herpetologist Naturalist Zoologist |
Ensil Ross Allen (1908–1981) was an American herpetologist and writer.[1] Born in Pennsylvania, Ross relocated to Florida with his family when he was a teenager. As a young man, Allen made a hobby of capturing turtles, snakes and other reptiles near his home in central Florida.
Allen began the Reptile Institute in Silver Springs, Florida in November 1929.[2][3] The center was once known for its reptile demonstrations, including alligator wrestling and rattlesnake milking, but is now recognized for its research on native Floridian reptiles.[4] Allen often procured the specimens for the Institute himself, often with the help of swimmer and Silver Springs celebrity Newton Perry. In 1935, a replica of an entire Seminole village was added to the park on Allen's initiative.[5]
Because of his expertise in handling the animals, Allen was featured in numerous film shorts and newsreel clips. He also served as stuntman and reptile handler on several movies that were filmed in Silver Springs, including Tarzan Finds a Son and The Yearling.[6] He worked at Silver Springs for 46 years, leaving in 1975. He began work on a new attraction that was to be called Alligator Town, U.S.A. After his death in 1981, however, the project was abandoned.[7]
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