Anne Rasa

Olwen Anne Elisabeth Rasa (born 1940 in Wales) is a British Ethologist, who rendered outstanding services to the knowledge of the social behavior of Dwarf mongoose.

Biography

Study and Education

In 1961 Anne Rasa graduated with Bachelor of Science (Hons.) from the Royal College of Science, Imperial College, London University. Subsequently, she received a NATO-scholarship to investigate the aggression of fish. In 1965 she graduated with Master of Science (M.Sc.) from the University of Hawaii.

Scientific Work

In 1970 Anne Rasa received her Ph.D. from London University with a Max-Planck-Scholarship on coral reef fish aggression under Konrad Lorenz.

From 1970-1974 she continued her work at the Max-Planck-Institut für Verhaltenspsychologie in Seewiesen under Konrad Lorenz. During this period she started her Dwarf mongoose studies, concentrating on social structure, marking behavior and intra-group aggression.

From 1975-1981 Anne Rasa was scientific assistant at Marburg University, Germany. She focused on ontogeny of behavior in Dwarf mongoose and was awarded the Dr. habil. (Habilitation: qualified as a professor) in 1981.

From 1981-1986 she was working with University of Bayreuth, Germany, with a Heisenberg-Scholarship to accomplished her field studies on Dwarf mongoose in the Taru Desert, Kenya. Anne Rasa published the results of her studies in the book Mongoose Watch: A Family Observed with a foreword by Konrad Lorenz. He compares the significance of her works with those of Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey.[1] In 1984 the book with its results was presented by Bernhard Grzimek in the popular German TV-series Expedition ins Tierreich and was translated into several languages.[2]

From 1986-1991 Anne Rasa was Associate Professor at Pretoria University, South Africa, teaching ethology (lectures and practicals) and starting her studies on Yellow mongoose in the Kalahari Desert.

In 1991 she became Associate Professor at University of Bonn, Germany, where she was teaching ethology (lectures and practicals), too, and continuing her studies on Yellow mongoose and studies on the sub-social tenebrionid beetle Parastizopus armaticeps. Anne Rasa retired from Bonn University at the end of 2000.

Retirement to present

Anne Rasa owns the Nature Reserve Kalahari Trails at the southern end of the Kalahari Desert in South Africa, which she bought a few years prior to her retirement. She lives there since December 2000 and offers accommodation and guided walks to everyone who is interested in the flora and fauna of the Kalahari.

In 2007 OSHANA published the book KALAHARI – Magnificent Desert with pictures and text by Anne Rasa.

In 2011/2012 Anne Rasa was working as a scientific advisor on a film series called Kalahari Trails which is being shot in the Kalahari.

Private Life

Anne Rasa has 3 children and 4 grandchildren.

Publications

References

  1. ↑ Anne E. Rasa: Die perfekte Familie. DVA 1985, p. 8-9. Engl.: Anne Rasa: Mongoose Watch - A Family Observed, 1985
  2. ↑ Kalahari Trails Homepage
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