Nikolai Severtzov

Nikolai Severtzov
Born	5 November 1827
Died	7 February 1885 (aged 57)
Nationality	Russia
Fields	naturalist

Nikolai Alekseevich Severtzov (5 November 1827 – 7 February 1885) was a Russian explorer and naturalist.

On an expedition to the Syr Darya, he was captured by bandits and freed after a month. In 1865-68, he explored the Tian Shan mountains and Lake Issyk Kul. In 1877-78, he explored the Pamir Mountains, following a route close to the current Pamir Highway as far as Lake Yashil Kul on the Ghunt River.

Severtzov wrote the Vertical and Horizontal Distribution of Turkestan Wildlife (1873), which included the first description of a number of animals. Among them is a subspecies of argali (wild sheep) later named after him: Ovis ammon severtzovi. He also described many new species and subspecies of birds. The Spotted Great Rosefinch Carpodacus severtzovi is among those named after him.

The Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow is named after his son Alexey Severtzov.

References

Robert Middleton and Huw Thomas, "Tajikistan and the High Pamirs", 2008