Background
Don Ellis Wilson was born on April 30, 1944, in Davis, Oklahoma, United States, to Ellis Wilson, a merchant, and Thelma Furrow Wilson, a homemaker. He grew up in Nebraska, Texas, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona.
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, United States
In 1965, Wilson received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona.
University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
Wilson received a Master of Science from the University of New Mexico in 1967 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1970 from the same university.
(Measuring and Monitoring Biological Diversity: Standard M...)
Measuring and Monitoring Biological Diversity: Standard Methods for Mammals provides a comprehensive manual for designing and implementing inventories of mammalian biodiversity anywhere in the world and for any group, from rodents to open-country grazers. The book emphasizes formal estimation approaches, which supply data that can be compared across habitats and over time.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1560986379/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i8
1996
(The significant contribution of museum collections to ide...)
The significant contribution of museum collections to identifying and categorizing species, which is essential for understanding ecological function and for targeting organisms and regions at risk. The book describes our growing understanding of how megacenters of diversity (e.g., rainforest insects, coral reefs) are formed, maintained, and lost; what can be learned from mounting bird extinctions; and how conservation efforts for neotropical primates have fared.
https://www.amazon.com/Biodiversity-Understanding-Protecting-Biological-Resources-ebook/dp/B07ZTKC4WP/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Don+E.+Wilson%2C+Biodiversity+II&qid=1596552826&sr=8-1
1996
(Long the subject of myth and superstition, bats have been...)
Long the subject of myth and superstition, bats have been among the most misunderstood of mammals due to their nocturnal habits, capacity for flight, and strange appearance. Seeking to dispel the myths associated with these remarkable creatures and arguing for their key role in a balanced ecosystem, Bats in Question covers all aspects of bat biology in a practical question-and-answer format.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00RKQ64AW/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
1997
(Presents descriptions and illustrations of hundreds of No...)
Presents descriptions and illustrations of hundreds of North American mammals, along with their scientific and common names and information on behavior, diet, reproduction, growth, longevity, and habitat.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1560988452/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i5
1999
(Exploring the unique qualities and characteristics shared...)
Exploring the unique qualities and characteristics shared by all human beings, this richly illustrated study looks at what it means to be human, profiling more than 250 different peoples inhabiting Earth, highlighting the diversity of human culture and society, and discussing everything from human evolution and biology to the future of humankind.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0756605202/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i6
2000
(Young readers will find everything from the breeding and ...)
Young readers will find everything from the breeding and training of horses to the mating songs of frogs in these comprehensive, informative books about a wide variety of animals. Each engrossing volume examines the habitat, range, classification, evolution, anatomy, behavior, species identification and endangered status of its subject.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761411372/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i10
2000
(This book provides a complete, authoritative list of stan...)
This book provides a complete, authoritative list of standardized and unique vernacular English names for all 4,629 of the currently recognized mammal species of the world. It establishes common names for hundreds of mammals that have previously been known only by their Latin binomials.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1560983833/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i11
2000
(Unrivaled in its breadth and visual impact, this unique g...)
Unrivaled in its breadth and visual impact, this unique guide sets out to illustrate, describe, and explain the incredible range of creatures that make up the animal kingdom. This authoritative volume starts with a clear introduction to the animal world, examining the reasons for the apparently infinite variety of animal forms and major evolutionary developments.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0789477645/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2
2001
(The best-selling field guide, that "sets new standards" (...)
The best-selling field guide, that "sets new standards" (New Scientist) and "makes all other field guides for mammals of the United States and Canada obsolete (Journal of Mammalogy)", is now even better.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TU1NYU/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0
2002
Don Ellis Wilson was born on April 30, 1944, in Davis, Oklahoma, United States, to Ellis Wilson, a merchant, and Thelma Furrow Wilson, a homemaker. He grew up in Nebraska, Texas, Oregon, Washington, and Arizona.
Wilson graduated from a high school in Bisbee, Arizona, in 1961. In 1965, he received a Bachelor of Science in wildlife management from the University of Arizona. He also received a Master of Science from the University of New Mexico in 1967 and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1970 from the same university.
His master's thesis dealt with ecological relationships between five species of deer mice in the Sandia Mountains of New Mexico. The subject of his doctoral dissertation was a small tropical insectivorous bat, which he studied for a year in Panama.
Wilson's connection to the outdoors was reflected in his choice of summer work, for the National Park Service in a fire tower in Grand Canyon National Park, and for the United States Forest Service as a naturalist in the Sandia Mountains. While Wilson was still in college he discovered the tropical lands to the south of the United States and began studying the animals in that region. His research on wildlife has continued into his professional career.
From 1971 to 1973, Wilson was a zoologist at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Then, from 1973 to 1978, he was chief of mammal section there, and later, from 1978 to 1984, chief of the museum section. From 1984 to 1988, he also held the position of chief of the biological survey at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and from 1988 to 1990, served as a curator of mammals. In 1990, Wilson became director of biodiversity programs at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, and in January 2000, he became a senior scientist.
Currently, Wilson is a Curator Emeritus of Mammals at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History and also writes books. In 1997, he published the book Bats in Question: The Smithsonian Answer Book. In 2005, he was co-editor of the reference work Mammal Species of the World, and, since 2009, he has co-edited the book series Handbook of the Mammals of the World, from the Spanish publishing house Lynx Edicions. He published the books Animal, Human, Smithsonian Handbook of Mammals and Mammal for the publisher Dorling Kindersley and authored a field guide to the North American mammal fauna as well as the work Smithsonian Book of North American Mammals.
(Exploring the unique qualities and characteristics shared...)
2000(Measuring and Monitoring Biological Diversity: Standard M...)
1996(Presents descriptions and illustrations of hundreds of No...)
1999(The best-selling field guide, that "sets new standards" (...)
2002(The significant contribution of museum collections to ide...)
1996(Young readers will find everything from the breeding and ...)
2000(Unrivaled in its breadth and visual impact, this unique g...)
2001(Long the subject of myth and superstition, bats have been...)
1997(This book provides a complete, authoritative list of stan...)
2000
Don loves to share his passion for the natural world, and his easygoing nature, sense of humor, and excellent presentations have earned him much praise and a loyal following from Smithsonian travelers.
On September 1, 1962, Wilson married Kathleen Hayes, a counselor. They have two children: Wendy Wilson Filbcy and Kristy Wilson Bowers.