Background
Bigalke, Rudolph Carl was born on February 24, 1932 in Kimberley, Cape Province, Republic South Africa. Son of Heinrich Carl and Elizabeth Catherine (Chatterton) Bigalke.
Bigalke, Rudolph Carl was born on February 24, 1932 in Kimberley, Cape Province, Republic South Africa. Son of Heinrich Carl and Elizabeth Catherine (Chatterton) Bigalke.
Bachelor of Science, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, 1951. Bachelor of Science with honours, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, 1952. University Education diploma, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa, 1953.
Doctor of Philosophy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Federal Republic Germany, 1956.
He was affectionately known as "Rudi" and also had the nickname "Loxodonta africana". Growing up on a farm outside Kimberley, his interest in zoology originated early in life. Schooled at Kimberley Boys" High School, he went on to Rhodes University in Grahamstown where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science Honours in zoology and a university education diploma.
Bigalke continued his studies under Gustav Kramer at J.W. Goethe University at Frankfurt am Main, where he was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in 1956.
Following an initial appointment at the Etosha National Park in what was then South West Africa (now Namibia), Bigalke joined the staff of the in his home town of Kimberley in 1958. Bigalke left Kimberley in 1964 to take up the position as Principal Research Officer for the Natal Parks Board in Pietermaritzburg.
In 1970 Bigalke was appointed to head the Department of Nature Conservation at the University of Stellenbosch, serving also as Dean of the Faculty of Forestry for several terms.
President Habitat Council, Pretoria, since 1984. Fellow Royal Society South Africa (president 1984-1986). Member Zoological Society South Africa (president 1972-1974), Botanical Society South Africa, South Africa Wildlife Management Association (honorary), South African Institute of Forestry.
Clubs: Kimberley.
Married Ingeborg Dorothea Gaber, December 4, 1957. Children: Martin Carl, Michael Hermann).