Aharon Shulov

Professor Aharon Shulov (Hebrew: אהרון שולוב, also spelled Schulow, 1907-1997) was an internationally recognized scientist in the field of entomology, a pioneer of the state of Israel and founder of the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. He was born in Ukraine. After being accused of Zionist activities, and jailed, he fled to Israel upon his release, in 1926.

Research

In 1986, the late Prof. Aharon Shulov and Mr. Aviv Marx founded the S.I.S - The Shulov Institute for Science [http://www.sis-shulov.com homepage] . The company produces natural products, life saving products and pain relievers like the life saving antiserum to treat yellow scorpion stings which is approved for use by the Israeli Ministry of Health and marketed to hospitals.

The company is working on a non-addictive, topical analgesic to fight various pains. The analgesic, derived from snake venom, was granted (to inventors Naphtali Primor and Aharon Shulov, and assigned to S.I.S. Shulov Institute for Science Ltd., application number No. 10030380 filed on 1999-07-14) a US patent on April 24 2007.

Publications

Professor Shulov published several books, among them,

'The development of eggs of the Red Locust, Nomadacris septemfasciata (Serv.), and the African Migratory Locust, Locusta migratoria migratorioides (R. and F.), and its interruption under particular conditions of humidity'published 1970, ISBN 0-85135-001-1]

Prof. Shulov's book [cite book |last=Shulov |first=Aharon |title=חצי יבל לגן החיות Hetzi Yuval Le Gan Hachaiyot, The Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb, 40 years of the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo |year=1981 |publisher=Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, Jerusalem|isbn= |pages= ] includes the story of how the Zoo acquired their first lion, with the help of Professor Shulov's friend, Dov Gazit.

He also published articles: about Esters, as Insect Repellants and Attractantswritten by Aharon Shulov et al., Yissum Research Development Company] and about birds, like the reference 'A Dictionary of Birds'edited by B. Campbell & E. Lack,, published by Vermilion Buteo Books, 1985] , where Professor Shulov explained the Hebrew word osprey in the King James version of the Bible actually refers to the black vulture, Aegypius monachus.

Contribution to Jerusalem

Professor Shulov is best known as the visionary and driving force behind the creation of the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo.

He started the zoo from modest beginnings (well known by his neighbors for feeding and keeping such animals as baby tigers in his home) in 1940 on Rabbi Kook Street near the center of Jerusalem. When local residents opposed the zoo, due to noise, smells, he relocated to land just over an acre in size on Shmuel Hanavi Street a year later. Although opposition still existed, the zoo stayed in that location from 1941 until 1947, when land was offered away from residential neighbourhoods, on Mt. Scopus.

Professor Shulov's prime goal was to acquire animals mentioned in the Bible [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9B03EFD71639F935A35750C0A965948260 Jerusalem's Modern Ark] . Although many species of the cat family had long been extinct; some say that the lion has been extinct in Palestine for a thousand years. he was able to be import several large cats at considerable expense and trouble (see article about Dov Gazit and the first lion in the zoo.

The zoo, now known as the Tisch Family Zoologocal Gardens [http://www.jerusalemzoo.org.il/len Jerusalem Biblical Zoo homepage] , has developed into an internationally renowned zoo and research facility as well as Israel's #1 top tourist destination [http://www.sbl-site.org/publications/article.aspx?articleId=579 The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo] .

Professor Shulov served as the director of the Zoo for 43 years, until his retirement.

The Prof. Aharon Shulov Fund for the Study of Animals in Captivity [ [http://www.jerusalemzoo.org.il/len/apage/11047.php Aharon Shulov Fund] ] , a joint initiative of the late Prof. Shulov's Family, the Friends of the Zoo Association and the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, offers one or more grants each year to support studies with relation to the animal collection and conservation activities of the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo. The studies are focused on any of the Zoo's fields of interest: animal welfare and husbandry, animal reintroduction, reproduction of endangered species, conservation genetics, exotic animal nutrition and medical care, and more. Researchers from academic and non-academic institutions and university students (with preference given to Hebrew University students) are entitled to submit their research proposals to the Fund.

Spear-headed by both the family of late Prof. Shulov and Israel's current Prime Minister and then Mayor of Jerusalem Ehud Olmert, a main road leading to the entrance of the Zoo, in the Malha neighborhood, was named Aharon Shulov Road.

References

External links

* [http://www.jerusalemzoo.org.il/len Jerusalem Biblical Zoo] The Tisch Family Zoological Gardens in Jerusalem, English
* [http://www.sbl-site.org/Article.aspx?ArticleId=579 The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo] Society of Biblical Literature, Article written by Avraham Greenbaum
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=travel&res=9B03EFD71639F935A35750C0A965948260 Jerusalem's Modern Ark] New York Times Article written by Michael Kammen, published March 6 1983
* [http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enZone=Health&enDisplay=view&enPage=BlankPage&enDispWhat=object&enDispWho=Articles%5El1256 Relieving the Pain of Arthritis with Snake Venom] article written March 19 2006