author

Donald Frederick Hoffmeister

b. 1916

A lifelong mammalogist, he helped shape modern understanding of North American mammals through decades of research, teaching, and museum work. His books on the mammals of Illinois and the American Southwest became lasting resources for students and naturalists alike.

1 Audiobook

The Postnatal Development of Two Broods of Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus)

The Postnatal Development of Two Broods of Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus)

by Donald Frederick Hoffmeister, Henry W. Setzer

About the author

Donald Frederick Hoffmeister was an American mammalogist and university professor, born in San Bernardino, California, on March 21, 1916, and died in Savoy, Illinois, on February 6, 2011. Trained at the University of California, Berkeley, he studied under influential naturalists and chose zoology over medicine, beginning a career centered on mammals, fieldwork, and natural history collections.

He was known for his long association with the University of Illinois, where he served as a professor of zoology and as director of the Museum of Natural History. His research focused on mammals of North America, especially rodents and regional faunas, and he wrote widely used reference works including Mammals of Illinois and Mammals of Arizona.

Remembered as a careful scientist and dedicated teacher, he remained active in mammalogy for many decades and was recognized within the American Society of Mammalogists. Available sources found biographical and obituary information, but I could not confirm a suitable portrait image from a reliable page, so no profile image is included here.