Petra Deimer
German marine biologist (1948–2024)
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Petra Deimer (9 March 1948, in Göttingen – 27 March 2024[1]) was a German marine biologist, and nature conservationist who has been actively involved in the study and protection of marine mammals, particularly cetaceans, since the mid-1970s.
Petra Deimer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 9 March 1948 |
| Died | 27 March 2024 (aged 76) |
| Occupations | Marine biologist, journalist, activist, conservationist |
Career
Deimer gained her PhD in marine biology, with a particular focus on sperm whales, at the University of Hamburg.[2] In the late 1970s many species of whale, including sperm whales, were in danger of extinction.[3] As a result of Deimer's actions, the archipelago of Madeira was declared a protection zone for marine mammals, and commercial whaling around Madeira ceased in 1981.[4]
She contributed significantly to the decision of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to ban commercial whaling in July 1982.[5] In 1983 Deimer ensured that the trade in Minke whales was also banned.[6]
Deimer is the founder and president of the Society for the Conservation of Marine Mammals (Gesellschaft zum Schutz der Meeressäugetiere; GSM).[7] She is a member of the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) Scientific Committee, a member of the German government's Species Conservation Advisory Committee, and an advisor to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).[4]
[8] In 2001, Deimer was awarded the Golden Ark for nature conservation by Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.[4]
Deimer has written six books, and numerous articles on whales, dolphins, and seals, as well as on environmental conservation more generally. She has also written a book on parrots.[citation needed]
Select Bibliography
- Whales and Dolphins (1998) (English translation of: Wale und Delphine)
- Parrots: A complete pet owner’s manual (1984) (trans. Rita Kimber) (English translation of: Papageien)
- Das Buch der Wale (Hamburg, 1983) (The Book of Whales)
- Das Buch der Robben (Hamburg, 1987) (The Book of Seals)
