FOUNDER OF ZOO - REUBEN DAVID (19 SEPT 1912- 24 MARCH 1989)







REUBEN DAVID WAS BORN IN A BENE ISRAEL JEWISH FAMILY OF AHMEDABAD GUJRAT.  THOUGH ZOOLOGIST, HE WAS A SELF TAUGHT VETERINARIAN WHO HAD CERTAIN MAGICAL POWERS THAT WOULD TAME EVEN THE WILDEST OF ANIMALS WITHOUT ANY ASSISTANCE OR WEAPONS.   

REUBEN WAS INVITED BY THE AHMEDABAD MUNICIPAL CORPORATION IN 1951 TO CREATE A ZOO IN THE CITY.  WITH WIFE SARAH AND BROTHER DR. JACOB DVAID's SUPPORT, HE WENT TO MAKE THE KAMLA NEHRU ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS, THE CHACHA NEHRU CHILDREN'S PARK AND THE REUBEN DAVID NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM  WHICH IS NAMED AFTER HIM.

REUBEN DAVID  NOT ONLY CAPTURED CROCODILES AND SNAKES BUT ALSO TIGERS, LIONS, LANGOORS, BEARS AND A VARIETY OF BIRDS IN HIS HOME AND THE ZOO HE SET UP . HE FORMULATED HIS OWN HERBAL MEDICINES TO KEEP HIS FRIENDS IN GOOD SHAPE.  HE WAS VERY CLOSE TO BIRDS AND BEASTS.  HE HAD BEEN LIVING WITH THEM.   IN 1975 REUBEN DAVID WAS HONOURED WITH THE PADMASHREE FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA FOR HIS WORK IN THE FIELD OF WILD LIFE.  HE ALSO RECEIVED MANY OTHER FELICITATIONS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATION




REUBEN DAVID'S LIFE STORY IS WRITTEN BY HIS DAUGHTER ESTHER DAVID OF HOW HARMONIOUS HUMAN-ANIMAL RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE, ANY PERSON WHO GIVES HIS LOVE TO AN ANIMAL OR BIRD WILL HAVE IT RETURNED IN FULL MEASURE. THE ZOO STAFF WHO HAD WORKED WITH HIM, EVEN AFTER MANY MORE YEARS OF HIS DEATH, REVERE HIM AND REMEMBER HIM AS ONE OF THE RAREST HUMAN BEINGS.  HE WAS AN INSPIRATION FOR ALL. 










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