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 F...