Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Roger Conant, 94, died peacefully in his sleep at 12:30 am today in his home in New Mexico.

T. Vandeventer

Roger was one of the last of the old herper that has added so much to our understanding of these wonderful animals we all love . A loss to all of us indeed. He has touched many lifes thru his continued work.

John Cherry
Cherryville Farms
Cherryville Farms - Reptiles

I was forturnate enough to meet Roger several times while he still lived here in Ohio......I was working at the Ohio State University Museum of Zoology in the Herpetology Department at the time and got my copy of The Reptiles of Ohio signed by him. By all accounts from his contemporaries he was the kingpin of a gang of naturalists that regularly scoured the Ohio fields and woodlands. His accounts of the early herpetological surveys of the state leave one longing for the more relaxed lifestyles of that era......Thanks Tom, for letting us all know of his passing.

A great loss, to say the least. His work will live on forever, such is his influence. Now he is finally reunited with his beloved Isabelle. That he's no longer here makes the world feel a bit colder, yet at the same time I feel greatful that such a person has lived, he is, was, and always will be my greatest influence in Herpetology.

Bart Bruno

From the perspective of a child herper growing up in Iowa during the late 1960's Mr. Roger Conant was my strongest influence regarding herpetology and played a very instrumental role in getting me where I am today. My regret is that although I talked with him on the phone I did not ever get the chance to meet this icon of herpetology in person. I literally wore out quite a few of his field guides growing up. That field guide was the thing of dreams. Thanks Roger, you will be missed.

Sincerely, Ginter

the loss of Roger Conant marks the passing of a giant in the field of herpetology,zookeeping,and the natural world. anyone today who has any interest in herpetology or herps in general owes a huge debt to this great man. i was lucky enough to be in correspondence back in the late 1970s with Dr.Conant regarding documenting record length specimens and he somehow found the time to write,and even offer his help on the subject,despite an overwhelmingly busy schedule. thats overwhelming to you and me but not to Dr.Conant,who had the energy and enthusiasm of a much more youthful man.i was very sorry to hear the news,but i am glad the manner of his passing was in peaceful repose. truly a sad day for naturalists the world over.
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