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Whit Gibbons is a herpetologist who is Professor Emeritus of Ecology, University of Georgia, and former Head of the Environmental Outreach and Education program at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL). He received degrees in biology from the University of Alabama (B.S.-1961; M.S.-1963) and in zoology from Michigan State University (Ph.D. – 1967).

Whit Gibbons is author or editor of 25 books on herpetology and ecology (see partial list at https://whitgibbons.com/books-2/) and has published more than 250 articles in scientific journals. He has had commentaries on National Public Radio (Living on Earth, Science Friday, and others), and published more than 1,000 popular articles on ecology in magazines and newspapers, including a weekly environmental column originally distributed by the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group. His encyclopedia articles have appeared in World Book, Compton’s, and for 25 years included the annual summary of Zoology for the Encyclopedia Britannica Book of the Year. In 1993 he wrote “Reptile and Amphibian Study,” the merit badge booklet for the Boy Scouts of America.

Whit is a frequent speaker at meetings, both civic and scientific, and gives talks each year to college and pre-college school groups. Many of the talks use live animals, particularly reptiles and amphibians, in discussions of ecological research and environmental awareness. He also leads herpetological field trips at a private wildlife reserve (Salleyland) in South Carolina.

For a complete biography of Whit Gibbons and bibliography of journal publications go to Smithsonian Herpetological Information Service No. 156