THE HAROLD K. VORIS
AQUATIC SNAKE RESEARCH & CONSERVATION GRANT
Dr. Harold K. Voris Photo by John Murphy
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ABOUT THE GRANT
The Harold K. Voris Aquatic Snake Research & Conservation Grant is an on going grant by Herpetological Conservation International and named in honor of aquatic snake researcher and conservationist Dr. Harold K. Voris (HKV). It is dedicated to funding important aquatic snake research and conservation endeavors and is granted on an occasional basis, as qualifying projects are submitted. Due to the rather specific subject matter of the Harold K. Voris Aquatic Research & Conservation Grant, the submission period is always open. The board of directors for Herpetological Conservation International retain full discretion as to which projects will receive the award, and how much will be awarded. Those interested in receiving the grant should visit the application page for details on how to apply. |
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WHY AQUATIC SNAKES?
In the last several decades many species of aquatic snakes have seen dramatic declines, with little known about their basic ecology, creating an incredible challenge to their management and population recovery. It is therefor imperative information is obtained about their natural history and population structure as this group faces the all too familiar stressors of climate change, pollution, invasive species, and over harvesting. The creation of this grant is intended to provide necessary funding for the study of this often overlooked group of snakes. |
Laticuada colubrina in Indonesia Photo by Myke Clarkson
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ABOUT DR. HAROLD K. VORIS
By John Murphy
By John Murphy
HKV with a group of students in Singapore after they had been snake hunting.
Harold K Voris was born and raised in the Chicago area. He received his PhD in Biology from the university of Chicago in 1969 and spent most of his career as the curator of amphibians and reptiles at the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, 1973—2008. His research focused on the systematics, ecology, and conservation of aquatic snakes in collaboration with faculty and students from Asian and American institutions.
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Dr. Voris investigated freshwater swamps and marine estuaries in Borneo and Thailand and mapped the rising and falling of sea levels in the region. This led to a greater understanding of gene flow in marine and freshwater snakes. He also produced multiple landmark papers on marine and freshwater snake ecology as well as the community ecology of southeast Asian amphibians and reptiles. His exploration of how aquatic snakes budget their activities between land and water provided insights into the evolution of snakes between terrestrial and aquatic environments.
Harold Voris’ research interests were not limited to vertebrates, he also worked with research associates W. B. Jeffries and C. M. Yang on the coevolutionary relationships between barnacles and sea snakes and the decapod crustaceans found in the Singapore Straits and in the Andaman Sea. His work on the sea snake harvest in the Gulf of Thailand was instrumental in the creation of conservation policies for sea snakes. |
HKV in a make shift field lab under a house at Lake Songhkla, Thailand
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His work on the sea snake harvest in the Gulf of Thailand was instrumental in the creation of conservation policies for sea snakes. Few have done so much in the field of aquatic snakes, and it is Herpetological Conservation International's esteemed honor to have a grant recognizing such an important contributor to our understanding of these animals.
Past RecipIENTS
2022: Justin Bernstien
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2024: MOrgan Thompson
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