Vasyl Abelentsev (1913–1980): life in the world of science

Abstract

The data about the life of the famous scientist, a graduate of Dnepropetrovsk University and a researcher of the Institute of Zoology of the Ukrainian RSR (Kyiv) are presented. After graduation, Vasyl Isakovych prepared a thesis on bats of Transcarpathia, and later he became one of the authors of the first issue of the series “Fauna of Ukraine” (1956) devoted to bats and insectivores. Later, in 1968, he published another issue of the series about the carnivores of the family Mustelidae. He had a wide range of interests and achievements both in research objects (all groups of mammals except aquatic) and research areas (ecology, fauna, population management). Vasyl Abelentsev was one of the most productive collectors, whose collections enriched the stocks of the National Museum of Natural History, NAS of Ukraine (1564 specimens of mammals). Among his most cited publications are the reviews on the bat fauna of Ukraine (1956), on the results of a 30 years long ringing of bats in Ukraine (1970), and on the state of marmot populations in Ukraine (1971).

Keywords

• mammalogy
• fauna of Ukraine
• bats
• rodents
• carnivores
• Vasyl Abelentsev