Dr. Derek William Yalden B.Sc., Ph.D. |
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![]() Yalden at the BTO Conference in 2010
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Born |
Surrey |
4 November 1940
Died | 5 February 2013 |
Monuments |
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Nationality | British |
Alma mater |
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Occupation | |
Employer | University of Manchester, School of Biological Sciences |
Known for | President of The Mammal Society |
Dr Derek William Yalden, B.Sc., Ph.D. (4 November 1940 – 5 February 2013) was a zoologist and an Honorary Reader at the University of Manchester.
After obtaining a 1st Class B.Sc. University College London in 1962, he completed his PhD on carpal bones in mammals at Royal Holloway College, under Prof. P. M. Butler, in 1965. He then worked as an Assistant Lecturer, and eventually Senior Lecturer, at the University of Manchester, School of Biological Sciences, teaching vertebrate zoology. He retired from there in 2005, after 40 years' service.
He was president of The Mammal Society from 1997 until his death, and edited their journal, Mammal Review from 1980-2002. He authored or co-authored over 200 scientific publications.
Leptopelis yaldeni, (grassland forest tree frog, named by M. Largen in 1977), and Desmomys yaldeni (Yalden's desmomys, a rodent named by L. Lavrenchenko in 2003) are named in his honour. Both are endemic to Ethiopia.
An expert in the mammals of the UK and of Ethiopia, Derek also took hundreds of students on field courses. To honour his memory, a fund has been set up to provide undergraduates from limited income families with financial support to help fund their field trips whilst studying at Manchester.
He listed his research interests as: