Federico Carlos Lehmann Valencia (March 23, 1914 – 1974) was a Colombian

ornithologist Ornithology, from Ancient Greek ὄρνις (''órnis''), meaning "bird", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study", is a branch of zoology dedicated to the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related discip ...

plant collector A botanical specimen, also called a plant specimen, is a biological specimen of a plant (or part of a plant) used for scientific purposes. Preserved collections of algae, fungi, slime molds, and other organisms traditionally studied by botanists a ...

, and

conservation biologist Conservation biology is the study of the conservation of nature and of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction and the erosion of biotic interactions. It is an i ...

Early years

Lehmann Valencia was born in the city of

Popayán Popayán () is the capital of the Colombian department of Cauca. It is located in the Pubenza Valley in southwestern Colombia between the Western Mountain Range and Central Mountain Range. The municipality has a population of 318,059, an a ...

, in Cauca, Colombia. His grandfather,

Friedrich Carl Lehmann Friedrich Carl Lehmann (27 November 1850 – 23 November 1903) was a German Consul to Colombia, mining engineer, amateur botanist and mycologist, and botanical collector. Career Lehmann conducted explorations in search of specimens of flora in t ...

, a Colombia-based German explorer, had died while crossing the Río Timbiqui; his father, Federico Carlos Lehmann Mosquera was widowed when his son was born, and Lehmann Valencia was largely brought up by his grandmother who encouraged his interest in geography and

natural history Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...

. Lehmann Valencia studied at the

University of Cauca The University of Cauca () is a public university, public research university located in the city of Popayán, capital of the department of Cauca Department, Cauca, Colombia. It was created on April 24, 1827, by a decree by the President Franci ...

in Popayán from 1929 to 1934.

Career

Museo de Ciencias Naturales Federico Carlos Lehmann 19

In 1938 Lehmann Valencia accepted a job in the Institute of Botany at the

National University of Colombia The National University of Colombia () is a national public research university in Colombia, with general campuses in Bogotá, Medellín, Manizales and Palmira, and satellite campuses in Leticia, San Andrés, Arauca, Tumaco, and La Paz, ...

Bogotá Bogotá (, also , , ), officially Bogotá, Distrito Capital, abbreviated Bogotá, D.C., and formerly known as Santa Fe de Bogotá (; ) during the Spanish Imperial period and between 1991 and 2000, is the capital city, capital and largest city ...

. There he was put in charge of the

collection Collection or Collections may refer to: Computing * Collection (abstract data type), the abstract concept of collections in computer science * Collection (linking), the act of linkage editing in computing * Garbage collection (computing), autom ...

of animal specimens, travelling throughout the country to build up the collection, and becoming increasingly interested in ornithology and in

environmental protection Environmental protection, or environment protection, refers to the taking of measures to protecting the natural environment, prevent pollution and maintain ecological balance. Action may be taken by individuals, advocacy groups and governments. ...

. He became involved with the International Council for Bird Preservation (now

BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding i ...

) and during the 1940s and 1950s worked to promote conservation legislation.JSTOR Plant Science From 1956 to 1961 Lehmann Valencia was the assessor of natural resources for the Ministry of Agriculture in the departments of

Valle Valle may refer to: * Valle (surname) Geography *"Valle", the cultural and climatic zone of the dry subtropical Interandean Valles of the Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and northwest Argentina * University of Valle, a public university in Cali, Colomb ...

and Cauca, his work leading to the creation of new protected areas, the Laguna de Sonso Nature Reserve, the Farallones de Cali National Natural Park, the

Puracé National Natural Park The Puracé National Natural Park () is a national park located in the Andean region of Colombia, southeast of the city of Popayán in the Cordillera Central range. Its main feature is the active stratovolcano Puracé, one of Colombia's most a ...

, and the

Los Nevados National Natural Park Los Nevados National Natural Park () is a national park located in the Cordillera Central of the Colombian Andes. The park features Colombia's highest and northernmost active volcanoes including the glacier-capped Nevado del Ruiz, Nevado del Tol ...

. He also took part in a project at the

University of Valle The University of Valle (), also called Univalle, is a public, departmental, coeducational, research university based primarily in the city of Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. It is the largest higher education institution by student populatio ...

Cali Santiago de Cali (), or Cali, is the capital of the Valle del Cauca department, and the most populous city in southwest Colombia, with 2,280,522 residents estimate by National Administrative Department of Statistics, DANE in 2023. The city span ...

, collecting and classifying the birds of western Colombia. In 1963 he founded the departmental Museum of Natural Sciences in Cali which was named after him after his death in 1974.

Legacy

Lehmann Valencia is commemorated in the scientific name of a species of lizard, '' Alopoglossus lehmanni'', which is endemic to Colombia. He is also commemorated in the names of three species of frogs: '' Eleutherodactylus lehmanvalenciae'' (junior synonym of '' Pristimantis moro''), '' Hyloxalus lehmanni'', and ''Oophaga lehmanni'' (

Lehmann's poison frog Lehmann's poison frog or the red-banded poison frog (''Oophaga lehmanni'') is a species of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae endemic to a small part of western Colombia. Its natural habitats are submontane tropical rainforests. It is threatened by ...

).Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2013). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Amphibians''. Exeter, England: Pelagic Publishing Ltd. xiii + 262 pp. . ("Lehmann(-Valencia)", p. 122).

Personal life

He married Ana Luisa Olano Arboleda. Together they had three children.

References

Notes

Sources

* (In Spanish) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Lehmann, Federico Carlos 1914 births 1974 deaths People from Popayán University of Cauca alumni Academic staff of the National University of Colombia Colombian ornithologists 20th-century Colombian zoologists