Skead, C. J. (Cuthbert John)
Item
“Skead, C. J. (Cuthbert John)”, Rhodes University Drama Department, accessed 29 December 2025, https://digitalarchives.ru.ac.za/s/rhodes-university-drama-department/item/433
- Alternative Title
- Jack Skead
- Subject - Occupation
- Ornithologist
- Botanist
- Naturalist
- Description
-
Cuthbert John “Jack” Skead (1912–2006) was a renowned South African naturalist, ornithologist, botanist, and historian of the Eastern Cape environment. Throughout his extensive career, he made significant contributions to the study of southern African biogeography, animal distribution, and historical ecology.
Skead served as Director of the Albany Museum in Grahamstown (now Makhanda) and later became a Research Associate at the Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology at the University of Cape Town. His enduring legacy includes his meticulous, multi-decadal documentation of species distributions and historical records, culminating in major works such as "Historical Incidence of the Larger Mammals in the Eastern Cape" and subsequent volumes on the Cape Province.
Although best known for his zoological scholarship, Skead was also deeply engaged in botanical research. His field notebooks, habitat photographs, and observations reflect a holistic approach to understanding the interrelationships between plants, animals, and their environments. His botanical interests informed much of his later ecological and historical work, contributing to our understanding of vegetation patterns and environmental change in the region. - Given name
- Cuthbert John
- familyName
- Skead
- gender
- Male
Linked resources
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“Skead, C. J. (Cuthbert John)”, Rhodes University Drama Department, accessed 29 December 2025, https://digitalarchives.ru.ac.za/s/rhodes-university-drama-department/item/433
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