Aubrey Weinman

Who is Aubrey Weinman?

Major Aubrey Neil Weinman, OBE was a Ceylonese soldier, civil servant and naturist. He was the first Director of the Colombo Zoological Gardens.

Educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo with the out set of World War I to join the British Army. He saw action on the western front and was wounded in battle. After the war he remained a reservist officer.

He joined the government service and appointed as the first Superintendent of the Colombo Zoological Gardens after it was established in 1939 following the liquidation of Zoological Garden Company in 1936. During his period various programs were developed, such as introducing more native and foreign species, educational and conservation programs, improving the facilities and infrastructures and more.

Without break of World War II in the far east Weinman, as a Major he was mobilized for service with the British Army under the Malaya Command and became a POW after the fall of Singapore. He spent the next four years in a prisoner of war camp and was liberated at the end of the war.

On his return he took up the position of Director of the Colombo Zoological Gardens once again and held it until his retirement in late 1950s. After retiring he migrated to Australia with his wife Ena van Cuylenber. He died in Perth in 1967.