Anatoli Petrovich Bogdanov

Who was Anatoli Petrovich Bogdanov?

Anatoli Petrovich Bogdanov was a Russian zoologist and anthropologist born in Voronezh Governorate in southern Russia.

In 1855 he graduated from the department of natural sciences at the University of Moscow, afterwards furthering his education at several natural history museums throughout Europe. During this time period he also attended lectures from prominent zoologists that included Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire and Émile Blanchard. In 1858 he returned to Moscow, where he performed post-graduate work and helped establish a department of zoology. In 1861 he became head of the department of zoology, later becoming director of the zoological museum at Moscow, a position he maintained for the rest of his life.

Bogdanov was known for his organizational skills, and was a major factor in the founding of the zoological gardens in Moscow, as well as the establishment of a number of scientific societies, such as the Society of Devotees of Natural Science, Anthropology, and Ethnography.