1) John Binns
Bryan Greg Fry
Robert MacCargar
Reasons:
1)
John Binns has been my hero since I first encountered him on the internet on cyclura.com some years ago. His work with Iguana magazine, the International Reptile Conservation Foundation (which he founded and continues) and practically every head start facilty involving the genus cyclura, is legendary. I remember being in awe of the man, and using his name here in my first hero thread when I found RTB some time ago.
Not everyone gets to meet their heros.
I however, was lucky.
I was honored by not only meeting him 2 years ago, but working in The blue Iguana Head start facility on Grand Cayman. I was thrilled to work with the rarest, most beautiful lizards in the world but more so---I was captivated by the passion in Mr. Binns for cyclura and his concern for their dwindling numbers. He is *postively* making a difference and getting to meet him blew me away. He continues to be number one on my list for heros in this field....with each passing year JB's has reduced numbers of red listed reptiles in the world and he uses every imaginable resource to stop the extinction of cyclura in particular.
Amazing human being.
2)
Dr. Bryan Greg Fry.
I have never had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Fry but I avidly read anything that comes up on the VL with his name as the author. If you hear absolutely anything about venomous animals his name will pop up immediately.
His findings appear in the journal Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry , the Journal of Molecular Evolution, Molecular Biology and Evolution as well as yahoo's VL.
Dr Fry is fascinated by venomous animals and venom evolution. He headed a world wide research project to trace the evolution of snake venom...this was the basis for a ground breaking discovery. He uncovered that snake venom has only developed once in evolution, 60 million years ago, millions of years earlier than previously thought, and before the snakes we commonly think of as non-venomous even were thought to exist. He has also recently discovered venom in certain lizard species previously thought to be totally nonvenomous.
He's amazing, and sparked my personal interest in hots. He lives and breathes venom
3)Bob MaCargar.
He's a unique person for so many reasons. He can argue a point very well....it may sound trivial but many people who argue on the net will resort to digs, or cleverly worded assaults. RM will argue POINTS and comes to the table well armed with logic and information from personal experience. He is not an information regurgatator but a ground breaker.
He has stood alone on just about everything at one time --- most of the topics that have we spout easily as fact today about
UVB, have come out of Robert MacCargar's personal study in his
UVB lab. When he makes a post, I literally stand at attention and take what is being said *very* very* seriously, because within a few years time it will more then likely be proven in way or another. He can and does, stay on topic with any subject that he is qualified to lecture about, and has flown to various places to lecture because of his following.
Along with consulting with icons in the field on just about very subject, he has been rescuing reptiles for many years. Long before there was reptile UV.com, there was The Green House in NY. He has sat down with many well known culturalists--some he personally agrees with or perhaps very much disagrees with---and has real discussions. They all respect this man very much.
I have always been amazed at his agenda for bettering the lives of captive reptiles--duirnal lizards in particular. He has founded and operates the best of the best in reptile lighting companies: MacIndustries (reptileuv.com). This company was founded after years of studying indoor lighting and the individual needs of captive reptiles. After so many companies came up short --- some, even being proven in his lighting lab of giving off no
uvb---he decided to make his own bulb. From there, a whole line has developed and many zoological institutions have sung his praise.
This is one man who I totally respect and love communicating with.
I think what ties my heros together is their passion, drive, selflessness and real work involved in their endeavors. Mr. Binns is top of the line in the world of cyclura---Dr. Fry for venom and Bob for lighting. Every single man has broke some sort of ground. My communication with those I have met (or exchange phones calls or email with), has been so educational and I believe that all 3 of them will be remembered in this field forever.
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antiheros:
the crocodile hunter
obvious reasons
