Lutz Heck
Encyclopedia
Ludwig George Heinrich Heck, called Lutz Heck (born 23 April 1892 in Berlin
- died 6 April 1983 in Berlin) was a German
zoologist, animal researcher, an animal book author and director of the large zoo
in the German capital city ("Zoologischer Garten Berlin").
Together with his brother Heinz Heck
, also a zoologist and director of the largest zoological garden in southern Germany, "Tierpark Hellabrunn
" in Münich
, he started a selective breeding
program, which attempted - based on the knowledge of animal genetics of the time - to "recreate" wild animal species, that are today extinct, from various forms of the domestic animals whose ancestors they were (see "breeding back
"). By their work they created breeds of cattle and horse - later named "Heck cattle
" and "Heck horse
" respectively, after their creators - that are today seen as "models" of the extinct Aurochs
and Tarpan
, which Heinz and Lutz Heck believed to have "resurrected" by their efforts.
During World War II Heck took part in demolishing of Warsaw Zoo
, he stole the most valuable animals and took them to German zoos.
The work of Lutz Heck also features in a BBC Radio 4 documentary "The Quest for the Aryan Cow" by the broadcaster and journalist Jon Ronson
.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
- died 6 April 1983 in Berlin) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
zoologist, animal researcher, an animal book author and director of the large zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
in the German capital city ("Zoologischer Garten Berlin").
Together with his brother Heinz Heck
Heinz Heck
Heinz Heck was a German biologist and director of zoo in Munich . Heck worked on the breeding back projects of the Heck Horse, which strove to recreate the Tarpan , and the Heck Cattle, which was to recreate the aurochs, both of which...
, also a zoologist and director of the largest zoological garden in southern Germany, "Tierpark Hellabrunn
Tierpark Hellabrunn
Hellabrunn Zoo is a zoological garden in the Bavarian capital of Munich. The zoo is situated on the right bank of the river Isar, in the southern part of Munich near the quarter of Thalkirchen...
" in Münich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, he started a selective breeding
Selective breeding
Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...
program, which attempted - based on the knowledge of animal genetics of the time - to "recreate" wild animal species, that are today extinct, from various forms of the domestic animals whose ancestors they were (see "breeding back
Breeding back
Breeding back can be described as either a natural or a human attempt to assemble or re-assemble the genes of an extinct species, subspecies or domesticated breed, which may still be present in the larger gene pool of the overall species or those of multiple interbreedable species.Breeding back is...
"). By their work they created breeds of cattle and horse - later named "Heck cattle
Heck cattle
Heck Cattle are a hardy breed of domestic cattle. They are the result of an attempt to breed back the aurochs, which became extinct in 1627, from modern aurochs-derived cattle...
" and "Heck horse
Heck horse
Heck horse is a horse breed that resembles the extinct wild equine, the Tarpan, . The breed was created by the German zoologist brothers Heinz Heck and Lutz Heck, director of the Berlin Zoo, at the Tierpark Hellabrunn in Germany in their attempt to breed back the tarpan...
" respectively, after their creators - that are today seen as "models" of the extinct Aurochs
Aurochs
The aurochs , the ancestor of domestic cattle, were a type of large wild cattle which inhabited Europe, Asia and North Africa, but is now extinct; it survived in Europe until 1627....
and Tarpan
Tarpan
Tarpan is an extinct subspecies of wild horse. The last individual of this subspecies died in captivity in Russia in 1909....
, which Heinz and Lutz Heck believed to have "resurrected" by their efforts.
During World War II Heck took part in demolishing of Warsaw Zoo
Warsaw Zoo
The Warsaw Zoological Garden, known simply as the Warsaw Zoo is a scientific zoo on Ratuszowa Street in Warsaw, Poland. The zoo covers about in downtown Warsaw, and sees 600,000 visitors annually...
, he stole the most valuable animals and took them to German zoos.
The work of Lutz Heck also features in a BBC Radio 4 documentary "The Quest for the Aryan Cow" by the broadcaster and journalist Jon Ronson
Jon Ronson
Jon Ronson is a Welsh journalist, documentary filmmaker, radio presenter and nonfiction author, whose works include The Men Who Stare At Goats. His journalism and columns have appeared in British publications including The Guardian newspaper, City Life and Time Out magazine...
.
External links
"Jon Ronson and the Quest for the Aryan Cow http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hc946" BBC Radio 4, 10 Feb 2009See also
- Heinz HeckHeinz HeckHeinz Heck was a German biologist and director of zoo in Munich . Heck worked on the breeding back projects of the Heck Horse, which strove to recreate the Tarpan , and the Heck Cattle, which was to recreate the aurochs, both of which...
- Heck cattleHeck cattleHeck Cattle are a hardy breed of domestic cattle. They are the result of an attempt to breed back the aurochs, which became extinct in 1627, from modern aurochs-derived cattle...
- Heck horseHeck horseHeck horse is a horse breed that resembles the extinct wild equine, the Tarpan, . The breed was created by the German zoologist brothers Heinz Heck and Lutz Heck, director of the Berlin Zoo, at the Tierpark Hellabrunn in Germany in their attempt to breed back the tarpan...