The Board chairman of the SU Angelo King Center for Research & Environmental Management Angel C. Alcala announces the death of SUAKCREM Research Associate Herpetologist Charles Andrew Ross, formerly of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., USA and long time IUCN Crocodile Specialist Group member. Ross died Sept. 7 in Manila after a long illness.
Andy, as he was known to close friends, had been ill for some time. Eventually his heart gave out and he passed away in the company of his wife, Glory, and eldest son, James. His second son, Robert was with him earlier, but had left for the US at the time of his demise.
Ross will be well remembered by all of those who knew him. He pioneered the studies on the Philippine Crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis) initially based at the SU Marine Laboratory, and the National Museum in 1980.
He was instrumental in the establishment of the Crocodile Breeding Facility at the Marine Laboratory, the first facility of its kind in the Philippines.
SUAKCREM has continued the crocodile conservation program. Andy, more than anybody else, contributed to the present government program on crocodile farming of the Indo-Pacific Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).
He visited Silliman University several times in connection with the research on crocodiles and for the installation of Silliman President Ben Malayang III.
Andy published a couple of papers on crocodiles with A.C. Alcala and other scientists at the Philippine National Museum. He also donated a number of books on biological sciences to SUAKCREM and Silliman University Library.
Andy and his wife Glory were Dr. and Mrs. Alcala’s hosts in Washington, D.C. during Dr. Alcala’s sabbatical year at the Smithsonian Institution in 1984, for which the Alcalas are most grateful.
