History of the Institute of Zoology

For historical reasons, the development of many branches of science in Bulgaria started only after the Liberation of the country from Ottoman rule. The year 1890 is accepted as the beginning of Bulgarian zoological science, when the first Bulgarian zoological work was published by the prominent zoologist G. K. Hristovich. His article, entitled 'Materials on the study of the Bulgarian fauna' was published in the journal Sbornik za narodni uimotvorenija, nauka i knizhnina (A collection of people's creative works, science and literature) (BAS, 2: 185-225). Almost at the same time in Sofia, the first collection of birds and mammals was brought, giving birth to the Natural History Museum and the Royal Natural History Institutes. Initially, the activities of the Royal Natural History Institutes were mainly focused on enriching the collections of the Natural History Museum and the organisation of the Zoological Garden in Sofia. The early 1914, when the Bulgarian zoologist Dr Ivan Buresch was appointed Director of the Royal Natural History Institutes, more systemic and purpose-oriented scientific activity started in the three branches of natural sciences in Bulgaria: zoology, botany and geology. In 1919, the first four scientific departments became independent: Department of zoology, entomology, botany and mineralogy, that existed in the Royal Natural History Institutes until the end of the Second World War. After 1945, essential social and political changes occurred in the country, as well as structural changes that also affected the Royal Natural History Institutes. The Institutes were transferred to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. On an order, issued by the Government as of 19.02.1947, the four units of the former the Royal Natural History Institutes became the basis on which three independent scientific institutes at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences were established: the Zoological, the Botanical and the Geological Institutes. Affiliated to the Zoological Institute were also the Natural History Museum, the Bulgarian Ornithological Centre and the Zoological Garden in Sofia. The total staff of the newly established Zoological Institute with a Museum was about 20 people and the research associates were only 12. The first three scientific departments were also founded: Invertebrate Animals (headed by Dr P. Drenski), Entomology (headed by Prof. Dr Ivan Buresch) and Vertebrate Animals (headed by Dr N. Atanasov).

Prof. Dr Ivan Buresch was appointed the first Director of the Institute since 1947 to 1959. Due to the limited number of specialists, the basic activities at the Institute were focused on the study of the insect fauna, arachnids, the basic groups of vertebrate animals (amphibians, reptiles, fishes, birds and mammals) and the rich cave fauna of Bulgaria. This period is connected to the beginning of two important scientific series: Izvestiya na Zoologicheskiya institut s muzey (Bulletin of the Zoological Institute with a Museum) and Fauna bulgarica (Fauna of Bulgaria).

After Prof. Buresch's retirement, Prof. Dr G. Paspalev acted as Director from 1959 to 1965. Research at the Institute was expanded with studies on the parasitic fauna of the country. A new Department of Parasitofauna was established and large-scale complex expeditions were made for studying the fauna of the different regions of the country.

From 1965 to 1971, the prominent Bulgarian hydrobiologist and protistologist Prof. A. Valkanov was appointed Director of the Insititute of Zoology. More systematic ecological investigations started to be made; the first laboratory of ecology of small mammals and some pasture ecosystems in the country was established as a separate unit at the Institute. Actively studied were high-mountain lakes in the Rila and Pirin mountains and the Danube River. Faunistic research was expanded and embraced new large groups of the Bulgarian fauna (free-living and parasitic protozoans, bryozoa, underground crustaceans, etc.).

After Prof. A. Valkanov Prof. Dr B. Botev was appointed Director of the Institute from 1972. A structural reorganisation was carried out and four new departments on a problem-field principle were established: Taxonomy, Faunology and Zoogeography, Ecology of Terrestrial Animals, Hydrobiology and Ontogenesis and Morphogenesis of Animals. The Department of Parasitofauna was transferred almost entirely to the Central Laboratory of Helminthology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, and the Zoological Museum was separated and transformed in 1974 into a National Museum of Natural History. As of 1973, the publication of the serial Izvestiya na Zoologicheskiya institut s muzey was discontinued and the Institute started the publication of three new scientific periodicals: Acta zoologica bulgarica, Hydrobiology and Ecology. The publication of the monograph serial Fauna bulgarica (Fauna of Bulgaria) continued.

Since 1989, Prof. V. Golemansky, DSc was appointed Director of the Institute. From 1992 onwards, the Institute started publishing another scientific serial, Catalogus faunae bulgaricae (Catalogue of the Bulgarian Fauna). In 1997, the three scientific periodicals of the Institute merged into one and the journal Acta zoologica bulgarica started to appear with three volumes yearly. In 1993, the Kalimok Biological Experimental Station, affiliated to the Institute, was built, the first one in the country for artificial breeding and restoration in nature of rare and extinct species of wild birds from the Bulgarian fauna. As a result of changes that occurred in the scientific personnel and the development of some novel trends in research, changes were made in the structural organisation of the Institute. Apart from the previous departments, three new departments were established: of Biology and Ecology of Terrestrial Animals, of Experimental Zoology and of Protozoology. The departments were organised on a laboratory principle and affiliated to them were more than ten specialised laboratories on the basic research trends at the Institute.

After Prof. Dr V. Golemansky, Director of the Institute of Zoology was appointed Prof. Mladen Zhivkov, DSc (2003-2009). The hydrobiological investigations were activated and the number of the project, supported from different funds increased. Attention was paid to the study of invasive species.

After Prof. M. Zhivkov's death in 2009, an Acting Director of the Institute of Zoology is Prof. Paraskeva Michailova, DSc. The new administration continued its activities of financing and updating the problem field of the Institute with a view of successfully fulfilling the obligations of the country undertaken for its accession into the European Union, mainly with respect to the preservation of the environment and biodiversity. Efforts continue to be made for the renewal of the research apparatuses and the electronic equipment, for improving the methodological potential of the research associates and the specialists and for intensifying their work. Special attention is paid to the organisation, preservation and utilisation of the scientific collections of the Institute.

On 1 January 2009, 86 people are currently working at the Institute. Among them: 39 persons are Scientific staff: one Academician, who is Professor, 6 Senior Research Fellows I degree and Doctors of Sciences, 13 Associate Professors, 19 Junior Research fellows; 30 persons of Research supporting staff: 23 biologists (Scientists with higher education), 1 biologist with PhD, 3 technicians, 2 research supporting staffs with secondary education, 1 librarian; 5 persons of Administrative staff; 12 persons of Supporting staff. A total of 32 PhD and 8 Doctors of Sciences (DSc) are working at the Institute.