Ross Allen (herpetologist)

Ensil Ross Allen, called Ross, was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1908 and attended local schools. He moved as a teenager with his family to Florida. As a young man, Allen made a hobby of capturing turtles, snakes and other reptiles near his home in central Florida. He continued his work and study of them and became noted as an expert herpetologist. ==Career==

In November 1929, Allen founded the Reptile Institute at the tourist attraction of Silver Springs, Florida. He developed it into a 10-acre center for research, as well as of entertainment, staging reptile demonstrations, including alligator wrestling and rattlesnake milking. His larger goal was education of the public about reptiles. The institute has been recognized for his research on native Floridian reptiles. He studied and developed anti-venom solutions, including dried powders. This was particularly important during World War II, when he helped procure anti-venom to protect US troops. He also served as stuntman and reptile handler on several movies that were filmed in Silver Springs, including Tarzan Finds a Son! (1939) and The Yearling (1946). Several television shows were also filmed at Silver Springs, most notably Sea Hunt and I Spy. Allen sold the institute to ABC-Paramount in 1962, but continued as director until early 1975. The Silver Springs Reptile Institute (more commonly known as the Ross Allen Reptile Institute) was a site for research as well as exhibits. Allen developed many snake anti-venoms, including dried anti-venom. He also imported venoms for medical and biochemical purposes. ==Personal life==

Ross and his first wife Virginia (married 1934, divorced 1949) had children named John, Robert, Tom and Betty. Later Allen married Celeste (divorced 1958), who sometimes joined him in collecting expeditions, having learned how to handle snakes. Ross's fourth wife, Jeanette (married 1977), bore him three sons, Kenneth, Craig, and Sidney. ==Legacy and honors==

• 2000, Cypress Island at Silver Springs was renamed Ross Allen Island in his honor. For environmental stewardship, after Silver Springs became a state park the island exhibit was removed and replaced with a boardwalk through a natural swamp in his honor. Displays at Silver Springs and The Silver River Museum have displays telling the story of Ross Allen's life and accomplishments. ==Selected list of works==

• Florida Water Snakes (1941) • Fishes of Silver Springs, Florida (1946) • Keep Them Alive (1960) • How to Keep Snakes in Captivity (1971) ==Notes==