David Seth-Smith

David Seth-Smith FZS, MBOU (1875–1963) was a British zoologist, wildlife artist, broadcaster and author.

His career included spells as Curator of Mammals and Birds for the Zoological Society of London and editor of the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club and the Avicultural Magazine. He also presented nature programmes on the BBC's Children's Hour under the name "The Zoo Man", and also "Friends from the Zoo" on BBC Television in the 1930s.[1][2] He illustrated and photographed many animals and birds in captivity and is credited for taking the only known photographs of the now extinct pink-headed duck.[3]

By 1945, he was a Fellow of the Royal Zoological Society; Member of the British Ornithologists' Union; Hon. Fellow, New York Zoological Society; Corresponding Fellow, American Ornithologists' Union; and Corresponding Member, Societe National d'Acclimatation de France.[4]

His grandfather was Seth Smith (property developer), who built large proportions of Mayfair & Belgravia in the West End, and his half brother, William Howard Seth-Smith III was a noted architect.