Obituary: Dr Douglas Loewenthal 16 October 1973 - 18 May 2014

Fitztitute staff and students are deeply saddened by the news that Doug Loewenthal was tragically killed in a car accident in the early hours of Sunday morning 18 May.

Although born in Australia, Doug spent most of his life in South Africa. He was a University of Cape Town alumnus throughout his tertiary education, graduating with a BSc in 1995, BSc Honours in Marine Biology in 1996, completing the MSc Conservation Biology course in 1998 and being awarded a PhD in 2007. Following his PhD, Doug was a Post-doctoral Fellow at the FitzPatrick Institute until 2011 when he was appointed Director of the Lapalala Wilderness School. During his years as an MSc and PhD student and during his post-doctoral tenure, his main research focus was the population dynamics and conservation of the African Black Oystercatcher during which time he worked closely with Prof. Phil Hockey.

During his time at UCT, Doug was active in various aspects of academic training within the department, from tutoring and lecturing undergraduate students, assisting with laboratory work, fieldwork and surveys, to co-ordinating a workshop on marine and coastal conservation. He thereafter facilitated a nation-wide conservation programme aimed at using his study species, the threatened African Black Oystercatcher, to spearhead the establishment of a conservation strategy for South Africa’s coastal flora and fauna.

Doug attended numerous conferences, presented many talks to interested organisations, published five scientific papers in peer reviewed journals and nine semi-popular articles. Doug was awarded Dean’s Merit List for three consecutive years of outstanding undergraduate academic performance and for the best poster presentation at the South African Marine Science Symposium in 1996.

Doug was a friend to all and had a gentle, easy going and unassuming way which was appreciated by all. He leaves his mother Judith and sisters, Ruth and Hannah, to whom the Fitz conveys their deepest condolences. Doug will be sorely missed by all of us in the conservation sector.