Jānis Brikmanis (25 February 1940 – 18 April 2019) was a Latvian

zoologist Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the Animal, animal kingdom, including the anatomy, structure, embryology, evolution, Biological clas ...

, environmental conservationist, radio and television presenter, and writer.

Career

Jānis Brikmanis studied at the department of biology at the

Latvian State University University of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Universitāte, shortened ''LU'') is a state-run university located in Riga, Latvia established in 1919. The ''QS World University Rankings'' places the university between 801st and 1000th globally, sevent ...

from 1960 to 1965. He was the captain of the university's rock climbing team. After graduation he worked at the chemical plant in

Olaine Olaine (; german: Olai) is a city in Olaine Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. Olaine gained town rights in 1967. The name comes from the Saint Olai Church, built by the Misa river under Swedish rule in the 17th century. An old cemete ...

before he got a teaching position at the Daugavpils Pedagogical Institute in 1970. From 1975, he worked for the

Gauja National Park __NOTOC__ Gauja National Park ( lv, Gaujas nacionālais parks) in Vidzeme is the largest national park in Latvia, with an area of 917.86 km2 running from north-east of Sigulda to south-west of Cēsis along the valley of the Gauja River, fr ...

as an engineer zoologist and senior researcher. Over a period of 35 years, Brikmanis was a public figure in Latvia as the presenter of several radio and television programs about animal life, in particular about birds. He could imitate the sounds of different birds and gained the nickname ''Putnu Jānis'', meaning "Bird Jānis". He wrote four books about nature. In 2015, he received the

Cross of Recognition The Cross of Recognition ( lv, Atzinības krusts) is a state decoration of Latvia. History The decoration was established in 1710 in the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia by Duke Frederick William as a symbol of the then-established Order of Rec ...

from the Latvian state, in recognition of his lifelong contribution to environmental protection and promotion.

Personal life

He was married to Vija Brikmane whom he met in Daugavpils when he was a lecturer and she was a student. The couple had four children. From 1995 to 1998 he was the leader of the Congregation of Latvian Dievturi ( lv, Latvijas Dievturu Sadraudze), a Baltic neopagan organisation. He died from cancer on 18 April 2019.

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* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Brikmanis, Janis 1940 births 2019 deaths 20th-century zoologists Ornithological writers Nature writers Latvian biologists Radio presenters Latvian television personalities Latvian male writers 20th-century Latvian writers Latvian non-fiction writers Latvian modern pagans Modern pagan religious leaders Recipients of the Cross of Recognition Deaths from cancer in Latvia Male non-fiction writers Soviet zoologists Latvian zoologists Latvian radio people