Le Souef, Albert Sherbourne (1877 - 1951)

Born in Melbourne, Vic., on 20 January 1877 and died at Mosman, Sydney, NSW, on 31 March 1951.

Albert Sherbourne Le Souef was Secretary and later Assistant Director of the Melbourne Zoological Gardens 1896-1903, when he was appointed Director of the Zoological Gardens at Moore Park, Sydney. He merits recognition since it was during his time that the site of the present Taronga Zoological Park was considered; Le Souef visited a number of zoological gardens through the world during this period. The Zoological Society and the Government each formed committees to collaborate and sites at Victoria Park Racecourse, Maroubra, Bondi, Lane Cove, Parramatta, Nielsen Park, Taylor Bay and Athol Gardens were examined before a decision was made.  Athol Gardens, now Taronga Park, was selected and the area was dedicated on 24 April 1912.  Le Souef became the first Director of the newly named Taronga Park Zoological Gardens.  The date of his retirement is not known, but he is recorded as being a ‘curator’ in a photograph dated 1936, when he would have been 59. 

He was a member of the Royal Society of New South Wales, a Councillor of the Zoological Society of New South Wales for nearly 5 years, and a Corresponding member of the Zoological Society of London.  He was the author of numerous scientific papers on zoological subjects.

He is honoured in the name Eucalyptus lesouefii Maiden (1912)