Robinette, Les (Willard Leslie), 2009 - 2011

Sub-Series

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Les Robinette was interviewed by Nancy Freeman on March 20, 2009 in Lakewood, Colorado.

Subseries contains correspondence, research and interview notes, interview transcripts, biography, release form, interview questions, publications, photographs, bibliography, and audio files of the interview.

Dates

2009 - 2011

Creator

Freeman, Nancy A. (Interviewer, Person)

Biographical / Historical

Willard Leslie (Les) Robinette was born in Clinchport, Virginia on June 2, 1915. Upon completion of a B.S. in forest zoology from Syracuse University, he moved west to work for the U.S. Forest Service in Idaho and Utah studying big game and mountain lions. While stationed in Utah Robinette did not have leave time so in 1939 his fiance Priscilla traveled with a friend to Salt Lake City, Utah where they were married. He then served six months in the United States Navy during World War II. In 1958, Robinette left the U.S. Fish and Game to join the Denver Wildlife Research Center where he remained until retirement in 1973. During the 1960s Robinette twice traveled to Africa for research and work. In 1960-1961, he worked in Northern Rodesia (Zambia) as a Fulbright Scholar studying the red lechwe. He then taught at the Wildlife Management College in Tanzania from 1965-1969. He enjoyed birding and wildlife photography in his retirement. Les passed away in June of 2015.

Extent

From the Collection: 1.6 linear feet

From the Collection: 25.7 Gigabytes (397 digital files)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Abstract

Les Robinette began his career with Fish and Wildlife Services (FWS) in 1943, and was there until 1953. From 1947-1953, he primarily worked on a study in Utah concerning the competition between big game and livestock on public lands. The project was managed cooperatively by the FWS, the Forest Service, the Fish and Game Department, and the Bureau of Land Management. In 1953, he transferred to a FWS field station in Salt Lake City. In 1958, he transferred again, this time to DWRC where he headed up the section of Upland Wildlife Ecology. He held this position until 1960, when he accepted a Fulbright scholarship to Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) to study the red lechwe, an endangered antelope. In 1970, Robinette returned to DWRC, where he worked as an assistant to the Director, Dr. Thomas Scott. Robinette retired in 1973.