Ten fun facts about Salim Ali

Fact 1
In 1976, he received one of the second highest honors in India, the Padma Vibhushan.

Fact 2
After his death, buildings like the Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary were established along with the Salim Ali School of Ecology and more.

Fact 3
He received a number of awards and many honorary doctorates. The J. Paul Getty Wildlife Conservation Prize he received was $100,000, which he used to establish the Salim Ali Nature Conservation Fund.

Fact 4
When he was one, his father died and when he was three, his mother died. He and his 8 siblings were raised by his aunt and uncle.

Fact 5
He was only ten years old during his initial research of birds, noticing things like female birds replaced the male birds shortly after their departure.

Fact 6
Though he did attend St. Xavier's College, he had to leave because of his chronic headaches. He did pass the exam at Bombay University in 1913.

Fact 7
He did attend zoology classes at Bombay and married a distant relative in 1918 during a school break.

Fact 8
He also had an interest in motorcycles, leaving him to own three Harley Davidson models, a Zenith, a Douglas and more.

Fact 9
His attempt to get the ornithologist position at the Zoological Survey of India failed since he never received a college degree.

Fact 10
His letter to the Prime Minister helped preserve the Bombay Natural History Society, which at the time was over 100 years old.