October 8, 1856, marked the unusual instance of a deceased naturalist being elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, as news of his passing had not yet reached Stockholm. Johan August Wahlberg, a Swedish explorer and scientist, perished months earlier in southern Africa, unknowingly leaving behind an extensive scientific legacy gathered through years of international field research.
Academic Foundation and Early Career
Born in 1810 in Lackarebäck, Sweden, Wahlberg pursued higher education at Uppsala University starting in 1829. His studies encompassed chemistry, forestry, agronomy, and natural science. He graduated from the Swedish Forestry Institute in 1834. During his early years, he participated in a 1832 entomological expedition to Norway led by Carl Henrik Boheman. By 1836, he served as an engineer at the Office of Land Survey and became an instructor at the Swedish Land Survey College, having conducted forestry research projects throughout Sweden and Germany in 1833 and 1834.
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Between 1838 and 1856, Wahlberg traveled extensively across southern Africa. He focused on collecting natural history specimens, thousands of which were shipped back to Sweden for analysis. His research spanned ornithology, botany, and entomology. His South African Coleoptera specimens were documented by Carl Henrik Boheman and Olof Immanuel von Fåhraeus in an 1851 Latin volume, while his herpetological findings were utilized by Carl Jakob Sundevall, Andrew Smith, André Marie Constant Duméril, and Gabriel Bibron to describe new species.
Final Expedition and Death
Wahlberg was exploring the Okavango area alongside Frederick Joseph Green when he met his end. On 6 March 1856, he was killed by a wounded elephant near the Thamalakane river, located roughly 10 kilometers northwest of Maun in modern-day Botswana. His death occurred at Lake Ngami, effectively ending nearly two decades of exploration and documentation in the region.
Taxonomic Commemorations
Numerous species bear Wahlberg’s name in recognition of his significant contributions to biological cataloging. His name is attached to several birds, including the eagle Aquila wahlbergi, the honeyguide Prodotiscus regulus, and the cormorant Phalacrocorax neglectus. Mammals and amphibians also carry his designation, such as the fruit bat Epomophorus wahlbergi and the frog Arthroleptis wahlbergii. Entomological contributions are marked by the mantis Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii, while botanical work is represented by the tree Entada wahlbergi. Additionally, four lizard species—Homopholis wahlbergii, Pachydactylus wahlbergii, Panaspis wahlbergii, and Trachylepis wahlbergii—are named in his honor.
Fast facts
- Born: 1810, Lackarebäck, Sweden
- Died: 6 March 1856, Lake Ngami, Bechuanaland
- Education: Uppsala University, Swedish Forestry Institute
- Occupations: Naturalist, zoologist, ornithologist, botanist, entomologist, explorer
- Membership: Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
- Cause of death: Killed by a wounded elephant
- Language: Latin
Questions readers ask
Why is he the only member elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences after death?
He was elected on October 8, 1856, because the news of his death in March had not yet reached the academy in Stockholm.
What specific species are named after Johan August Wahlberg?
He is commemorated in the scientific names of species including Wahlberg's eagle, the epauletted fruit bat, the spiny flower mantis, and various lizards such as Pachydactylus wahlbergii.
Achievements
- Educated at Uppsala University
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