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Chris van der Lingen
August 28, 1952 - September 30, 2011
October 7, 2011One week ago today, we lost a special friend from the dart frog community. Chirs van der Lingen, age 59, passed away on Isla Colon in Bocas del Toro, Panama. He was an dart frog expert whose wealth of knowledge about Oophaga pumilio, among others, made him the most sought after guide in the region. His untimely passing was just days after guiding a Black Jungle Frogging and Rainforest Natural History Tour in the Bocas del Toro Province of Panama.He was my personal friend for the past 12 or so years. I had first met Chris at German Frog Day long ago and immediately knew that I would have a fine friend for the rest of my life. I think that everyone he met must have seen him this way. We quickly connected as a result of our mutual love for frogs and nature. I strongly admired the values and qualities he lived by. I had met him on subsequent trips to Europe including the times I had served in the US Air Force and deployed to Germany. A trip to his home town of Delft was an especially memorable experience. Chris and his wife also made their way to visit me at my home town of Turners Falls as well. He spoke as the keynote speaker for the North American Amphibian Conference held in Massachusetts in 2008.Chris was a retired fire fighter from Holland whose 30 plus year passion of dart frogs made him well known in not only the European dart frog community, but around the world as well. While a firefighter, Chris and his wife Wilma had taken numerous trips to Panama and Costa Rica. He spent countless hours videoing, photographing, and documenting as many new Oophaga pumilio morphs as he could. At the same time visiting and discovering new populations throughout the region. He worked with various researchers including Justin Yeager and others.He had compiled the data about the frogs and developed a small conservation program titled the Panama Pumilio Protection Project. The data would be used to educate others through his videos, posters, and his most recently completed project, a pumilio morph book with more than 600 photos illustrating more than 100 forms of Oophaga pumilio.Our trip to see Chris in the Bocas last week was extremely special. Ten years ago, we had first made plans to meet there. He was going to show us all the frog locations that he knew of back then. Unfortunately, that was on September 11th and the tragedy that marked that day in history. Chris was on his way but had to be flown back to Holland. My trip was cancelled and I was called to active duty in the Military. We never made that special trip until 10 years later.This time, I was happy to bring along some friends, both new and old. I must say that because of Chris, we all experienced the trip of our lifetime. His friendly and knowledgable guide service made access and viewing the maximum number of frog locations in a minimum amount of time. We hold his knowledge and experience about the Pumilio in high regard.
Chris and his wife Wilma were very close to making their final retirement plans to live in Paradise down in the Bocas. It seems so unfair that such a kind man was cheated from this reward in life. Equally, I am sorry for Wilma to have been cheated from the pleasure of her companionship ending so early.
I am proud to have known Chris and am grateful that we had the chance to share some of the last days of his life doing what he loved to do most. We are left with great memories that will be with us a lifetime and will be forever reminded of Chris's essence. I will miss Chris very much.His website, Dendrobates World was used to reach and educate the public about keeping Poison Dart Frogs as a hobby. Chris developed and distributed Dendrocare, a multi vitamin and mineral supplement specially formulated for the health of dart frogs.Mike Wallitis
Very few people will fully appreciate what has been lost with the passing of Chris van der Lingen. While he was a great and generous man, always willing to give of himself, the greatest loss to the amphibian community lies in the unfinished work and loss of relationships he worked so hard to create. While we have been good friends with Chris for over ten years, we were lucky enough to have been given a glimpse into this world less than two weeks ago while visiting him on the Bocas. I fear much of his overwhelmingly extensive knowledge of the populations of O. pumilio may have been taken with him. While he has created extensive maps of the various forms he studied, he was careful enough to keep their specific locations vague enough to prevent the poaching and demise of some very fragile groups. All of this data was know only via private GPS and held within his amazing mind. Which hills, fields and trees held the most bounty were likely never written down.
Perhaps even more valuable were the various relationships he had forged with local people over the years. These are not created overnight nor are they formed with dollars and cents. At one point during our recent trip, we were passing through the area of Bri Bri and he asked us to stop at a local Indian's house. He explained that he had visited many months prior and the Indian gave him permission to search his land. He took a photo of the Indian and his wife and promised to drop it by the next time he passed through. They were not home when we arrived but he left the photo on the doorstep for them to find when they returned. It was that level of integrity that earned him the trust of so many people down there. The local Indian guides, landowners and villagers were all instrumental to his efforts and it will be very difficult to recapture the trust that was given so freely to Chris.
So, while Chris' family and friends are trying to cope with the personal loss of such a great man, the amphibian community also has good reason to take pause. It will likely be some time before the true understanding of what has been lost will ever be known and I can only hope that one day it is fully appreciated. -
Richard Revis
My heart is overwhelmed with deep sadness and despair today. It is hard to hold back the emotions. I feel like although I was just getting to know Chris personally, there was something about him that I connected with from the first time we spoke. As it turns out Chris was a lifelong Fireman in Holland, a calling shared by my own Father in NYC and my 2 Uncles. I knew immediately there was something about Chris’ personality that I recognized and was drawn too. During our first private conversation he spoke to me about his career back home and his ‘second’ career the PPPP. We talked about 911, and the very next day Chris wore the shirt below on our boat trip in the Bocas. It was a touching statement made by a man that was easy to respect and admire. I think everyone who knew him would describe his character as ‘honest, fair, moral, trustworthy, and friendly’. I am proud to have known him, but feel cheated that he wasn’t able to fulfill his mission in Panama. He was supremely dedicated to the protection of Pumilio and their wild habitats in Panama, and I fear that the community and the frogs have perhaps lost an irreplaceable Ally. He spoke of much unfinished work, and was building out 2 unfinished apartments at his homestead on Isla Colon to allow students and researchers to stay and conduct their projects in the Bocas. Who will continue Chris’ mission now? I all honestly I fear he was the only real protector of Panamanian Pumilio left. He was working to end illegal smuggling and ‘fake’ farming….and I am dizzy with emotion, sadness, and anger. It was not his time to go.
Shawn Harrington, tour participant.
I'm saddened and speechless. Chris was one of the most amazing and passionate individuals that I've ever met. I cant believe he is gone.... We were only with him last weekend.
Raymond Coderre, tour participant.
Very sad start to the morning. I woke up to hear a good friend Chris van der Lingen, a friend who joined me on many travels in Bocas, passed away yesterday unexpectedly. Here's a photo of one frog we caught together. I wish we had one last trip to El Chitre together. Condolences to Chris' family.
Justin Yeager, Friend, Research Biologist
I had known him just for a few days, and this little time was enough to understand how brave he was. I have tears in my eyes, just remembering the days spent with him .... best time of my life and suddenly .... :( hope his work go on ....
Jan Dohnal, Tour participant.
What an incredible loss for the world, myself, pumilio and most of all Wilma. My thoughts, prayers, and anything else I can muster go out to her and their families. I feel increadibly honored to have had his company on our journey and cher...ish, even more so now, the memory of Chris riding on the bow of Guiermo's boat, arms stretched out in the wind, as if he were flying over the place that he so surely loved. A true hero has been lost.
Chris Sherman, Tour participant.
It was a distinct privilege to have Chris guide our experience observing the many forms of Oophaga pumilio he cataloged and loved so dearly. Chris made our experience truly "once in a lifetime;" with his good nature, extensive field knowledge and support of the Bocas del Toro community. He will be missed, my heart goes out to his family and friends.
Matt Mirabello, Tour participant
My god, what terrible news. I feel very lucky to have gotten to meet him. Thanks for telling us, Mike. I hope you'll let us know if there's anything we can do that would be helpful for Wilma or the rest of his family.
Bob Schafer, Tour participant
Czechs will not forget! We are so sorry...
Lucie Hunalova, Tour participant.
If there are any others who would like to have their thoughts posted here, please email me here. |
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