Israel Aharoni | |
|---|---|
 Israel Aharoni (1882 - 1946) | |
| Born | 1882 |
| Died | 1946 |
| Nationality | Israeli |
| Alma mater | Charles University |
| Known for | Discovery and breeding of Syrian hamsters |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Zoology |
| Institutions | Hebrew University of Jerusalem |
Israel Aharoni (1882 - 1946 Hebrew: ישראל אהרוני) was a zoologist in Ottoman and British Palestine widely known as the "first Hebrew zoologist."
Aharoni is best known for collecting a litter of Syrian hamsters on an expedition to Aleppo, Syria. The hamsters were bred as laboratory animals in Jerusalem, but some escaped through a hole in the floor. The majority of hamsters in Israel today are thus said to be descended from this one litter.[1]