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Klaas-Douwe B. Dijkstra

Honorary Research Associate, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Stellenbosch University

KD (Klaas-Douwe) B. Dijkstra grew up in Egypt, drawing and describing his first dragonflies when he was 12 years old. Finding The Netherlands’ first Vagrant Emperor, Anax ephippiger, an African wanderer, in 1995 focused his passion. He has since spent more than 1,000 field days in 20 African countries, finding 80% of all 770 species of dragonfly and damselfly and describing 78 of them as new to science. He has authored several handbooks and identification guides to dragonflies and damselflies in Africa and Europe, and is honorary research associate at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center (The Netherlands) and the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa).

Experience

  • 2013–present
    Postdoctoral research associate, Stellenbosch University
  • 1997–present
    Research associate, Naturalis Biodiversity Center