3 Bulgarian herpetologists died by car accident

[Mario Schweiger]

got this mail from Yurii Kornilev:

Dear all:
On June 22 Andrey Stoyanov, Nikolay Tzankov, and Dobrin Dobrev, three amazing friends and people, devout fathers, renowned colleagues, stellar herpetologists, teachers, conservationists, and so much much much more left us for good after a tragic car accident in Greece...
All Bulgarian herpetologists, colleagues, friends, families are in shock and disbelief...
For those who knew them, please, keep them in your memory...
Andrey Stoyanov and Nikolay Tzankov were among the younger members of European branch of VSG. We lost dear friends, trustworthy colleagues, and excellent scientists. We already miss them very much. It was not their time to leave, not at all.

[Ilian Velikov]

Very sad and unexpected news. What a huge loss...

[Mario Schweiger]

http://smart.dir.bg/dnes/news/23074376/
maybe one of our members will translate?

picture from newspaper

Zwischenablage02.jpg (121.56 KiB) Viewed 8137 times

[Tim Lueddecke]

Realy sad news,
condolences to their families and friends...

[Ilias Strachinis]

This is really sad.
What is said in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YD3yZB8Zvgs is that it was a head-on collision of two cars both from Bulgary. The driver of the second car also died and a woman is seriously wounded. It happened near Evros.

[Ilian Velikov]

It's not worth translating that whole article because it doesn't say much more than what has already been said.

They were in Greece doing field work on the distribution of alien species. As Ilias said there was a head-on collision of two Bulgarian cars. They suspect the reason might be a flat tire but it's unclear which of the two cars derailed.

It's a huge loss for everybody that knew them and for herpetology and science. These guys were the authors (or were involved in one way or another) in every publication about the herpetology of Bulgaria in the last 20 years and more (along with other work). They added tremendous amount of knowledge about Bulgarian herpetofauna in general and we owe to them a big part of our knowledge of the distribution of species in Bulgaria. In such small and poor countries as Bulgaria you don't often get people like them - passionate and dedicated to Herpetology and conservation. Their legacy is invaluable.

[Thomas Bader]

Yes, very tragic and sad. 3 Austrian friends had a guided trip by Andrei one month ago. And now this news - unbelievable

[Jeroen Speybroeck]

We travelled with Nikolay 11 years ago (http://www.hylawerkgroep.be/jeroen/index.php?id=9). I remember him as a very gentle and intelligent person. The dedication and hard work he and his colleagues put into mapping the herpetofauna of their country is unique. Such a tragedy...

[Ray Hamilton]

So sorry to read this post, what a sad loss.

[Ruggero M.]

I think car accidents are the first risk and danger for us herplovers and not only for us!
One year, in Cres, I found a young Malpolon crossing the main island road. I could catch it, and I was so happy and distracted, returning to my car, that I was almost hit by another vehicle that in the meanwhile was travelling at high speed on the road.
The only thing we can do after these sad news, is to pay the best attention we can while driving (or crossing roads by foot), even when we are distracted by our main passion and love for herps!