Thomas Caverhill Jerdon (1811-1872) was a British physician, zoologist and botanist, stationed in India. His initial work was in dealing with fever and dysentery that affected the troops. He is best remembered for his pioneering works on the ornithology of India, summed up in his ‘The Birds of India – A Natural History’ (Vol. I-III. 1862-64). Several species of birds, including the rare Jerdons Courser, (Rhinoptilus bitorquatus) carry his name. He discovered this nocturnal bird in 1848, but it was not seen again until its rediscovery in 1986.
Dr Jerdon kept an otter as a pet.