History of Animal Biology Division
The Department of Zoology was established during the birth of the College of Basic Sciences and Humanities in December 21, 1972 during 828th meeting of the UP Board of Regents. The college included seven departments (Zoology, Humanities, Chemistry, Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, Botany, and Life Sciences) and were largely derived from existing units of the College of Agriculture (Bernardo, 2007). Some 154 faculty members from UPCA transferred to the newly established college, including five faculty that were on special detail from the Department of Entomology. Dr. Cesar P. Madamba, Prof. Pablo J. Alfonso, Mrs. Zenaida B. Catalan, Mr. Pedro L. Alviola III and Ms. Corazon Catibog formed the nucleus of the new Department of Zoology (Gonzalez 1989). Prof. Alfonso started as an instructor in Zoology during late 1940’s under UPCA, specializing in the study of vertebrate pests. They were later joined by Mrs. Mina Alfonso, Mr. Raul Suarez, Ms. Marylnn Laudico and Mr. Giovil Dario.
The new department started it operation in May 1973 with Dr. Madamba as the first chair. This gave birth to two academic programs: Master of Science in Applied Zoology and Bachelor of Science in Biology major in Zoology.
In the first semester of SY 1973-1974, several major courses were instituted following three major disciplines: Vertebrate Zoology, Hydrozoology and Medical Zoology. These new courses supplemented the pre-existing courses in zoology were transferred to this new department apart from Entomology. Some of these courses like Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy, Animal Taxonomy and Marine Zoology later became the core courses of the Bachelor of Science in Zoology curriculum, approved in 1976.
Following this distinct undergraduate program, the Master of Science in Zoology was instituted, with Vertebrate Pest and Vertebrate Zoology as initial areas of specialization. The department also administered the UPLB Limnological Station.
Recruitment of new staff members allowed expansion to teaching other major courses, such as Developmental Zoology, Animal Physiology and Parasitology. (Among these new recruits were Nilda B. Nochefranca, Ayolani V. de Lara, Aberlardo Vallejo, Reynaldo Lindo, Roberto C. Reyes, Lilia Querubin, Teresita Llaguno, Ms. Ofelia Galman and Arlin Lucia Deanon). In 1978, a new program in Wildlife Biology and Management was implemented upon approval in the later part of 1977, which became a joint offering with the Forest Biological Sciences of the College of Forestry.
From 1982-1984, the Department of Zoology was chaired by Prof. Alviola, until it was abolished in January 1985, following the creation of the Institute of Biological Sciences on March 23, 1983. IBS was organized from the existing staff of the former Departments of Botany, Life Sciences and Zoology. The former Department of Zoology was divided into three distinct laboratories, based on three major fields of specialization: Aquatic Biology Laboratory, headed by Dr. Zenaida B. Catalan; Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory, headed by Dr. Cesar P. Madamba; and Wildlife Biology Laboratory, headed by Prof. Pablo J. Alfonso and Prof. Pedro L. Aviola III.
[Additional recruits include Maria Dalisay G. Maligalig, Consuelo de Luna, Hector Miranda Jr., Andres Tomas L. Dans]
In 1987, the two laboratories were fused to form the Aquatic and Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory. Both laboratories were housed at the Old Chemistry building, which was gutted by fire in May 10, 1990. This led to AIZL being moved to the Biological Sciences building, and WBL being temporarily housed at the basement of the Forest Biological Sciences building.
[Additional recruits were Joselito Baril, Gil Cauyan, Debbie Vizcara, Buenaflor Maligalig, Vincent Hilomen, Lemuel Aragones, Jerome Cabansag and Leticia Espiritu. Later joined by Juan Carlos T. Gonzalez, Vivian Camacho, Vachey Gay Velasco, Anna Pauline Orig]
The Animal Biology Division (ABD) was consolidated from the former Aquatic and Invertebrate Zoology Laboratory and the Wildlife Biology Laboratory pursuant to the re-organization of the Institute of Biological Sciences in July 1995, and was implemented in 1996. Following the implementation of the unified B.S. Biology program, B.S. Zoology was relegated into two distinct areas of specialization – Zoology and Wildlife Biology. ABD retained offices and facilities at the Uichanco Wing of the Biological Sciences building, but is also housed in the recently erected CAS Annex 1 building.
2000 – Present
At present, ABD has grown into a highly specialized organization that caters to the need of pursuing advancement in the field of animal biology. With its growing faculty members who received trainings here and abroad, the division, together with the institute continues its legacy in pursuing its mandate.
ABD 
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