Family: Born April 7, 1894, in Little Falls, NY; died August, 1985, in Dolgeville, NY; daughter of James Gordon (a merchant) and Laura (Crouse) Burney; married Allison M. Richards, November 30, 1920 (deceased). Education: Attended high school in Little Falls, N.Y. Politics: Liberal. Religion: Agnostic. Memberships: National Audubon Society, Humane Association of the United States, Fund for Animals, Nature Conservancy, Wilderness Society.

Beaversprite Sanctuary, Dolgeville, N.Y., founder, and director, 1932--. Director of Defenders of Wildlife, 1948-76, honorary director, 1976--.

BY THE AUTHOR:

• (With Hope Sawyer Buyukmihci) Beaversprite: My Years Building an Animal Sanctuary, introduction by Cleveland Amory, Chronicle Books, 1977.

"After my husband died I donated the sanctuary to the F. W. Erdman Estate as the only forseeable way to perpetuate it. The Erdman Trust has since enlarged the acreage to about twelve hundred. They made me director and have been very cooperative in establishing a nature center.

"My home has been open to visitors by appointment and I attempt to dispel some of their ignorance by talking and allowing close contact with live beavers. This procedure has made many beaver fans and keeps me busy."

Beaversprite is the story of Richard's involvement with animal conservation, particularly with regard to the growth of the beaver community in the state of New York. When she and her husband began their conservation efforts there were no beavers on their land and very few in the state. They had to import a pair, Samson and Delilah, but were told by a conservation officer that there was little hope for a beaver population. Through the Richards's diligent efforts, and also those of Samson and Delilah, the beaver population at Beaversprite increased. In Beaversprite, Richards provides new data on animal behavior as well as information about founding a wildlife sanctuary.

Richards continued: "Knowing beavers is to be hooked entirely and to consider them superior to any other species. My life for the last forty-five years has convinced me they are next to humans in intelligence. What amazes and discourages me is that they are so little known although their structures and engineering feats are the most elaborate of any creature except man and could not possibly be attributed to instinct. To provide the ponds which mean safety to them they frequently change a landscape so it is unrecognizable. Their outstanding characteristics, like gentleness, patience, and a well developed sense of humor, are most endearing. Imagine sensitive creatures that contribute so much to the wilderness being sacrificed to the whims of stupid humans. What a world!"

Numerous articles have been written about Dorothy Richards and her work at Beaversprite. In addition, a documentary for CBS-TV was shown nationally in 1972.