Knut Dahl

Knut Dahl Knut Dahl (28 October 1871 – 11 June 1951) was a Norwegian zoologist and explorer who made important bird collections in northern Australia.

Early years Dahl grew up at Hakadal in Akershus, Norway, where his father was an estate manager. Surrounded by forests, lakes and rivers, Dahl became an excellent shot and a skilled angler. In 1889 he entered the University of Oslo where he studied zoology. In 1893, at the age of 21, he was given the opportunity to conduct a scientific expedition to South Africa and Australia to collect animal specimens for the University's Zoological Museum. In South Africa he occupied himself with some big game hunting as well as the collection of scientific specimens.

Travels in Australia In March 1894 he left Port Natal (Durban), accompanied by his taxidermist Ingel Olsen Holm, and journeyed to Australia where he moved from Adelaide to Sydney and then to Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory.