Joan Beauchamp Procter FZS FLS (5 August 1897 – 20 September 1931) was a notable British zoologist, internationally recognised as an outstanding herpetologist.

Her short life was afflicted by chronic ill-health, but she undertook substantial taxonomic work and made significant innovative contributions to veterinary practice and zoo displays.

[5] At the museum, she made models for display cases and combined her artistic flair with scientific accuracy in a series of paintings of amphibians and reptiles that were reproduced in colour as postcards.

[17][18] She met Sir Compton Mackenzie, who provided large quantities of shell sand for the Aquarium from the Channel Island of Herm.

[6][20] In correspondence with Karl Patterson Schmidt in Chicago, Procter confided that she was pleased to leave the Natural History Museum because conditions there were unfavourable to women.

[24] The large troop of hamadryas baboons established there proved very popular with visitors and, in Joan Procter's lifetime, Monkey Hill was considered a success.

(Later, the social dynamics of the baboons became too problematic to resolve; the hill was then used for goats, and briefly for rhesus macaques, before being closed and demolished shortly after the second world war).

[27] Although external Italianate features were added by the architect Sir Edward Guy Dawber,[28] the basic structure, floor plan and exhibit details of the Reptile House were entirely the work of Joan Procter.

She was well aware that "they could no doubt kill one if they wished, or give a terrible bite",[37] but good care, feeding and routine handling resulted in dragons described "as tame as dogs and even seem to show affection".

[40] It was tame with visitors, including young children;[41] a photograph in one of her published articles shows Sumbawa next to a two-year-old child who appears to be patting the reptile on its head.

[42][43] In 1928, she demonstrated this animal at a Scientific Meeting of the Zoological Society, feeding it chicken, eggs and a pigeon by hand while she stroked and patted it.

[44] She worked closely with the Zoological Society's pathologist to identify diseases and became expert at treating sick animals,[2] although sometimes she needed assistance: A Komodo dragon "required three strong keepers to hold it while she opened its mouth".

[5] As the first female Curator of Reptiles at London Zoo, Joan Procter attained considerable celebrity status in a short time.

The image of an unusually interesting young woman responsible for exotic and dangerous animals was promoted in the popular press on both Britain and the United States.

[51] In 1928, Peter Chalmers Mitchell involved her in planning for the new zoological park that was then being developed at Whipsnade and he sent her to stay there, at Hall Farm,[52] while she was recuperating from her illness.

Subsequently, presented to the Zoological Society, it is displayed with a commemorative bronze plaque at the entrance to the Reptile House at London Zoo.

[61] Alexander's carved reptiles are said to have "satisfied Miss Procter’s meticulous desire for scientific accuracy as well as artistic beauty" [62] and the bust evidently meets similar criteria, being described as "the best likeness of her".