born in 1896 in the city of jaú, state of são paulo, brazil, olivério pinto was the son of estevam de oliveira pinto and eudóxia costa de oliveira pinto. in 1905, still at an early age, he moved with his family to salvador. during his basic studies, he already showed a great interest in zoology, but due to the lack of a higher education in natural sciences in the city, he studied medicine in the faculdade de medicina da bahia, the first medical school to be founded in brazil. he concluded his studies in 1921 at the age of 25.