A naturalist, conservationist and writer
Gerald Malcolm Durrell, OBE (7 January 1925 – 30 January 1995) was a British naturalist, writer, zookeeper, conservationist, and television presenter. He founded the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Jersey Zoo on the Channel Island of Jersey in 1959. He wrote approximately forty books about his work and the television series The Durrells (23016 – 2019) brought his life and work to the attention of a whole new audience.
Following the death of his father in India, his mother moved the family to the island of Corfu. It was here that the young Durrell became a naturalist, devoting all his spare time to collecting and examining the island’s fauna and flora.
Durrell returned to England in 1939 and, after the war, he joined Whipsnade Zoo as a student keeper. His experiences there led to a growing disillusionment with the way zoos were run and spurred his belief that zoos should primarily function as reserves and regenerators of endangered species.
In 1959, Durrell founded the Jersey Zoological Park with the aim of saving threatened species through specialist breeding programmes. He founded the Jersey Wildlife preservation Trust (now Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust) in 1963 and its international wing, the Wildlife Preservation Trust International in the United States in 1971. He was also instrumental in forming the Captive Breeding Specialist group of the World Conservation Union in 1982.
The success of captive breeding programmes all around the world, together with raising awareness of the urgent need for conservation through his writing and television work are his legacy.
Created by St. Michael’s CofE VA Primary School (visit website)
Made from recycled products – to make a range of animals and flowers with Gerald Durrell central to them
Located at Aylsham Parish Church, Aylsham, Norwich, NR11 6EL (visit website)
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