Gerald Durrell facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Gerald Durrell OBE
Gerald Durrell in Askania Nova, 1985
Born	Gerald Malcolm Durrell (1925-01-07)7 January 1925 Jamshedpur, British India
Died	30 January 1995(1995-01-30) (aged 70) Saint Helier, Jersey
Known for	Writer, founder of Jersey Zoo, television presenter, conservationist
Spouse(s)	Jacquie Wolfenden (m. 1951; div. 1979) Lee Wilson (m. 1979)
Parent(s)	Lawrence Samuel Durrell Louisa Florence Durrell (née Dixie)
Relatives	Lawrence Durrell (brother) Margaret Durrell (sister) Leslie Durrell (brother)
Family	Durrell

Gerald Malcolm Durrell, OBE (born January 7, 1925 – died January 30, 1995) was a British naturalist, writer, and zookeeper. He was also a conservationist and a television presenter. He started the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Jersey Zoo on the island of Jersey in 1959.

His books about his family's life in Greece were made into TV shows like My Family and Other Animals (1987) and The Durrells (2016–2019). They also became a TV movie. Gerald Durrell wrote about 40 books, mostly about collecting animals. His most famous book is My Family and Other Animals (1956). He was the younger brother of the famous writer Lawrence Durrell.

Gerald Durrell's Early Life

Gerald Durrell was born in Jamshedpur, British India, on January 7, 1925. He was the youngest of five children. His parents, Louisa and Lawrence Durrell, were both born in India. Gerald's father was a British engineer. As a baby, Gerald spent a lot of time with his ayah (nursemaid).

Durrell often said that his first visit to a zoo in India made him love animals for his whole life. He went to St. Josephs School in Darjeeling. His family moved to Britain in 1928, after his father passed away. They settled in South London.

Life in Corfu

In 1935, Gerald's mother, Louisa, moved to the Greek island of Corfu with Gerald and his siblings, Leslie and Margaret. They joined his oldest brother, Lawrence, who was already there. In Corfu, Gerald began collecting and keeping local animals as pets.

The Durrell family lived in Corfu until 1939. This time became the setting for Gerald's books: My Family and Other Animals, Birds, Beasts, and Relatives, and The Garden of the Gods. These years also inspired two TV series and a TV film. Gerald was taught at home by different tutors, many of whom were friends of his brother Lawrence.

Theodore Stephanides was a Greek-British doctor and scientist. He became Gerald's best friend and teacher. His ideas greatly influenced the young naturalist. Together, they explored Corfu's animals. Gerald kept these animals in all sorts of places, from test tubes to bathtubs!

Working at Whipsnade Zoo

In 1939, at the start of World War II, Gerald, his mother, brother Leslie, and their Greek maid Maria moved back to Britain. It was hard to find a job during and after the war. Gerald, who was homeschooled, found work helping at an aquarium and a pet store. He wrote about these challenges in his book Fillets of Plaice.

In 1943, Gerald was called to serve in the war. However, he was excused from military duty for health reasons. Instead, he worked on a farm to help with the war effort. After the war, Durrell joined Whipsnade Zoo as a junior keeper. This was a dream come true for him. He even said that his first clear word was "zoo." His book Beasts in My Belfry tells stories from this time.

First Animal Expeditions

Gerald Durrell left Whipsnade Zoo in 1946 to go on wildlife collecting trips. He was first turned down because he didn't have enough experience. His first trip was in 1947 to the British Cameroons (now part of Cameroon) with a bird expert named John Yealland. This trip was paid for with £3,000 he inherited from his father.

He sold the animals he brought back to zoos like London Zoo and Chester Zoo. He went on two more trips with Ken Smith, another zookeeper from Whipsnade. They returned to the British Cameroons in 1949 and went to British Guiana (now Guyana) in 1950. On his first trip, he met the Fon of Bafut Achirimbi II, a local leader who helped him with future trips.

Durrell took great care of the animals he collected. He only trapped animals that needed saving, not just those that looked good or would sell for a lot of money. This was different from other animal collectors at the time. By his third trip, he was running out of money. He also had a disagreement with George Cansdale, the head of the London Zoo. This made it hard for Durrell to get a job at most zoos in Britain. He eventually found work at the aquarium at Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester.

On February 26, 1951, Durrell married Jacqueline ('Jacquie') Sonia Wolfenden. They eloped because her father did not approve. Jacquie went with him on most of his animal expeditions. She also helped him start and run the Jersey Zoo. She wrote two funny books to help raise money for conservation.

Gerald started writing funny stories about his life to earn money. Jacquie encouraged him, and his brother Lawrence gave him advice. His first book, The Overloaded Ark, was a huge success. This led him to write many more books. The money from his books helped fund his expeditions and conservation work.

Starting the Jersey Zoo

When My Family and Other Animals was published in 1956, Gerald Durrell became a well-known author. The money from this best-selling book helped pay for his next expedition.

Durrell was becoming unhappy with how zoos were run. He believed zoos should mainly help save and breed endangered species. This made him think about starting his own zoo. In 1957, he went to Cameroon for the third and last time. His main goal was to collect animals to start his new zoo.

This trip was also filmed. It was Durrell's first time making a movie about his work with animals. The film, To Bafut with Beagles, was a success. Along with his radio show Encounters with Animals, it made Durrell a regular with the BBC Natural History unit. It also helped him raise money for his conservation projects.

After returning from Bafut, Durrell and Jacquie stayed with his sister Margaret in Bournemouth. He kept his animals in her gardens and garage temporarily. Durrell looked for places to build his zoo, but both Bournemouth and Poole councils said no. This experience gave him material for his book A Zoo in My Luggage.

The Zoo and the Trust

Durrell started the Jersey Zoological Park in 1959 to house his growing animal collection. He found the perfect spot by chance: a 17th-century manor house called Les Augres Manor. Durrell leased the manor and set up his zoo on its grounds. In the same year, he went on another successful trip to South America to collect endangered species. The zoo opened to the public on March 26, 1959.

As the zoo grew, so did its efforts to save threatened wildlife around the world. Durrell helped create the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust (now Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust) on July 6, 1963. This trust was formed to handle the growing challenges of managing the zoo and protecting wildlife.

In 1971, the Trust opened an international branch in the United States, called the Wildlife Preservation Trust International. This helped with conservation efforts worldwide. That same year, the Trust bought Les Augres Manor, giving the zoo a permanent home.

Durrell's work inspired the Fauna and Flora Preservation Society to start the World Conference on Breeding Endangered Species in Captivity as an Aid to their Survival in 1972 in Jersey. This is now a very important conference in conservation. In 1972, Princess Anne became a supporter of the Trust. This brought more attention and funds to their work.

In the 1970s, the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust became a leader in captive breeding. They helped save species like the lowland gorilla and many animals from Mauritius. Durrell visited Mauritius several times. He worked with conservationist Carl Jones on big conservation projects there. These projects included breeding native birds and reptiles, restoring Round Island, training local staff, and setting up conservation centers. This led to the creation of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation in 1984.

Jacquie Durrell and Gerald Durrell divorced in 1979.

Durrell met his second wife, Lee McGeorge Durrell, in 1977. She was studying animal communication at Duke University. They married in 1979. Lee co-wrote several books with him, including The Amateur Naturalist. After his death, she became the Honorary Director of the Trust.

In 1978, Durrell started a training center for conservationists at the zoo. He called it his "mini-university." By 2005, over a thousand biologists, naturalists, and zoo experts from 104 countries had attended this center. Durrell also helped form the Captive Breeding Specialist Group of the World Conservation Union in 1982.

Durrell founded Wildlife Preservation Trust Canada (now Wildlife Preservation Canada) in 1985. In 1991, he launched the Saving Animals from Extinction appeal. This was at a time when many British zoos, including London Zoo, were struggling.

In 1989, Durrell, his wife Lee, David Attenborough, and cricketer David Gower helped start the World Land Trust. Their first goal was to buy rainforest land in Belize to protect it.

In 1990, the Trust began a conservation program in Madagascar, similar to the one in Mauritius. Durrell visited Madagascar to start breeding endangered species like the aye-aye.

Durrell chose the dodo as the logo for both the Jersey Zoo and the Trust. The dodo was a flightless bird from Mauritius that became extinct in the 17th century. The children's part of the trust is called the Dodo Club. After Gerald's death, the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust was renamed Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in 1999.

In his book A Zoo in My Luggage (1957), Durrell wrote:

To me the destruction of an animal species is a crime, just like destroying something we can't replace, such as a Rembrandt painting or the Acropolis.

Later Life and Passing

Gerald Durrell's active outdoor life led to health problems in the 1980s. He had hip surgery for arthritis. His health got worse after his trip to Madagascar in 1990. Durrell had a liver transplant in 1994. He passed away on January 30, 1995, shortly after his 70th birthday, in Jersey General Hospital. His ashes are buried at Jersey Zoo. A memorial plaque there has a quote by William Beebe:

The beauty and genius of a work of art may be re-conceived, though its first material expression be destroyed; a vanished harmony may yet again inspire the composer; but when the last individual of a race of living beings breathes no more, another heaven and another earth must pass before such a one can be again. (The Bird, 1906)

A special event celebrating Durrell's life was held at the Natural History Museum in London in June 1995. Friends like David Attenborough and Princess Anne attended.

Durrell's Ideas for Zoos

Gerald Durrell had very modern ideas about what a 20th-century zoo should do. He wrote about this in his book Stationary Ark. His main ideas were:

The most important goal of a zoo should be to save critically endangered species through captive breeding.
Zoos can also teach people about wildlife and nature. They can also help biologists learn about animal habits.
Zoos should not just be for entertainment. Animals that are not threatened should be returned to their natural homes.
An animal should only be in a zoo if all other ways to save it in the wild have failed.

Durrell also had strong ideas about how zoo animals should be housed:

Animal enclosures should first be designed for the animal's comfort, including a private shelter.
Next, they should be convenient for the animal keeper.
Finally, they should be good for visitors to see the animals.
The size of an enclosure should depend on how big the animal's natural territory would be.
Animals should have their favorite food, sometimes with interesting changes. They should also have a mate of their choice and a nice, interesting environment.

The Durrell Wildlife Park was the first zoo to keep only endangered breeding species. It has been a leader in captive breeding. The International Training Centre and the conference on captive breeding are also important firsts.

At first, Durrell faced strong disagreement from some in the zoo community when he suggested captive breeding. He was proven right only after successfully breeding many different species. One of his biggest opponents was George Cansdale, who was in charge of the London Zoo.

Gerald Durrell's Books

Durrell's books are funny and lighthearted. He often makes fun of himself and those around him. His most famous book is My Family and Other Animals (1956). It tells about his happy childhood in Corfu and was made into TV shows and a film. He often joked about his older brother Lawrence, who became a famous writer. Even with the jokes, they were close friends their whole lives.

Durrell always said he wrote to earn money for conservation, not because he loved writing. He once explained the difference between himself and his brother Lawrence:

The subtle difference between us is that he loves writing and I don't. To me it's simply a way to make money which enables me to do my animal work, nothing more.

Durrell wrote for many magazines, including Harper's and the Sunday Times. He also reviewed books for New York Times. Parts of his books were used by other publishers. His works have been translated into 31 languages and made into TV shows and movies. He was very popular in Northern and Eastern Europe, Russia, Israel, and other countries like India. The British Library has a collection of Durrell's books.

Book Illustrators

Durrell was a good artist himself, but he worked with many illustrators. Some of his main partners were Ralph Thompson and Edward Mortelmans. These artists drew sketches of animals for his books.

Honours and Legacy

Statue of Gerald Durrell at Jersey Zoo, sculpted by John Doubleday

In 1981, Durrell received the Order of the Golden Ark from Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.
He became a founding member of the World Cultural Council in 1981.
Durrell was awarded the OBE in 1982.
In 1983, he was featured on the TV show This Is Your Life.
The National Youth Music Theatre performed a musical in his honor in 1984.
In 1988, the United Nations recognized Durrell for his environmental work.
The University of Kent started the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE) in 1989. This was the first school in the UK to offer degrees in conservation.
After his death in 1995, a special issue of the journal Biodiversity and Conservation honored him.
The Gerald Durrell Memorial Funds, started in 1996, give grants for conservation work.
A statue of Gerald Durrell was made for Miskolc Zoo in 1998. Whipsnade Zoo also opened a new area for primates dedicated to him.
The Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition gives the Gerald Durrell Award for the best photo of an endangered species.
The Durrell School in Corfu, started in 2002, offers tours following in the Durrell family's footsteps.
In 2006, the town of Corfu renamed a park "Bosketto Durrell" after Gerald and Lawrence Durrell.
Wildlife Preservation Canada created the Gerald Durrell Society in 2006.
The Gerald Durrell Endemic Wildlife Sanctuary in Mauritius helps breed endangered birds and reptiles.
The Durrell Wildlife Park has a bronze statue of Gerald Durrell by John Doubleday.
Jersey and Mauritius have issued stamps honoring Durrell and his work.
Rat Island in Saint Lucia was renamed Durrell Island to honor the Trust's work there.
The Visitors' Centre at the Belize Zoo is named after Gerald Durrell.
Cornwall College Newquay has a building named the Durrell Building, opened by his wife Lee Durrell in 2007.

Animals Named After Durrell

Several animal species have been named after Gerald Durrell, honoring his work:

Salanoia durrelli: A type of mongoose from Madagascar. (2010)
Centrolene durrellorum: A glassfrog from Ecuador, named for Gerald and Lee Durrell. (2005)
Nactus serpensinsula durrellorum: A gecko subspecies from Round Island, named for Gerald and Lee Durrell.
Ceylonthelphusa durrelli: A rare freshwater crab from Sri Lanka.
Benthophilus durrelli: A new species of tadpole goby fish. (2004)
Kotchevnik durrelli Yakovlev: A new species of moth from Russia.
Mahea durrelli Kment 2005: A new species of shield bug from Madagascar.

Major Expeditions and Books

Gerald Durrell went on many expeditions to collect animals and help with conservation. Here are some of his most important trips and the books he wrote about them:

Year	Place	Main Purpose	Book	Film
1947 / 1948	Mamfe, British Cameroons	Collecting animals for British zoos	The Overloaded Ark	—
1949	Mamfe and Bafut, British Cameroons	Collecting animals for British zoos	The Bafut Beagles	—
1950	British Guiana (now Guyana)	Collecting animals for British zoos	Three Singles to Adventure	—
1953 / 1954	Argentina and Paraguay	Collecting animals	The Drunken Forest	—
1957	Bafut, British Cameroons	Collecting animals for his own future zoo	A Zoo in My Luggage	To Bafut With Beagles
1958	Patagonia, Argentina	Collecting animals for Jersey Zoo	The Whispering Land	Look (Argentinian Expedition)
1962	Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand	Filming the BBC series Two in the Bush	Two in the Bush	Two in the Bush
1965	Sierra Leone	Collecting animals for Jersey Zoo and a BBC TV series	Section of Catch Me a Colobus	Catch Me a Colobus
1976, 1977	Mauritius and other Mascarene Islands	Conservation and animal collecting for breeding	Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons	The Mauritius Conservation Mission
1982	Mauritius and Madagascar	Conservation and animal collecting for breeding	Ark on the Move	Ark on the Move
1984	Soviet Union	Filming the Channel 4 TV series Durrell in Russia	Durrell in Russia	Durrell in Russia
1990	Madagascar	Conservation and animal collecting for breeding	The Aye-Aye and I	To the Island of Aye-Aye

Autobiographical Books

The Overloaded Ark (1953)
Three Singles to Adventure (1954)
The Bafut Beagles (1954)
The New Noah (1955)
The Drunken Forest (1956)
My Family and Other Animals (1956) - part of the Corfu trilogy
Encounters with Animals (1958)
A Zoo in My Luggage (1960)
The Whispering Land (1961)
Menagerie Manor (1964)
Two in the Bush (1966)
Birds, Beasts, and Relatives (1969) - second in the Corfu trilogy
Fillets of Plaice (1971)
Catch Me a Colobus (1972)
Beasts in My Belfry (1973)
The Stationary Ark (1976)
Golden Bats And Pink Pigeons (1977)
The Garden of the Gods (1978) - third in the Corfu trilogy
The Picnic And Suchlike Pandemonium (1979)
Ark on the Move (1982)
How to Shoot an Amateur Naturalist (1984)
Durrell in Russia (with Lee Durrell) (1986)
The Ark's Anniversary (1990)
Marrying Off Mother and Other Stories (1991)
The Aye-Aye And I (1992)

Fiction Books

The Donkey Rustlers (1968)
Rosy Is My Relative (1968)
The Talking Parcel (1974)
The Mockery Bird (1981)
The Fantastic Flying Journey: An Adventure in Natural History (1987)
The Fantastic Dinosaur Adventure: A New Adventure in Natural History (1989)
Keeper (1990)
Toby the Tortoise (1991)

Radio and Filmography

Featuring Gerald Durrell

Encounters With Animals, Radio series, BBC (1957)
To Bafut With Beagles, TV series, BBC (1958)
Two in the Bush, TV series, BBC (1963)
Catch Me a Colobus, TV series, BBC (1966)
The Stationary Ark, TV series (1975)
Ark on the Move, TV series (1982)
The Amateur Naturalist, TV series (1983)
Durrell in Russia, TV series (1986)
Durrell's Ark, documentary, BBC (1988)
Durrell and Other Animals, TV documentary with David Attenborough, BBC (1995)

Movies and TV Shows About His Life

The Talking Parcel, Animated movie (1979)
My Family and Other Animals, 10-episode TV series, BBC (1987)
My Family And Other Animals, film version of his autobiography (2005)
The Durrells, 4-season TV series, ITV (2016–2019)

Time Capsule Quote

A time capsule buried at Jersey Zoo in 1988 contains this famous quote by Durrell:

We hope that there will be fireflies and glow-worms at night to guide you and butterflies in hedges and forests to greet you.
We hope that your dawns will have an orchestra of bird song and that the sound of their wings and the opalescence of their colouring will dazzle you.
We hope that there will still be the extraordinary varieties of creatures sharing the land of the planet with you to enchant you and enrich your lives as they have done for us.
We hope that you will be grateful for having been born into such a magical world.