Wildlife - Spring/Summer 2017

WILD LI FE SPRING/SUMMER 2017

D U RR E L L

WWW.DU RRE LL. OR G

animal adoptions

Kea

Stumpy

Bahia

Barnaby

With 15 different animal adoptions to choose from…

Badongo

Freya

Kate Bandro

Bluey

lndigo

Dobby Bintang

Homer

Astrid

Raymi

Who will you choose?

VISIT WWW.DURRELL.OR G/ADOPT TO FIND OUT MORE

D U RR E L L AD O P T

S AVI N G S P E C I E S F R OM E X T I N C TI O N W WW. DU RRE LL. ORG / A DOPT

WELCOME

W EL C O M E TO O U R N EW LO O K ME M B E R S MA GA ZIN E I hope you are as pleased as I am with our new-look magazine. It was time to rethink the metaphor ‘on the edge’, because Durrell is bringing back so many species from the brink of extinction and WILD LIFE better describes the optimism we all feel at Durrell.

We also wanted to broaden the content of our magazine to resonate with all our Members of all ages, from the youngest Dodo-ling to the oldest Honorary Fellow.

Whether you are an artist, a scientist or a philanthropist, whether you simply love animals or have a burning passion to save them, I know you will find something especially for YOU in the pages that follow!

Speaking of new, our Chief Executive, Dr Lesley Dickie, who joined Durrell last autumn, is coming up with fresh and creative ideas on a daily basis, such as which species we should add to our

conservation portfolio, what we can do to be ‘greener’ and how to stretch limited resources in our programmes in the wild. One idea, which is not exactly unprecedented, but is tremendously invigorating for all Durrell staff, is to reinstate the name ‘Jersey Zoo’.

Ten years ago we made a conscious decision to avoid the word ‘zoo’, because of its negative connotations at the time.

Today we embrace it, because modern zoos have made great progress in the service of conservation, both in the zoo setting and in the wild. Gerald Durrell and his early team had pioneered much of this, and Durrell will continue its ground-breaking work at Jersey Zoo to make zoos even better.

I am certain that Gerry would have been very happy with putting the ‘zoo’ back into Durrell. We hope our Members, visitors and other supporters will, too. Let us know what you think!

Lee Durrell

H ON OR A RY DI R E CTOR

CO NT E N TS 2

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

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AN EVENING WITH AL ASTAIR FOTHERGILL & SIR DAVID AT TENBOROUGH

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THE DREAM BEHIND THE DURRELLS

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IN FOCUS: THE RERE

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NEWS

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THE SCIENCE OF SAVING SPECIES

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RESTORING THE RED-BILLED CHOUGH TO JERSEY

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AMPHIBIANS CAN THRIVE IN A GREEN, CLEAN WORLD

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RADIO TRACKING

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SMALL CHANGES THAT MAKE A BIG IMPACT

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MADAGASCAR - THE BANDRO FESTIVAL

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SAFE UPDATE

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DODO DISPATCH

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BE INSPIRED

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FEEDING TIME

D U R R E LL WILDLIF E C ON SERVATION TR UST is a member of the Association of Jersey Charities, membership number 69.

PATR O N HRH The Princess Royal FOUND ER Gerald Durrell, OBE, LHD HON ORA RY D IRE CT OR Lee Durrell, MBE, PhD D U R R E LL WILDLIF E C ON SERVATION TR UST - UK is registered in England and Wales. A charitable company limited by guarantee.

R E G I S TERED C HA RIT Y N UM B ER 1121989 R EGISTER ED COMPANY NUM BE R 6448493 R E G I S TERED OF F ICE c/o Intertrust Corporate Services (UK) Limited, 35 Great St. Helen’s, London EC3A 6AP P H O TO A N D ILLUST RAT IO N CR ED ITS Juan Pablo Bravo,Nik Cole, Elizabeth Corry, Jeff Dawson, Daniel Drakes, Estate of Gerald Durrell, Tim Flach www.timflach.com, Robin Hoskyns www.robinhoskyns.co.uk, Craig Jones www.craigjoneswildlifephotography.co.uk, Tiffany Lang, Dean Maryon www.deanmaryon.com, Rafael Garcia Motta, Lizzie Noble, Inaki Relanzon, John Rodgers www.johnrogersphoto.com, Toby Ross, Colin Stevenson, Lance Woolaver and Charlie Wylie www.wylie.je C O V E R IMA G E Boophis reticulatus, Madagascar 2015. Robin Hoskyns www.robinhoskyns.co.uk

S P RI NG/ SU MMER 2 0 1 7 | WI L D LIFE

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DR L E S L E Y DI C K IE CHI E F E X E CUT IV E OFFIC ER

W H AT ’ S IN A N AM E? T O BE O R NOT TO BE A ‘ Z O O ’?

T H AT IS THE QUESTI ON Actually, that was not the real question. A zoo is what we have always been. However, in the mid-2000’s we started to get nervous about calling ourselves a zoo. Factors such as a possible poor response from animal rights activists, who tar all zoological parks with the same brush, were worried about. In 2006, we changed from Jersey Zoo to Durrell Wildlife Park, with the larger Trust having already changed from the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust to the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust sometime before. We had therefore removed every mention of the island of Jersey from our name, be it at Trust or site level. This followed a rebrand, when the Dodo logo was introduced.

I had misgivings about us not being called a zoo from day one when I began as the Chief Executive Officer in October 2016. It also proved to be confusing for visitors. In my first week at Durrell, I was walking around the site, talking to visitors and staff and seeing the animals. I was in the bat house when I got talking to a couple who were having a great day. They explained how much they liked the bat house, how much it had changed what they thought of bats – not scary, but beautiful and important – and how much they loved visiting the zoo, and how much they would learn with every visit. Then they stopped, looked embarrassed, and apologised for using the word zoo.

This was not the only time in that first week that people said to me, ‘oh but we are not meant to call it a zoo, are we?’ It seems we had drummed into our visitors ‘don’t call us a zoo!’

This struck me as a bizarre situation, where people who were our core supporters, enthusiastic proponents of our work, were embarrassed or confused about what word to use. I reassured everyone I met where this arose, that it’s absolutely fine to say zoo, because that is exactly what we are. The response was one of relief that they could use, without fear of censure, the most comfortable, not

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to say descriptive, word they naturally wanted to use. Looking even closer to home, it seemed that the staff were also overwhelmingly in favour of using the word zoo, but that they had also been instructed that, somehow, zoo was an inappropriate word to use.

This is nonsensical for a number of reasons, the first being most obvious, in that we run a zoo; we are, by all legal and non-legal definitions, a zoo; we are members of many different zoo organisations (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, European Association of Zoos and Aquaria and Species 360); we rely upon partner zoos for the animals we care for here in Jersey, animals that are part of cooperative breeding programmes. Partner zoos that have over the years, looked at Durrell’s ‘we are not a zoo’ stance with either sadness, amusement or to some extent, annoyance. By implying to the public that zoo is a bad word we were tacitly undermining our closest colleagues at other facilities – many of whom we collaborate with in fieldwork, science and training, in addition to breeding programmes.

In the past, several zoos changed their name for fear of unwanted attention from animal rights groups.

They are changing back – institutions like the Bronx, and Whipsnade.

WILD LIFE | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

JER S EY ZOO Paignton did not entirely drop the word zoo, but is now putting it more front and centre. Colleagues at these institutions have indicated to me that they felt dropping the word zoo had been or would have been a mistake, and we believe we have nothing to fear from animal rights groups – we are strong enough to deal with them. It is on our work and standards that we will be judged by the outside world.

I had also been canvassing opinion.

A change back to including the word zoo in our visitor site name was supported by both the Minister of Tourism and Visit Jersey (the States of Jersey organisation that promotes tourism to the island). From focus groups conducted on the island we also found that despite our road and entrance signs residents on the island were confused about the previous name. Was it just Durrell, Durrell Wildlife or Durrell Wildlife Park? If that name was not resonating, a name change to something more recognisable was clearly needed.

Whilst I believe, we should be proud of being a zoo and the amazing work we do, it is also an issue of visibility.

Tourism to Jersey has significantly declined and affected our income.

We know from a recent survey that about 1/3 of visitors leaving the island via the airport had never heard of Durrell or that there was a zoo they could visit. We are looking at increasing our visibility at the airport and harbour for arrivals but we believe the word zoo on its own would make us more visible to potential visitors. We are not doing ourselves any favours by the refusal to use the word zoo and if we alienate potential visitors.

On the 6th of March 2017, we formally announced that from the 3rd of April 2017, we would revert to calling ourselves Jersey Zoo. Just as the Zoological Society of London has London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo, and the North of England Zoological Society has Chester Zoo, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust will have Jersey Zoo and we are proud of being a fabulous small zoo that punches above its weight in conservation and beyond.

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SECTION TITLE

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WILD LIFE | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

A N E V E N IN G W ITH

AL A STAIR F O T H E R GILL & S IR DAVID AT T ENBOR OUGH Mark Ridgway is head of Biology and housemaster of Druries at Harrow school. As a graduate in Zoology, Mark has had a fascination with animals from a young age, inspired, as many of us will relate to, by Gerald Durrell’s My Family and Other Animals. Here he tells us of his adventures driving across Portugal and, more recently, London, the latter of which involved a rather exciting passenger…

I can’t think of many occasions when one would want to be delayed in the grid-lock of west London, but for me the Friday afternoon of 25 November 2016 was one such time.

My passenger on this occasion was Sir David Attenborough, whom I had just collected from his home and was now delivering to this Durrell fund-raising event. The evening in question had been some 14-months in the planning, my life had been wished away to this moment, as we sat together, enjoying animal-related banter, whilst stuck in the contradiction-in-terms that is Friday evening rush hour.

I was in heaven, but frustrated that not one single passing motorist or pedestrian had looked into my car to see whom I was carrying. I knew I should have left the passenger-side window open.

The conception of this event probably started at a wedding the previous year, when my friend and fellow guest, Alastair Fothergill, was easily persuaded during the joy of the occasion to offer his services to help publicise and fundraise for Durrell. He in turn was able to ask Sir David, and once the date was fixed, the planning began. Looking back, however, I was wondering where the initial seeds were sown: the break-in of my family home in 1970 is my logical conclusion. The loss of my mother’s diamond watch secured enough compensation to fund a VW camper van and hence the first big family adventure of driving in Portugal in the summer of 1971. In those pre-iPad days of course our family entertainment was mother-led reading

aloud to the family and, no surprise, the book of choice for the first part of the trip was My Family and other Animals. My 11-year-old self was hooked. A fascination with animals had always been high on my agenda and a trip to Chester Zoo was always my one-and-only idea for a pleasurable day out. This continued into adulthood, a Zoology degree and eventually, into my current career of teaching Biology. In May 2010 a parent of one of my pupils, the lovely Caroline Christensen, knowing my interest in conservation, was kind enough to introduce me to fellow Channel Islander Lee Durrell and the link was made.

Harrow School very kindly provided the venue, Speech Room, with a capacity of 600 and we were also able to use the Senior Common Room for a dinner after the talk.

This was to prove to be another important fundraising part of the evening. Selling tickets was never an issue, we sold out in fewer than 24 hours… unfortunately, still leaving large numbers of disappointed people. Alastair and Sir David were, of course, superb. Their gentle, intimate style of presentation, gave one the impression of eaves-dropping on two friends who were reminiscing over past adventures, and the standing ovation at the end was a real echo of the joy they had brought to so many people over so many collaborations and series.

I wonder if they might be persuaded to give us a repeat performance?

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THE DURRELLS

Sally Woodward Gentle is the BAFTA award-winning executive producer behind popular British television dramas including Any Human Heart, Whitechapel and of course The Durrells. She tells us about her love of Gerald Durrell’s writing, her interest in his conservation work and the inspiration behind the award-winning ITV series which saw so many of us take to the sofa on a Sunday evening.

TH E D REAM BE HI N D T HE DU RRE LL S “I read a lot of material for work while I am travelling on the London Tube but the only books which consistently mean I miss my stop are from Gerald Durrell’s Corfu Trilogy. The only scripts are Simon Nye’s adaptation.

A few years ago during one of our routine meetings with the brilliant Victoria Fea, Senior Drama Commissioner at ITV, we were discussing what show we could make which could bring sunshine and sheer joy to the schedule. The idea of it felt quite cynical until we did a broad mental sweep of existing titles and realised that one of the few things we would all want to watch was a version of My Family and Other Animals. Our ambition, however, was to be bold and ambitious and create a version which would have even broader appeal and not run out of story. Focusing the action on Louisa rather than just Gerry was a start and then trying to seduce Simon Nye back to territory he had already triumphed in was key.

It was essential to us that we had the blessing of Durrell and particularly Lee, the late Gerald’s wife, now Honorary Director of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust The team behind the show are all passionate, if lay, conservationists and Gerry’s source material feels so special and personal to millions of people around the world.

Writer Simon Nye, myself and the rest of the team all paid a visit to Jersey during the development of the first series. We saw first hand Durrell’s four-pronged approach to conservation: the beautiful zoo “Gerald’s Ark”; training future conservationists: working in the wild, and all underpinned by pioneering science. If we could, I think we would have all given up television there and then and run off to Madagascar or Mauritius to help.

Lee Durrell was extraordinarily generous with her time and showed us Gerry’s writing and photographs from Corfu. It was quite awe-inspiring to see the pictures of the people Simon had already started breathing life into in his scripts.

Once we had drafts we were all happy with we shared them, in confidence, with Lee as we wanted to make sure that we weren’t making any huge gaffe and we also wanted, in our own little way, to have mini conservation stories. Simon largely makes up the stories of each episode but we also make sure to include something from the books.

One of four children himself, he also has four children and often takes the family on adventures. In fact, it is sometimes hard for us to keep track of him. Expecting script delivery,

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WILD LIFE | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

THE DURRELLS

it’s a regular occurrence to call his mobile only to hear that familiar ‘calling abroad’ ring tone.

In setting up the show and having been caught out by Brexit and the Euro crises we did consider whether there was somewhere other than Corfu to film. Somewhere there was a filming infrastructure and a tax break. One trip to Corfu, however, ruined that. Corfu is unique. And we all fell in love.

We have been blessed with a genius cast. Keeley Hawes as Louisa is human, warm, funny, moving, totally empathetic. Josh O’Connor as Larry could be obnoxious but he is totally engaging, witty and full of barely concealed love. Callum Woodhouse, straight out of drama school, couldn’t be a more perfect Leslie while Daisy Waterstone IS Margo. It is testament to Milo Parker’s charisma and sensitive performance as Gerald Durrell and to Durrell as an extraordinary organisation that he has become their Ambassador.

The first series seemed to go down really well. It brought in a huge audience and has been sold worldwide. The second series has just been ‘picture locked’. The family

continue to struggle to make ends meet so Louisa decides they should sell uniquely British fare at the local market.

Only time will tell if this is a masterstroke or one built more on enthusiasm than good judgment. Margo re-ignites her relationship with her ‘monk’; Larry falls into a deep depression when it would appear that NO-ONE has read his latest book; Leslie is a chap in need of a ‘niche’. He thinks he discovers that niche when Theo introduces him to photography. Gerry, in the meantime, embarks on a conservation project of his very own. His first attempts at a captive breeding programme.”

From our perspective, the rest, as they say, is history.

Sally is running the Corfu half marathon in May to support Durrell - please do sponsor her for this challenge: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Sally-Woodward-Gentle2

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IN FOCUS

I N FO C US: THE R E R E Many of us will have seen a green turtle or two gliding across our TV screens during an episode of Blue Planet, and perhaps even marvelled at the astonishing size of a leatherback, but hands up if you’ve heard of the Madagascar big-headed turtle?

You may have heard it referred to as the Madagascar side-necked turtle, or perhaps by its local name, the rere? No? This awesome species definitely deserves the attention of the first species spotlight!

With a humungous head and wrinkly, weathered skin, examining this creature will transport you back to the Mesozoic era. This prehistoric-looking animal is the largest freshwater turtle in Madagascar and the only aquatic turtle species endemic to the island - occurring nowhere else on earth.

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WILD LIFE | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

IN FOCUS

FAC T F I LE COMMON NAME Madagascar big-headed or Madagascar side-necked turtle

SCIENTIFIC NAME

Erymnochelys madagascariensis

Unfortunately, the rere is one of the most endangered turtles in the world and is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. At almost a third of the sites throughout the species’ known range, the rere is thought to be close to extinction.

SIZE Up to half a metre in length WEIGHT Up to 15 kilograms IN THE WILD Around 12,000 reres are left in the wild.

BREEDING Females tend to nest every other year, but may lay 2 - 3 clutches per breeding season, with around 10 – 15 eggs per clutch.

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IN FOCUS

WHERE DOES THE RERE LIVE? The rere occurs only in Madagascar and has a wide distribution across eight watersheds in the west of the country. However, despite this wide extent of occurrence, the rere is in trouble - populations are declining, with less than 10% of the species historical range currently supporting stable populations.

ANKARAFANTSIKA NATIONAL PARK

KEY MILESTONES

114 2015 A world first for the species

L AKE AMBONDR OBE N E W P R O T E CT E D A R E A

as 114 turtles are bred successfully in captivity and released to restore the wild population at Ankarafantsika National Park.

HOW DURRELL IS HELPING Whilst the decline in rere populations paints a a bleak picture, there is still hope for this species and we have a great deal to be optimistic about.

With the help of local communities, Durrell has been protecting nests and restoring habitat at two important sites for the rere: Ankarafantsika National Park and Lake Ambondrobe.

2015 A New Protected Area is created primarily for the conservation of the rere.

Since conservation began in 1998, Durrell staff and local people have protected nests that have produced more than 4000 rere hatchlings, over 300 turtles have been head-started and over 100 captive bred turtles have been successfully released.

The rere population is now increasing at these two field sites, and in 2015, a new protected area was established primarily for the conservation of the rere. This was a huge milestone, marking the first ever protected area in Madagascar to be designated primarily for the conservation of a single species.

RERE POPULATION

2015

5000 2005

2005

870

2015

2136

ANKARAFANTSIKA NATIONAL PARK 10

3000

L AKE AMBONDR OBE

WILD LIFE | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

2016 Durrell’s Juliette Velosoa

wins a highly regarded Whitley Award for her work with the rere.

IN FOCUS

M EE T J U LI E T T E V EL O S OA O U R R ER E S P E C I E S S AV I O U R !

Since 2002, Juliette has been conducting research on rere population trends and has been working to integrate local communities and traditional customs into our conservation. As one of the world’s leading experts on head starting turtles and developing community conservation initiatives, we are extremely proud to have Juliette as part of the Durrell team. Last year, Juliette’s incredible contribution and dedication to the conservation of the rere was recognised when she won a prestigious Whitley award.

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NEWS

NEWS FR OM THE ZOO

W H AT ’ S O N W H E N ?

S A D FA R EW E LL S

We’ve recently had to say some sad farewells to a few old faces at Jersey Zoo. Fali, our oldest Gentle Lemur was the last surviving member of a group of ten brought to Jersey from Madagascar by Gerald and Lee Durrell.

M EM B ERS’ DAYS Our new Members’ Days are the perfect opportunity to bring a guest for free on Sunday 21st May and Saturday 9th September and introduce or reintroduce a loved one to the wonderful residents of Jersey Zoo.

Mr Brown, the last and much-loved greenfeathered echo parakeet living outside of his native Mauritius, died just weeks after his 21st birthday.

Kick off the half-term holiday in May by being a budding naturalist at the Bioblitz Family Weekend from Saturday 27th May to Monday 29th May (10:30am to 3:30pm). You can meet our wildlife experts and help us do a count of the wild animals and plants that call our zoo their home.

You can take your own bears along to meet ours at this year’s Teddy Bears Picnic on Saturday 17th June and Sunday 18th June. It’s a fun day out for the whole family from 10:30am until 3:30pm.

It’s your chance to explore Jersey Zoo at dusk on a guided tour, dine al fresco on the terrace of Café Firefly and sit back and listen to live music with a glass of bubbles from the Prosecco Van when we stay open late (6:00pm until 9:00pm) on Friday 4th August and Friday 18th August.

It’s ‘dress to impress’ with a Halloween twist at this year’s Durrell Dash, sponsored by Rathbones, on Sunday 29th October as we celebrate a long run - our 10th anniversary of the Dash!

And last but not least, our laid-back centurion George the radiated tortoise, one of the world’s rarest, who came to Jersey with Gerald Durrell back in 1976.

Check out www.durrell.org/events for more details and to find out what else is on at the zoo during the year.

TA LK I N G O F TA M A R I N S

B AT H O U S E EXTENSION

Tamarin House is our newly designed tamarin range with a natural, woodland feel, where you can get up close to the tamarins when they are inside, and with improved viewing of their outside enclosure.

Pied tamarin

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WILD LIFE | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

We are currently extending the Island Bat Roost, which will double the flight space for our bats and provide even better viewing for visitors. The extra space will allow the critically endangered Livingstone’s fruit bats to fly continually, improving their physical fitness.

NEWS O U R B I R D K EEP ER F LI E S T H E N E S T

D I A RY DAT E

Don’t forget to put Tuesday 19th September in your diary – it’s the 53rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Members of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. It starts at 6pm at The Royal Yacht Hotel. Ex-Durrell keeper Ian Singleton is the special guest for the Members and Supporters Talk, which follows the meeting and Ian will be chatting about the work being carried out by the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme, the group he set up to help save these primates in peril.

After winning Durrell’s 2016 Rumboll Travel Award, Bertie Ferns flew off to Sumatra to investigate the plight of the Critically Endangered Sumatran Laughingthrush and find out more about the scale of the illegal bird trade in Indonesia. Read more about his trip: www.birdingbertblog.wordpress.com

FIELD NEWS AND ACADEMY ACTIVITY G O O D N EW S FOR SKINKS

Our reptile team have been back to Gunner’s Quoin, an island off the coast of Mauritius to check out numbers of reintroduced and resident reptiles. They spotted numerous orange-tailed skinks and juvenile Round Island boas in new locations across the island and found the Telfair’s skink population had grown in abundance.

A Telfair’s skink

N EW C L A S S O F CO N S ERVAT I O N I S T S

A dozen conservationists from across the globe are now on course to pick up more skills to help species thrive in their own countries. They have all signed up to the internationally acclaimed Durrell Endangered Species Management Graduate Certificate (DESMAN) in Jersey, learning the theory and practive of wildlife conservation.

B R EED I N G T H E WO R LD ’ S R A R E S T

We’re racing ahead with plans to develop a captive breeding programme for the world’s rarest snake, the Saint Lucia racer. Using what we’ve learnt from breeding Anguillan racers at Jersey Zoo will help kick-start our work to restore the species.

Saint Lucia Racer

E M E RG E N C Y A P P E A L H ELP S B O O S T EF F O RT S T O S AV E T H E PLOUGHSHARE T O RT O I S E

Sadly, illegal poaching continues to threaten the ploughshare tortoise, but thanks to the success of our emergency appeal we have been able to raise funds to increase security at our captive breeding centre. We were also delighted to find twelve baby tortoises in the wild, indicating that the ones we have released are breeding despite the threats.

BIG YEAR FOR S M A LL M A M M A L S

Last year was a huge one for the IUCN SSC Small Mammal Specialist Group and 2017 is set to be even bigger thanks to a new strategic partnership with Global Wildlife Conservation. We’re working with the group and Texas A&M University to ensure more conservation effort and research is invested in small mammal species around the world.

Red-crested tree rat

A N O T H E R N EW C EN T R E R E A D Y FOR RARE DUCKS

The second Madagascar pochard breeding centre in Antsohihy is now ready and we’re preparing to move our ducks into the new enclosures. They’ve been health-screened, vaccinated and are all doing well.

PHOTO CRED IT: LIZZIE NOBLE

I M P O RTA N T W E T L A N D H A B I TAT CO U LD S O O N B E CO M E N EW RAMSAR SITE

We’ve been supporting Madagascar in their bid for the lakes at Ankarafantsika National Park to become a Ramsar site. Several are considered sacred and have cultural significance, and, we believe, are deserving as wetlands of global importance.

K E E P U P T O D AT E W I T H O U R L AT E S T N E W S V I S I T W W W. D U R R E L L . O R G / N E W S SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | WILD LIFE

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C O N S E RVAT I O N S C I E N C E

TH E SCIENC E OF SAVING SPEC I ES

In Monty Python’s film, Life of Brian, there’s a great scene where the character Reg (played by long-time Durrell supporter, John Cleese) asks “All right, but apart from sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us?”

Science can be “a bit like the Romans” – its easy to underappreciate the critical role scientific research plays in the discovery of the world around us, technological innovation, development of new medicines etc. Particularly when it’s communicated in a highly technical language that’s hard to grasp.

So that’s the point of this regular feature: to bring to life what science does for Durrell’s mission. In each issue, one of Durrell’s Conservation Scientists will write about their work in the field, in the zoo or behind a computer (crunching data can be a lot more interesting than it sounds I promise!) or about a particular issue in conservation science that we think you’ll be interested in.

In a nutshell, at Durrell we conduct scientific research to provide us with the best possible evidence to guide the design of our conservation work in the field and at our zoo, our animal management programmes and our conservation training. This research is necessarily diverse; from a population survey of a rare lizard on a remote tropical island, to working with a university genetics lab to design a captive breeding programme, to conducting interviews with local communities in Madagascar

Dr Richard Young

to understand how they use forests.

There are so many questions we need to answer; the team’s ‘science intray’ is definitely not going to be emptied anytime soon.

We also do scientific research to measure the difference we are making through our mission of saving species from extinction. Durrell’s ‘business’ is producing conservation results and we need to credibly measure them to not only ensure we are as effective as possible, but also to demonstrate our impacts to those who so generously support our work. Using scientifically sound methods is the most compelling way of doing this - if you want to know more please visit the Durrell Index website www.durrell.org/index As Head of Conservation Science, it is a privilege to lead a team of talented conservation scientists across Durrell, as well as working closely with academics and PhD students from some of the world’s best universities. Our shared ambition is to ensure Durrell truly is a science-based, impact-led conservation organisation and we hope you enjoy finding out more about our work (with or without the occasional Monty Python reference!).

H E A D O F C ON SERVAT I ON SC I EN C E

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IN THE W IL D

RE STO RING T HE RED -BI LLED CH O UGH TO J ER S EY In 1910 the red-billed chough was deemed locally extinct.

Elizabeth Corry, Chough re-introduction field manager and Senior Bird Keeper at Jersey Zoo, tells us about her work to restore these beautiful black birds to the coasts of Jersey.

TELL US HOW THE BREEDING PR OGRAMME STAR TED? In 2010 Paradise Park in Cornwall loaned Jersey Zoo two breeding pairs of choughs to begin a breeding programme with the intention of releasing chicks on the island. A release aviary was built on the north coast in 2012 and the trial release of seven choughs began in 2013.

HOW DO YOU MONITOR THE BIRDS ONCE THEY ARE RELEASED?

WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO KEEP GOING?

All the birds are fitted with tailmounted radio transmitters to track their movements for up to six months post-release. Daily tracking lets us monitor dispersal patterns and habitat use to inform future management plans. It also serves as a useful tool at the start of a release if an individual gets lost and needs help returning to the flock We monitor general health by observing behaviour, getting the birds to feed off weighing scales to record body weight, and sometimes collecting faecal samples to screen for parasites.

WHAT PR OGRESS HAS BEEN MADE TO DATE?

WHAT IS THE BEST PAR T OF YOUR JOB?

We have successfully increased the Jersey chough population from zero to thirty-five birds. This includes five wild-hatched chicks thanks to six of the choughs in the wild pairing up and nesting within their first year of release.

Ultimately the goal of any captive breeding programme is to see a species return to its former glory in the wild. Watching the choughs, some of which you have hand-reared, fly free once again in Jersey is the mostrewarding part of my job.

Hearing the positive comments from islanders and tourists when they see the choughs playing in the wind is very motivational. For some it has completely changed the way they view birds.

WHEN WILL YOU CONSIDER YOUR WORK WITH CHOUGHS IN JERSEY TO BE COMPLETE? We will consider the reintroduction to be successful when the chough population in Jersey is self-sustaining.

We are already well on the way to achieving this with birds breeding for themselves in the wild. We need to ensure the habitat is restored sufficiently so we can reduce the need for supplemental provisions.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER SPECIES THAT HAVE BECOME LOCALLY EXTINCT THAT YOU THINK WOULD WORK WELL AS A RE-INTR ODUCTION? Yellowhammers and Turtle doves amongst others. Jersey has lost several species in recent years and many more are in decline.

Elizabeth Corry

SEN I OR B IR D KE E PE R

S P RI NG/ SU MMER 2 0 1 7 | WI L D LIFE

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AMPHIBIANS CAN THRIVE IN A GREEN, CLEAN WORLD Thrive Renewables, previously Triodos Renewables, – is a mission-led company. We believe in a clean, smart energy system that is powered by the investment of many. We are about connecting people to sustainable energy and in doing so helping to tackle climate change.

Our investors are looking for more than just a healthy return, they want to see the impact their investment is having on the environment and be part of a wider movement to help clean up the UK’s energy system.

That’s why Durrell was our perfect choice as charity partner for the London Lecture on Amphibians last year. We both share a passion for environmental protection and the desire to make a difference.

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It’s important that we make the connection between renewable energy and conservation. By reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions, addressing air pollution and reducing the consumption of water, we are tackling the cause of many underlying threats to world wildlife. Climate change is one of the biggest threats to sensitive ecosystems globally and if we as individuals are causing these problems, it is our responsibility to address them. For this to happen, it needs to be on a global scale.

“Through the contribution of renewables and other low carbon generation the UK’s electricity has become 28% less carbon intensive over the last 5 years. We are moving in the right direction, but for the benefit of ourselves and the species we share the Earth with, we must accelerate progress.”

Matthew Clayton, MD of Thrive Renewables.

For generations to come, we have a shared hope that together we can work towards a more balanced relationship with the planet and its resources. Whether you’re a Durrell Member or a Thrive investor you can take comfort in knowing you’re making a difference today.

We look forward to our continued relationship with Durrell for 2017 and exciting plans to expand the ways in which we connect people to conservation and renewable energy.

More about us www.thriverenewables.co.uk

S P RI NG/ SU MMER 2 0 1 7 | WI L D LIFE

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TECH CORNER

radio-tracking Radio-tracking is the process of attaching a small transmitter to an animal that sends out an electronic signal which can then be used to locate it. Transmitters or ‘tags’ come in all shapes and sizes and have been fitted to almost every type of animal from bees to blue whales.

Durrell work with some incredibly rare animals and when we are releasing them back to the wild, it is crucial we know how they are doing. Using radio tags allows us to gather essential information on their movements and behaviour.

Here we show how we use radio telemetry to follow Critically Endangered pygmy hogs after we release them into the wild in Assam, India.

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TECH CORNER

S TA GE 1

STAGE 2

Radio tags have to be very small compared to the animal they are tracking. You can see how small the pygmy hog tags are. We fasten the device to standard plastic livestock ear tags, similar to those used on domestic pigs, before attaching them to the hogs.

In preparation for attaching these tags, our project vet pierces a small hole in the ear and we then let it heal completely. This reduces the chance of the tag causing any discomfort or the ear becoming infected.

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Antenna STAGE 4 STAGE 3 When the hogs are ready to be released, we attach the tags securely and check they are working correctly.

We then transport the hogs to the release site where they are briefly held in enclosures to get used to their new surroundings before being released into the wild.

After the animals are released, the field team uses a radio receiver and antenna to locate the signal of each animal and record its location daily. As more and more fixes are recorded, we can start to understand the animal’s movement and what sort of habitat they prefer. We then use special software to create maps of the animal’s range which helps us manage and conserve the species.

Ear tags

Antenna Radio receiver

Critically Endangered, pygmy hogs are so rare they were once thought to be extinct, but today, with the help of Durrell, this little piggy is making a comeback.

Durrell’s Underhogs is a film that tells the story of the smallest pigs in the world. Follow Durrell’s Volunteer Manager Daniel Craven on his travels to India, the birthplace of Gerald Durrell, to trace the origins of the great conservationist before joining up with the Durrell team who are building on his legacy.

Learn more about the team’s work with the species as they release the 100th pygmy hog back into the beautiful wild grasslands of Assam, and how you can help.

Help the hogs! Please donate to this project and help the Durrell team continue this vital work.

Right now, we have teams tracking the released choughs in Jersey, hogs in Assam, ploughshare tortoises in Madagascar and giant Aldabran tortoises in Mauritius.

You can view Durrell’s Underhogs at www.durrell.org/underhogs

ALL PHOTOS Craig Jones - www.craigjoneswildlifephotography.co.uk

SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | WILD LIFE

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SUS TA I N A B I L IT Y

SM A L L C H A N G E S T H AT MA K E A

BIG IMPACT WORDS BY KRISTINA MIDDLETON

DI D Y O U K N O W …

ON AVERAGE EVERY PERSON IN THE UK GENERATES APPR OXIMATELY 400KG OF WASTE EVERY YEAR? However, statistics show that awareness is on the increase and more and more of us are disposing of our waste more responsibly.

At Jersey Zoo we believe we should lead by example. That’s why we have made some exciting changes, which just prove that there are lots of great sustainable options out there.

P L A STIC The average life span of a plastic bag is just 12 minutes!

Reports suggest that we waste 50% of the plastic we use and, all too often, it is not disposed of properly. In fact, it is estimated that we only recycle 14% of our plastic and as a result the ocean is becoming increasingly polluted, with estimates that the tonnage of plastic waste in the sea will soon outweigh the tonnage of fish.

This poses a serious threat to marine life; turtles become entangled in six-pack can rings; dolphins get caught in fishing nets; and sea birds ingest broken plastic causing them to starve. A million sea birds and 100,000 sea mammals are killed every year by careless disposal of plastic.

The scale of the problem is massive and we need to take action now. We are seeing some positive changes such as in 2015, the UK introduced a 5p charge for plastic bags, which resulted in an 85% decrease in consumption by July 2016. More recently the UK government announced a ban on the use of microbeads by the end of 2017. Further afield Delhi in India just banned all disposable plastics. California has banned disposable plastic bags, as has Mexico City and numerous cities around the world. Rwanda did this some years ago and Kenya is trying to get the law changed now. This gives us hope that the importance of these issues are starting to be understood

WHAT IS D UR R EL L D OING? Durrell has removed all plastic water bottles from the zoo, instead, visitors can now quench their thirst with ‘Water in a Box’ a range of natural spring water packaged in 100% compostable boxes!

All other drinks are available in recyclable aluminium cans which in turn will help Durrell’s ‘Cans for Corridors’ initiative, which raises money by recycling cans to plant tree corridors in the rapidly shrinking Atlantic Forest in Brazil

WHAT CAN YOU D O We all need to reduce the amount of plastic we use in our everyday lives.

REFUSE single-use plastic. This includes plastic bottles, plastic bags, and ready to eat lunch packaging; choose items that don’t use plastic.

REUSE plastic bags, bags for life, utensils and other everyday items. Buy a stainless steel water bottle; not only is it sustainable, but you’ll save yourself money in the long run.

REDUCE your consumption of excessive plastic. Choose wisely and if it will leave behind plastic waste, leave it on the shelf.

RECYCLE any plastic you do you use. If you cannot avoid it, then dispose of it responsibly.

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SUSTAINA BIL IT Y

CO FFE E CUPS

PA LM O IL

Another issue that is finally receiving proper attention thanks to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s ‘War on Waste’ is the takeaway coffee cup. The UK throws away approximately 2.5 billion take-away coffee cups every year. Despite claims that they can be recycled, the majority of your cups end up in landfill due to the lack of specialised recycling plants.

Many of us are blissfully unaware of the prevalence of palm oil in food and cosmetic products. However, palm oil cultivation causes devastation to rainforests and is pushing many species to the brink of extinction. In particular, orangutans have lost more than 90% of their habitat in the last 20 years, and approximately 1,000-5,000 orangutans continue to be killed every year.

The solution is simple - join the growing re-use ‘revolution’ by purchasing a re-usable coffee cup and encouraging others to do the same. As an added incentive many coffee shops now offer discounts if you take along your own mug.

W H AT I S D U R RELL DOIN G? Durrell will now be serving hot drinks in take-away Vegware cups. These revolutionary cups are completely compostable and lined with plant-based PLA, not plastic.

Visitors to the zoo will also be offered a discount if they bring a reusable coffee cup.

We the public, are faced with two options; seek sustainable methods for its production, or boycott it completely. The biggest contribution we can all make in our daily lives is to purchase products that don’t contain palm oil or, at the very least, are stamped with the approval of sustainably sourced palm oil.

WHAT IS D UR R EL L D OING? At the zoo we are now avoiding palm oil in any food served in our cafés. Freezers are stocked with Minioti’s palm oil free ice cream, which is also free of added sugars and made with milk sourced from Jersey Dairy’s own herd of pedigree cows.

While many of us are conscious of making sustainable life choices, it is apparent that not enough of us are committing to make a difference. Start off by incorporating some of these small changes into your lives. Not only will they make a real difference to the environment, but they will also benefit your bank account. It’s a real win/win situation!

S P RI NG/ SU MMER 2 0 1 7 | WI L D LIFE

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MADAGASCAR

CE LE BRATI NG WETL AND CONS ERVATI ON AT THE BANDR O FESTI VAL In November 2016 Durrell was honoured to attend a very special celebratory festival in Lake Alaotra, Madagascar.

Whilst many will associate world-renowned conservation charity Durrell with the numerous species of animal with which they work, integrating local people is central to Durrell’s approach to conservation.

This is especially important in Madagascar, where the majority of the population relies on natural resources for their daily survival.

Madagascar is divided up into 12 ethnic groups, one of which is the Sihanaka. Found only around Lake Alaotra, the Sihanaka are a unique group with strong cultural ties to the lake.

Festivals and ceremonies are a key part of Malagasy culture and Durrell staff were thrilled to join government officials and over 3000 people from local communities to celebrate the conservation of the rare Alaotran gentle lemur (Hapalemur alaotrensis) and the official protection of a large part of its habitat around Lake Alaotra.

Whilst Lake Alaotra, the largest inland lake in Madagascar, is home to a number of unique and fascinating plants and animals perhaps the most iconic is the Alaotran gentle lemur. Known locally as ‘bandro’, this Critically Endangered lemur is entirely dependent on marshes surrounding the lake for survival. However, the lake and its wildlife are under extreme pressure from overfishing and intense land cultivation for rice production. The burning of these marshes means the bandro’s habitat is rapidly shrinking.

The Bandro Festival was held in Andreba Gara, a lakeside village that is the most famous site for seeing this lemur. Celebrations were held over two days including songs and dances from women’s associations and local children dressed in bandro costumes.

The festival focused on highlighting the

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importance of the ‘zetra’, a marsh plant similar to papyrus, for the Lake Alaotra ecosystem and the bandro. The Chief of the Alaotra-Mangoro Region and other local dignitaries led a replanting ceremony, contributing to the restoration of the marshland habitat.

Durrell has played a significant role over the past decade in the development of several New Protected Areas (NPA) across Madagascar and the festival provided an opportunity to officially launch the Alaotra NPA within the community. This protected status has now safeguarded a large area of Lake Alaotra, which will now be managed to protect and sustain natural resources.

During the festival, the Prefect, who is responsible for public safety and ensuring that fishing and zoning laws are followed, officially launched the Alaotra NPA and the first boundary markers were placed in the marsh. Before placing the boundary markers, the Tangalamena, the elders of the Sihanaka tribe, performed a traditional ritual - a Joro, during which the Tangalamena ask for the blessing of their ancestors. A cow was then sacrificed and the best pieces were given to the Tangalamena as a form of deep respect, with the remainder shared in a meal where local villagers, authorities and Durrell staff were invited as a sign of social cohesion.

Durrell is committed to conserving Lake Alaotra and will continue to work with local communities to manage natural resources sustainably and ensure the bandro and other wildlife continue to thrive in this unique lake. The Bandro Festival shows how local communities, government and conservation organisations can work together towards a common goal, and gives great hope for the future of Lake Alaotra.

MADAGASCAR

SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | WILD LIFE

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SA FE

UPDATE ‘Frogs do for the night what birds do for the day… they give it a voice. And that voice is a varied and stirring thing that ought to be better known.’ AR CHIE CARR, 1973 ZOOLOGIST Our Saving Amphibians From Extinction programme, SAFE, is our contribution to the global battle to save amphibians. While we know the plight of many of the world’s larger celebrity species, there are many that are slipping away without us noticing. Amphibians are unfortunately high up on this risk list, with over 40% threatened with extinction. Yet they form an essential component of our natural world. To us amphibians are beautiful, exciting and essential. That is why we focussed our 2016 annual London Lecture on them. We were not sure whether our audience would agree, however the response from our guests was fantastic.

At the lecture and over the preceeding weeks we asked for support to bring our vision to reality and we wanted to sincerely thank everyone who has helped us raise a fantastic £40,000 so far. These funds are helping us to develop the following exciting projects.

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DEVELOPING SAFE HAVENS FOR THE MOUNTAIN CHICKEN

REVERSING THE FATE OF THE L AKE TITICACA WATER FR OG IN BOLIVIA

The mountain chicken SAFE haven is a new and pioneering project. We will work to create safe zones for the species by manipulating key aspects of the environment to make our designated sites less suitable for the deadly chytrid fungal disease. We will then build breeding enclosures where we can care for and monitor mountain chickens being returned to the island. It is bold and hasn’t been done before, but it is based on sound science We are going to need more support to achieve this goal and so the SAFE Haven is the focus of our Spring appeal.

This is a project being led by our partner, the Bolivian Amphibian Initiative founded by our good friend and Durrell graduate, Arturo Muñoz.

This frog is amazing and a true survivor.

It is specially adapted to living in the cold high altitude lake – although all the extra wrinkles of skin make it look like it has been in the lake far too long! However, this species is under great pressure from habitat change, pollution, and over-harvesting.

Our project will encourage local communities to help monitor the water frog, to increase awareness, raise pride in the species, support local restoration efforts and reduce pressures from overharvesting.

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In 2017, we will start activities on our fourth and final priority region for SAFE - Sri Lanka. This island state is rich with wildlife and is a global hotspot for amphibians. We have helped train amphibian conservationists in Sri Lanka and we will build on these partnerships to support amphibian conservation in the country.

ENHANCING OUR CONSERVATION KNOWLEDGE TO PR OTECT CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES IN MADAGASCAR Using our existing experience and base in Madagascar, this project focuses on targeted field missions to two key areas in Ambohitantely and Bemanevika. Both are forested sites that are isolated and relatively intact. Ambohitantely is one of the few remaining high altitude forest patches left on the central plateau.

The field missions will assess the presence of amphibian species, their conservation status and develop a series of responses with the surrounding communities.

These projects form key actions within the SAFE Programme – please visit our website where you can find lots more information.

We recognise that amphibian conservation is a massive global partnership and our efforts would not be possible without the support and collaboration of many local and international partners. Finally, we want to thank all our supporters who believe in the importance of amphibians and the work we are doing to save them.

M A N Y T H A N K S T O T H R IVE A N D L OC AT E J ER SEY, SPON S OR S OF T H E 2016 L ON DON L E CTUR E

S P RI NG/ SU MMER 2 0 1 7 | WI L D LIFE

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SECTION TITLE

TOGETHER WE CAN GIVE HOPE TO THE MOUNTAIN CHICKEN

THE DECLINE OF THE MOUNTAIN CHICKEN FR OG FR OM TENS OF THOUSANDS DOWN TO FEWER THAN 140 IS SYMBOLIC OF THE CHYTRIDIOMYCOSIS CRISIS THAT IS DEVASTATING AMPHIBIANS ACR OSS THE WORLD. Whilst this is one of the fastest species declines ever witnessed, all hope is not lost.

HELP US BUILD SAFE HAVENS FOR THE MOUNTAIN CHICKEN D UR R E LL.O R G /S A FE H AVEN

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DURRELL ARE PIONEERS and together with our partners we have developed a ground-breaking plan to turn this species into a symbol of hope.

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MOUNTAIN CHICKENS NEED SAFE HAVENS TO PERSIST FREE OF THE DISEASE IN THE WILD. Creating these safe havens has never been done before but it is the first vital stepping stone on the path to species recovery.

1 We will use pioneering techniques to manipulate environmental features to make an area less chytrid-friendly

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We will then build an outdoor enclosure to hold frogs and track their progress over time.

This will lead to the first ever safe haven within the frog’s native habitat on the Caribbean Island of Montserrat

GLOBAL GOALS Our goal is that we can restore the mountain chicken back to its native range through a series of these safe havens. Proving this concept as a tool for conservationists to replicate worldwide would represent a giant leap forward in the global fight against chytrid.

SUPPOR T We need your help to develop these safe havens.

Donating today will enable us to establish the project in Montserrat and start the environmental trials as well as developing the enclosures for the frogs.

PLEASE, IF YOU CAN, CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CRITICAL SAFE CAMPAIGN. HELP US BUILD A SAFE HAVEN FOR THE MOUNTAIN CHICKEN AND GIVE HOPE TO AMPHIBIANS WORLDWIDE…

£2 £20 £60 £100 £200

Pays for one swab to test the frogs for deadly chytrid fungus

Provides a weeks’ worth of food for the frog breeding facility

Buys a datalogger to record environmental variables

Buys a battery to heat the pond and make it unsuitable for chytrid Provides fencing material to help build the Safe Haven

DONATE TODAY

D UR R E LL.O R G /S A FE H AV E N

SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | WILD LIFE

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AT T H E ZOO The new keeper at Durrell was just about to put up signs on the animal enclosures when he dropped all the letters!

Can you help him unscramble the names so that the visitors know which animal is which?

A N SW ER S ON PA G E 2 8

Swing Jantho Dagu Rainforest

KAE SN..................................... . . . . . . .

KR E ME A T................................ . . . . . . . .

R ABE...................................... . . . . . . . .

KOME Y N . . ................................ . . . . . . . .

G OR F...................................... . . . . . . . .

ME LR U.. ................................... . . . . . . . .

FLA GMOI N . . .............................. . . . . . . .

T BA........................................ . . . . . . . .

BI G BON................................... . . . . . . .

T OE R T . . .................................... . . . . . . .

Y E A - Y E A.................................. . . . . . . .

LAGR OI L.................................. . . . . . . .

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D O D O D I S PAT C H

A D AY I N T H E L I F E

Hello, l’m Jantho

This is Gordon

I wake up at 8 o’clock when my keeper arrives.

Mum always tries to make me stay curled up in our nest but I want to go and see which keeper it is today.

The keeper I see most is Gordon and I usually blow raspberries at him to get his attention.

Mum and I have our own bedroom, but in the morning when Gordon wants to clean we move into the other side of the enclosure with my little sister Kea and her mum Dana. Dana can be quite grumpy and won’t always let Kea play with me; she likes to keep her safe with her all the time.

If Kea isn’t allowed to play then I go to find Jiwa.

He’s my big brother and we have a lot of fun together. He likes hiding in boxes and wearing sacks on his head – just like me!

We get lots of different things to eat, like leeks, peppers and cucumbers. My mum, Annette,likes to scoop out the squishy middle part of the cucumbers and leaves me the rest. Sometimes I have to try and find my food because Gordon hides it. It’s a game and it keeps me busy for a long time, but best of all it stops my greedy dad, Dagu from eating everything.

When I’m big like my dad I’m going to show off too. He likes to make sure that everyone knows who’s in charge. He’s definitely the boss.

When the weather is nice I can play outside all day. It’s like my garden. I can run around and climb up very high.

At the end of the day we get ready for bed. Mum still makes a nest in the same basket that I was born in. I sleep in her nest but I’m learning to make my own. It takes a lot of practice, but just like other orangutans I’m very good at copying.

tho Name Jan Species utan n orang Sumatra Age 3 things Favourite d , Nuts an Bananas ks Sac Hessian es oud nois Dislikes L

SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | WILD LIFE

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M E E T F REYA , O U R C HI L E AN FL AMING O Can you help colour her and her friends in?

A TR ADI TI O NAL MAD AGA SCA N FAB L E

TH E M A D A G A S C A R TEAL A N D T H E WIL D P I G The Madagascar Teal is a very rare duck which lives along the western coast of Madagascar, in the lakes which lie close to the sea. The Madagascar teal is very clever.

There was once a wild pig who thought that because he was big and strong, he was also very clever. The wild pig was certainly very greedy. When someone told him that Madagascar teal was delicious to eat, the wild pig set out to catch one. He didn’t have much luck though, for the teals were much too clever for him!

One day the wild pig found himself by the edge of the sea with a teal. He knew he could never run fast enough to catch the teal and it made him feel very cross.

“Go away” he shouted at the teal. “This place is for big, strong animals like me, not silly, little ducks!”

But the teal just ignored him and flew further down the seashore. This made the wild pig even more cross and he insulted the teal even more.

“You’re so stupid and weak,” he squealed at the duck, “While I’m so big and strong and clever.”

It went on until the teal could no longer stand it.

“If you’re so big and clever, why don’t you prove it?”

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he said. And he challenged the wild pig to a contest.

Whoever could drink the most salty seawater would be the winner. Now everyone knows that drinking seawater makes you sick, so winning the contest wasn’t going to be easy. The teal went first. He dipped his beak into the sea, just as the tide was going out and pretended to take a good, long drink. The sea seemed to drain away. The pig was astonished. How had the teal drunk so much of the sea?

“Your turn,” said the teal. “I’m sure you’ll do better.

After all, you’re so much bigger and stronger than me!”

The wild pig took a tiny sip, and spat the water straight out again!

Then he took another sip, and another and another. He sipped so slowly that the tide had turned and began to wash back on the beach.

The water tasted horrible but he was too proud to give in. He closed his eyes to try to forget the taste, but when he opened them again, the teal had flown off! The water was coming in fast, so he ran and ran until he reached dry land. Then he ran and ran, into the forest, as far away as he could get from the horribly clever little teal and his horrible tasting contest.

AT TH E ZOO ANSWERS SNAKE, MEERKAT, B EAR, MONKEY, F ROG, LEM UR, F L AM I NGO , BAT, GI BBO N, O T T ER, AY E - AY E , GO RI LL A

D O D O D I S PAT C H

D O D O D I S PAT C H

DURRELL C O NS E RVATION AWA RD Become a conservationist by learning more about wildlife and your local environment! Complete the challenges to gain the Durrell Conservation Award.

WHO IS SUITABLE? The Durrell Conservation Award is open to Members of Durrell who are aged between 5 and 16 years old.

WHAT DOES IT INVOLVE? There are two compulsory modules and a selection of three other challenges for you to choose from. You can work towards Bronze, Silver, or Gold Awards. The challenges include drawing, writing, creating, fundraising, observing and there are choices within each module to suit your interests - from bird watching or research to creating an insect hotel and recycling. You can also use the Durrell Conservation Award towards gaining youth group badges.

WHY TAKE PAR T IN THE CHALLENGE? The challenges are fun and rewarding. You will learn practical skills to help you become a conservationist. By successfully completing the challenges, you gain the award whilst helping wildlife and the environment! An outline of the compulsory modules can be found below. Successful applicants receive a certificate and a mention in the junior section of our Members’ magazine. For more information about the Durrell Conservation Award or to take part, please visit our website www.durrell.org/wildlife/conservation-awards

C OMPUL SORY M O D ULE S …

GERALD DURRELL BR ONZE Draw a picture of Gerald Durrell with one of your favourite animals.

GOL D Read Gerald Durrell’s book The aye-aye and I and write a review.

OR

SI LVER Read Gerald Durrell’s book My Family and Other Animals and write about or illustrate your favorite bit.

Write a letter to Lee Durrell explaining what you do to help wildlife

OR Create and illustrate a timeline of Gerald Durrell’s life.

Make an album of the places Gerald Durrell visited and the animals he worked to conserve.

OR

N ATU R E D E TE CTI VE BR ONZE Study and label a tree, marking the different tree parts and the animals you saw in the tree.

OR Be an explorer and see if you can make and label a collection of different natural specimens such as feathers, shells and leaves

SI LVER Go bird watching and keep a record of the different species you saw, where and when you saw them.

GOL D Choose a small natural area to carry out a nature survey and record your findings.

OR

Create an ‘Ink trap’ so you can look for tracks and signs in your garden. Photograph and describe your results.

Design and make your own bird feeder or insect hotel using recycled materials. Photograph the design stages and the finished product.

OR

SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | WILD LIFE

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#DOITFORDURRELL

B E I N SP IRED At Durrell we are so grateful to all our friends, Members and supporters and we’d like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to each and every one of you. In each issue of WILD LIFE we will share some inspiring ideas of how our supporters raise vital funds for Durrell.

BEE SA F E Eden Powell and Adam Gavey are making and selling Bee Safe Kits in order to raise awareness about bees and their importance to the environment. Thank you for sharing your profits with Durrell. www.thebeesafe.simplesite.com

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WILD LIFE | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

#DOITFORDURRELL

CHAL L ENGE CHUB B S Jerseyman and ex-rugby player Stephen ‘Chubbs’ De Ste Croix is taking on a year of challenges. His ventures range from marathons and triathlons to basket weaving, flower arranging and going vegan.

Please support Stephen on this epic undertaking. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/challengechubbsdurrell

D UR R EL L CONCER T Thank you to the Heart of England Co-operative Concert Orchestra for putting on a concert in support of Durrell with music themed around nature and wildlife, including the Durrell Suite composed by Derek Lawrence.

#WAL KINGWITHPAT With no route planned but relying on the kindness and knowledge of strangers, Patryk Kucza is planning to walk over 1000 miles from Lands End to John O’Groats to raise funds for Durrell this summer. www.gofundme.com/wilsonsbritishadventure

B UD D ING CONSERVATIONISTS Special thanks to a really enthusiastic group of supporters at Vandora Springs Elementary school in North Carolina. Pupils have so far raised enough money to purchase seven animal adoptions which are then used to learn about conservation and why it is important for us to take care of our planet.

SKY D IV ING STUD ENT Student Simon Inman has been so inspired by his time at Durrell that he is jumping 10,000 feet from a plane to raise funds to pay for nest box camera equipment for the chough project. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/simoninman14

CHAR ITY SHOP The team at Durrell’s charity shop in Jersey wish to thank Leonard’s Electrics who provide free safety testing for all electrical appliances and also Marks & Spencers and the Amaizin’ Adventure park for their generous donations of clothes and gifts.

THE GIFT OF GIV ING Five year old Tiily Robinson melted our hearts when her Dad told us she had asked for donations to Durrell in lieu of birthday presents.

Huge thanks from everyone at Durrell.

SP RI NG/ S U MMER 2 0 1 7 | WI L D LIFE

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IN NUMBERS

F EEDING T I M E THE ZOO IN NUMBERS

£17,500 PER year to

feed OUR

orangutans

£3,000 PER year to

feed OUR

BATS

FO O D B ILL

£150,000 PER YEAR

£3,000 £410 PER WEEK

PER D AY

£30,000 PER year to

feed OUR GORILLAS

£13,000 PER year to

feed OUR

BEARS 34

WILD LIFE | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

D U R R E L L C O N S E RVAT I O N A C A D E M Y UPCOMING COURSES FOR 2017 8th – 10th July 2017

PAS S ION F O R PR I M AT E S

This three-day course draws upon more than 50 years of Durrell’s pioneering work with primates.

Through practical workshops, talks and behind-the-scenes tours with specialist staff, you will have an exciting and memorable introduction to the lemurs, monkeys and apes at Durrell and the conservation work to save them.

15th – 21st July 2017

G E R A LD DU RRE LL W E E K J E RS E Y

Led by our Honorary Director, Lee Durrell, this week-long course will introduce you to the headquarters of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, showing you just how Gerald Durrell’s work lives on in the organisation he created to save species from extinction.

23rd – 25th September 2017

BE AU TY O F BIRD S

This three-day course is aimed at amateur bird enthusiasts. Led by Durrell bird experts, you will learn about bird diversity, ecology and conservation, and gain practical skills in identification, birdwatching and other field skills.

Places are likely to book up fast, for further information visit www.durrell.org/courses

YO U ’ R E I N VI T E D… to join Lee Durrell and Amelia Dalton at Waterstones, Queen Street, St Helier on Thursday 7th September, to celebrate one woman’s tale of High Jinks, High Seas & Highlanders.

“My encounters with Amelia Dalton have been mostly on the high seas near places like Madagascar, Borneo and Venezuela, where she has proven time and again her ingenuity, resilience and courage. Now I know how this mix of attributes came to reside in one extraordinary person. Mistress and Commander is exuberant, heart-warming and inspiring, a captivating read.”

LEE DURRELL DU R R EL L W I L DL I F E C ON SERVAT I ON T R U ST

RSVP amelia@ameliadaltontravel.co.uk

Stay in five star luxury‌

‌surrounded by some of the rarest animals on the planet.

F O R M O R E I NF O RMATIO N Call us on +44 (0)1534 860097 or visit www.durrell.org/camp

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