Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Durrell management

jersey_insider said:
Here is a good video of the sloth enclosure on Durrell's facebook when they arrived:
Meet our new sloths | Introducing our new residents, super slow-moving Linne’s two-toed sloths, Terry and Rio! Rio is from recently closed Bristol Zoo. Terry joins us... | By Jersey ZooFacebook
The pictures in the ITV article are of the sloths below their intended area, on the public walkways.
Click to expand...

Even in the promo video Durrell have put out, there aren’t any trees or foliage- still
Sloths climbing on steel beams.
Dont they go on the floor when they can’t get from one branch to another? Impossible if none there.

problem is amount of time they are on the floor and walkways
 
Lafone said:
Thanks, looks like they just need to stop them wandering down there then. It's a bit unfair not to show the main sloth area, it's good to know they aren't living on the stairs!
Click to expand...

living in Jersey, I can tell you there is no other area.

there is a spiral type stair case in a two storey building and they have had a concrete tree built from the ground up to the ceiling. There’s no foliage.

the sloths are in reach of visitors. They have no outdoor or off show area.

The keepers expressed concerns and were ignored.
 
Lafone said:
Thanks, looks like they just need to stop them wandering down there then. It's a bit unfair not to show the main sloth area, it's good to know they aren't living on the stairs!
Click to expand...

Nowhere else for them to go and can’t stop them going in visitor area as there is no separation. It isn’t great
 
GaryA said:
Aardvark having little covering will show skin injuries more than hairier mammals would. Unfair example.

Goats are/were a bad fit and should be at a Rare Breeds Farm.

The sloths however are a genuine concern and should be removed immediately whether that is a new cage at Jersey or somewhere else. I cannot think of any animal that works suit that appalling excuse for an enclosure.

A lot of "he said, she said" going on.

Glad to see Quentin Bloxham is still around!
Click to expand...

The keepers wanted a phased introduction but it was vetoed and she went straight in with male. The issue is the lack of listening
Lafone said:
Looking at the video posted above by jersey insider of the actual sloth enclosure it looks comparable to others I can think of a few such as Longleat that look very similar and have the same sloth to visitor proximity. Obviously if they climb down into the walkway that should be corrected as needed as sloths on the floor is poor. But it’s not their enclosure it seems yet it is said to be one in the interview. And it works - I certainly have the same reaction to the pictures.

It does appear to be some pictures used of what isn’t actually the enclosure however which I think is a bit strange in itself.
Click to expand...


no. I live in Jersey. That is the enclosure - the whole enclosure.

I’ll video and post
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Unicornjsy said:
The keepers wanted a phased introduction but it was vetoed and she went straight in with male. The issue is the lack of listening



no. I live in Jersey. That is the enclosure - the whole enclosure.

I’ll video and post
Click to expand...

So they were moved from the enclosure in the preview? When did that happen. Other zoo enclosures have few trees / lack natural climbing however the video on ITV appeared to show a completely bare area where the sloths live totally on the floor or on the stairs with no bedding Is that how the enclosure is? Or is that the visitor walkway.

I think it’s worth being clear as there appear to be a lot of agendas at work here and I’d simply be concerned for the animals not whether people like the management team or the management team like themselves if that makes sense.
 
Last edited:
Former Director of Conservation Management Quentin Bloxam has released a statement:
It is with huge sadness that I have decided to make this statement.
After gladly devoting 45 years of my life to the most extraordinary conservation organisation in the world, I would never have thought to read of such appalling issues at the zoo that was such an enormous part of my life.
I have read of animal welfare issues, staff bullying and more. Exceptional and talented staff have resigned because they could no longer tolerate the working environment at the zoo, nor the direction in which it was being led.
A number of these individuals were at the zoo when I was there. They are incredibly talented animal managers with great field skills, and were wonderful with our overseas trainees. To lose so many in such a short time frame is deplorably bad personnel management. I am sure there are still many excellent animal staff at the zoo, but the unique talents of the ones that have left are a great loss.
I read of volunteers who raised the issues up to Board level, and who, in consequence, were informed that they were no longer welcome into the zoo for their duties. I have seen a significant group of retired staff, recently-retired staff, and volunteers, labelled as ‘Rebels’, and accused of such threatening behaviour that security guards were needed at the entrance for the last AGM.
I have known many of these people for many years; they simply do not deserve these labels, and they are decent well-meaning individuals who care deeply about the zoo. They are Heads of Departments, Deputy Heads of Departments, Senior Keepers and a Director (me) and upwards.
After hearing of the animal welfare issues, I visited the zoo to see for myself, focusing on the sloths and aardvarks. I really don’t accept the statements of the States Vet that there are no issues of concern.
The issue of the sloths’ accommodation is that it is unsuitable for a canopy-living species. There is no doubt in my mind that the States Vet’s examination took place during a quiet period of the day. During a busy time, when the building is full of tourists or school children, the noise would be very distressing for sloths. The comment by the Interim CEO that their management has been improved, and they now have foliage, is irrelevant. The inside of this building was never designed to hold mammals.
The aardvark accommodation is too small for two large-bodied mammals that need individual space. They spend their day deep in burrows in complete darkness, and are active at night; occasionally they will sunbathe at their burrow entrance, but only occasionally, and when it is quiet. Again this is not a suitable species for this accommodation.
All these issues were presented in writing to the Board, who took no action, and continue to be in denial regarding all these issues.
The zoo staff produced a very comprehensive collection plan in 2014. When this was submitted to the new CEO, it was ignored. It was also submitted to the new Collection Manager appointed by the CEO, and was ignored; ultimately it was sent to the Board, and ignored once again. It is still fundamentally sound, although dated. With appropriate workshop discussion it would be a perfectly workable plan going forward.
It was with great disquiet that I read about the Scottish rewilding project. Gerald Durrell’ philosophy was taking on ‘lost causes’: critically endangered species on a global level. The Mauritian kestrel, pink pigeon, echo parakeet, Monserrat mountain chicken frog, Galapagos mangrove finch, Madagascar pochard and pigmy hog are just some of the many species that have been wrestled back from almost certain extinction by the work of the organisation. The Scottish project completely fails to meet the criteria. It is simply not an appropriate conservation project for Durrell; it’s the wrong direction to be taken.
In conclusion, I believe that Jersey Zoo has been badly let down by the Board - who should be the custodians of this extraordinary organisation - and has been taken in completely the wrong direction. I believe the Board, and in particular the Chairman, should be held accountable for this situation, and that changes are essential.
Click to expand...
 
ZooNut23 said:
A powerful read and very concerning.

Although surely the Aardvark exhibit can't be smaller than Longleats...
Click to expand...
The inside space is equal, if not one of the larger dens in UK collections.
The outside space is huge compared to longleats awful strip.
The outside is closely comparable to that of colchester definitely one of the more dynamic aardvark enclosures I've seen
 
Lafone said:
So they were moved from the enclosure in the preview? When did that happen. Other zoo enclosures have few trees / lack natural climbing however the video on ITV appeared to show a completely bare area where the sloths live totally on the floor or on the stairs with no bedding Is that how the enclosure is? Or is that the visitor walkway.

I think it’s worth being clear as there appear to be a lot of agendas at work here and I’d simply be concerned for the animals not whether people like the management team or the management team like themselves if that makes sense.
Click to expand...
Lafone said:
So they were moved from the enclosure in the preview? When did that happen. Other zoo enclosures have few trees / lack natural climbing however the video on ITV appeared to show a completely bare area where the sloths live totally on the floor or on the stairs with no bedding Is that how the enclosure is? Or is that the visitor walkway.

I think it’s worth being clear as there appear to be a lot of agendas at work here and I’d simply be concerned for the animals not whether people like the management team or the management team like themselves if that makes sense.
Click to expand...
Honestly I dont feel its the worst sloth exhibit ive seen, not the best but not the worst. Thinking of Jimmy's farms dark bare room or even Chesters tall domed room with ropes.
There are multiple 'nest boxes', multiple routes, climbing materials (rope/branches/logs) and heights around the space, don't get me wrong guests CAN get very (far too close) but honestly with the correct guest management (i.e closing off the upstairs expect for maybe talks) it could be managed to make it 'work'.
The photo shared in the ITV investigation was startling, but not the first time I've seen a sloth of the floor without reason. ZLS' female is renowned for the same behaviour. It's turns out durrells female is the offspring of that same female, the question is could that be a learned behaviour? From what I understand durrells sloth doesn't do it anymore.
 
Jpbirds said:
ZLS' female is renowned for the same behaviour. It's turns out durrells female is the offspring of that same female, the question is could that be a learned behaviour? From what I understand durrells sloth doesn't do it anymore.
Click to expand...
That’s interesting - I visited London Zoo last summer and the male sloth had lodged himself between the glass public railing on the mezzanine level and a wooden board, whereas the female was quite active and choosing to be right above the public (within reaching distance) next to the bokiboky enclosure with her recently born baby. So I don’t think these issues are unique to Jersey’s sloth enclosure.

As with the aardvark, their enclosure is perfectly acceptable and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was one of the biggest in the UK. I’m cynically wondering if this campaign group rather have personal vendettas against the management etc rather than are concerned about the welfare of these animals and are using the emotional issue of welfare to draw support.
 
jtrbmvcq said:
That’s interesting - I visited London Zoo last summer and the male sloth had lodged himself between the glass public railing on the mezzanine level and a wooden board, whereas the female was quite active and choosing to be right above the public (within reaching distance) next to the bokiboky enclosure with her recently born baby. So I don’t think these issues are unique to Jersey’s sloth enclosure.

As with the aardvark, their enclosure is perfectly acceptable and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was one of the biggest in the UK. I’m cynically wondering if this campaign group rather have personal vendettas against the management etc rather than are concerned about the welfare of these animals and are using the emotional issue of welfare to draw support.
Click to expand...
Honestly it really does look that way. Of course I can't speak to the allegations raised around bullying. But to throw the welfare card in could be seen as only being necessary if the other allegations didn't have much weight behind them.
Not saying that's the case, only that it could appear that way.
 
Jpbirds said:
Honestly it really does look that way. Of course I can't speak to the allegations raised around bullying. But to throw the welfare card in could be seen as only being necessary if the other allegations didn't have much weight behind them.
Not saying that's the case, only that it could appear that way.
Click to expand...
I will note that the welfare allegations have been there since the start.
 
jersey_insider said:
I will note that the welfare allegations have been there since the start.
Click to expand...
Fair enough, like I said it could appear that way, if only at surface level.
In my opinion the images in the media appear to be easily explained. Having recently seen these areas in person I don't honestly see anything that raises alarm, especially when compared to the EAZA standard. The Bristol zoo animals (some of the newest to join the collection) are all in objectively better exhibit have now compared to what they had (Aldabras, sloth, livingstone fruit bats). Of course there is always room for improvement, but the same could be said for many exhibits in the industry and Jersey zoo itself.
 
Report from BBC:
Concerns raised about the future of Jersey Zoo
Jersey Zoo has denied replacing endangered species with less at-risk, more crowd-pleasing animals.

Former staff are among those criticising the running of the zoo with accusations of bullying and a lack of engagement from management.

Some believe the vision of founder Gerald Durrell to save endangered species from extinction has been lost.

The zoo's management has disputed the allegations and said they took all concerns seriously.

A vote of no-confidence in the current Board of Trustees of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is due to be heard at an extraordinary general meeting on Thursday.

The trustees are responsible for how the zoo and global trust are governed.

Jersey Zoo has been welcoming visitors since 1959 when the world famous conservationist and author opened its doors.

Quentin Bloxham, former conservation director, started in 1963 and worked there for 45 years as a keeper, head of departments and a director.

He said he had concerns about animal welfare, including the sloth enclosure.

"If you see them when there's nobody there, they're quite relaxed, but put 30 excited schoolchildren in there on a busy day of tourists visiting - they would find that quite stressful," he said.

"They exported the bears and replaced them with a giant anteaters, which are renowned to be fairly secretive if there are lots of people around and they tend to be semi - if not totally - nocturnal.

"The macaques that they also got rid of - critically endangered - fantastic exhibit. It absolutely needs some sort of review."

Former zookeeper and zoologist, Russell Tofts, became a fan and member when he was 12, but he cancelled his membership in 2023.

He said this was because he could no longer support the direction the trust was going in.

Mr Tofts said: "Unless the powers that be at Jersey Zoo acknowledge that there are serious issues, that many formerly loyal supporters and benefactors have genuine grievances... there will, quite frankly, be no Jersey Zoo... as things stand, I am afraid to say it's drowning and it needs a life raft."

He said: "Gerald Durrell, in his books always made a point the enclosures should be designed from the animals' own point of view. The second in importance was the person who was looking after the animal and third in importance was the public who wished to see the animal. But now that has been reversed.

"The animal enclosures for the latest arrivals in particular are designed more to show them off to the public than for the animals welfare. The zoo has moved away from the remit Gerald Durrell carved out".

He added he thought "the trustees should step down and new trustees should be appointed and they should allow an external independent investigation to go ahead".

The former head of mammals - Dominic Wormell - who resigned in August after 34 years, said "as a general principle I will always work in organisations that hold up using ideas as evolution, where criticism is thrived on and you move on together".

"In my heart I like to have my views heard and work in a place where everyone's encouraged to be a champion."

Whilst at the zoo, Mr Wormell bred the first black lion tamarins outside of Brazil and did the first ever reintroduction of the animals into the wild.

Mr Wormell emphasised this world needed Jersey Zoo and he wished it the "very, very, very best" as well as the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.

The Interim CEO of Durrell - Rebecca Brewer - said: "Animal welfare is a top priority here at Durrell.

"We have a team of really passionate and dedicated and experienced keepers and vets here on site who care for the animals, day in, day out.

"We will always evolve and adapt our welfare standards, our care with the enclosures based on daily observations and, with the animals, based on best practice and latest husbandry guidelines."

She said: "Durrell has a zero tolerance to bullying and we have robust policies and procedures in place to deal with complaints that are raised to us and they will always be dealt with respectfully and confidentially with the individuals involved.

"Staff welfare is such an important priority for us - especially now."

She added they "are listening to our staff, to our volunteers, to our members... we're understanding the feedback and we're not afraid to change if we think change is necessary".

"But what's so important now is Durrell has stability - that we really can bring everyone together and that we can move forward positively."

The chairman of Durrell's Board of Trustees, Matthew Hatchwell, who has a background in conservation, said in any zoo there was always a balance between animals that were the focus of conservation efforts and the ones that were there to some extent to attract the public into the zoo.

He believed in 2014, 45% of the species in Jersey Zoo were threatened to one degree or another and in 2024 that figure had increased to 50%.

Mr Hatchwell said in similar zoo-based conversation organisations in the UK there was between 20% and 30%.

He said as a board they needed to base their decisions on facts, not on allegations and rumours. He said of course they took any complaints seriously, investigated them and took action when required.

Lee Durrell - Gerald Durrell's widow, honorary director of the trust and a permanent member of the board of trustees - said: "It's been a very, very emotional time for me.

"I'm very distressed by the morale that the way our staff are feeling about it.

"But you know Durrell's resilient. We've been going for 60 years and we've got ourselves through some pretty good scrapes and come through the stronger for it. And I think the same will happen now.

"We will be united in Gerry's mission to save species from extinction."
Click to expand...
 
If I was management and read the opinions of Quenton Bloxham and Russel Tofts I would have to think that there is something really WRONG
 
I have searched all the above and can find the opinion of Quentin Bloxham, but no mention of Russel Tofts. Where is this?
 
One of the more 'extreme' sloth enclosures I have seen ...

The Living Rainforest has a sloth who has free-roam over one of their greenhouse's canopies. And with so many plants and a relatively large space... I've only ever seen the sloth once!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top