Gerald and Lee Durrell, 1982

IanRRobinson said:

So many of his books are essential reading for anybody with an interest in zoos in general, and UK zoos in particular. But I would especially recommend "Beasts in My Belfry", for conveying a sense of Whipsnade, its magic and its imperfections alike; and "The Stationary Ark", slightly short of the usual fun, but a great zoo man's critique of his industry, written after thirty years' experience in the field.

A lot of what he describes, with evident frustration, is apparent to this day; the inability to distinguish between space and useful space in animal enclosures; the ability of ill-supervised architects to construct building worse than they replaced; the lack of meaningful communication between different strands of zoo professionals; and the fact that captive breeding programmes require serious, long-term commitment.

By any stretch of the imagination he was a truly great man. I wish that he had lived longer.

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He pretty much left us a manual on 'how to do it'. I hope we don't get too far away from the core of his intentions – changes in the world notwithstanding!

Nice shot and a wonderful experience for you Hix I never met him, but did attend his memorial service in The Natural history Museum in London, along with Sir David Attenborough, His sister Margo some of the zoo staff including "Shepton mallet", Simon Hicks, and his three singing daughters, Jeremy Mallinson, John Hartley, as well as the zoo's patron HRH The Princess Royal, who was escorted by Lee Durrell. It was a very happy occasion with a good speech from David Attenborough and a humerus one from The Princess. On my way to the service I found my one, and so far only ever Stag beetle at the station, I imagined Jerry wouldn't have minded if I had slipped it into my pocket, (my first reaction) but it was my best/only suit with out a zip pocket and if it had climbed out during the proceedings it would have been too embarrassing so I decided to leave it for later only to find some one had stood on it when I got back to Greenwich station.

I think a stag beetle crawling out of a suit pocket and causing a commotion at his memorial would have been very appropriate!



Hix

Hix said:

I think a stag beetle crawling out of a suit pocket and causing a commotion at his memorial would have been very appropriate!



Hix

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Who Knows Hix, if the train hadn't been in the station I may have pondered the idea more. Mind you I genuinely would have died of embarrassment if -knowing my luck,- it had crawled out of my pocket and took flight.

Unfortunately I wasn´t able to meet Gerald, as I wasn´t even born when he died, but when I visited Jersey I had the pleasure to find Lee while she was organizing the Gerald Durrell´s museum, and she was able to sign several books I had from him (now some of my most precious belongings)

By any chance has any zoochatter gone to the museum?

toto98 said:

Unfortunately I wasn´t able to meet Gerald, as I wasn´t even born when he died, but when I visited Jersey I had the pleasure to find Lee while she was organizing the Gerald Durrell´s museum, and she was able to sign several books I had from him (now some of my most precious belongings)

By any chance has any zoochatter gone to the museum?

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Um... well, I have. I do work here though, and was involved with it from the beginnings... so I am a little biased when saying it's amazing – albeit smaller than I think it ought to be, given the subject.

Rick J said:

Um... well, I have. I do work here though, and was involved with it from the beginnings... so I am a little biased when saying it's amazing – albeit smaller than I think it ought to be, given the subject.

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Wow... even though it might be small I´d love to see it... can you recall any specific piece that interested you?

Gerald and Lee Durrell...

I've had a good look at it, it's well presented and has some very interesting historical material about the park's history, as well as he man himself.
Unfortunately I don't work there, despite trying quite hard to make that happen. Best place on the planet.

FBBird said:

Best place on the planet.

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I haven't been there for more than 25 years, but back in the 80's that's EXACTLY how I felt about it too!

I must say, it's one of my favourite places too, although I fell in love with 'Drill Ranch' in Nigeria, and it's remote location and 'insane genius' founder/director, Peter Jenkins... who I think is basically a kindred spirit to Gerry, without the literary component. I was totally awed with drill society, and the natural enclosures. Likewise, Mefou National Park (operated as a primate sanctuary by Ape Action Africa), in Cameroon.

toto98 said:

Wow... even though it might be small I´d love to see it... can you recall any specific piece that interested you?

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Well, the Bafut/West African section stood out to me, mainly because I've always been fascinated with that part of world (ellioti chimps, mysterious cross river gorillas, mandrill/drill, patas monkeys etc), have visited Bafut and seen first hand how much he affected the people he met out there.

That said, the early, Corfu part... a book Gerry kept from his childhood, given and dedicated by Theodore Stephanides... somehow when the exhibit was being put together by Lee, this seemed an almost unbearably precious
thing to be sharing... and I found it very moving – and still do when I see it.