Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Durrell news

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From Jersey Zoo:

We are sad to announce that our much-loved capybara, Olive, passed away over the weekend.

Our vet team confirmed that her death was caused by a sudden onset gastrointestinal issue. Olive quickly became a zoo favourite, and she will be missed by staff, visitors and volunteers.
 
Mr.Weasel said:
The Channel Islands are getting pretty hammered at the moment by Storm Ciaran. Hoping the zoo makes it out with minimal damage.
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According to local radio all zoo animals and staff have been accounted for and tucked away safely. One elderly Chilean flamingo passed away (not sure if its a direct result of the storm or old age). Clearing up over the weekend after some fallen trees - Closed now to public until at least Sunday
 
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Other 2023 News:

On October 20th, the zoo announced that they, alongside the Saint Lucia Forestry Department, Saint Lucia National Trust, and Fauna & Flora, built a new breeding centre for the critically endangered St. Lucia racer.

⭐️ Durrell and... - Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
Breeding facility set up for Critically Endangered Saint Lucia racer | Durrell

On May 21st, it was announced that the zoo transferred (2.0) blue-crowned laughingthrushes to the Marwell Zoo in Hampshire on April 26th.

https://www.marwell.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023_000-Arrivals-Births-MAY-2023.pdf

On September 20th, the zoo announced they are raising funds from its Tortoise Takeover art trail to build a new reptile and amphibian house.

Raising funds with Tortoise Takeover | ⭐️ Our #TortoiseTakeover art trail is raising vital funds to help build new reptile and amphibian facilities at Jersey Zoo. ⭐️ Our current Reptile... | By Jersey Zoo | Facebook

Jersey Bull said:
According to local radio all zoo animals and staff have been accounted for and tucked away safely. One elderly Chilean flamingo passed away (not sure if its a direct result of the storm or old age). Clearing up over the weekend after some fallen trees - Closed now to public until at least Sunday
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On November 8th, the zoo announced that they reopened the visitor centre, gift shop, Cafe Firefly, and Durrell charity shop to the public, while the zoo will reopen on November 11th. The zoo also announced that the storm cost the facility ~£200,000+ in damages.

Jersey Zoo - Storm Ciarán update We’re pleased to...
https://www.facebook.com/JerseyZooO...bwZGie48SQn676YVKhQiDhUzm8JCY6hoZ4wmyWFLtXxHl
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=706023451554538
 
After the spectacled bears another heavy loss for this institution imo. Although knowing that Jersey Zoo has a different collection strategie (and maybe not enough financial resources and space for more common big zoo animals), these developments doesn't leave a good feeling...
 
zoomaniac said:
After the spectacled bears another heavy loss for this institution imo. Although knowing that Jersey Zoo has a different collection strategie (and maybe not enough financial resources and space for more common big zoo animals), these developments doesn't leave a good feeling...
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Do you work there? You seem to have a lot of insight into their collection strategy and financial situation.

If you don't work there I would assume that you are making sweeping assumptions.
 
pipaluk said:
I don't think they are making 'sweeping assumptions ' I think they are just concerned at the loss of 2 major species!!
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I will say this.
I have not been affiliated with Jersey at any point, so I cannot provide insight into deeper goings on.
But I do find it hard not to concede that the loss of two popular species isn't particularly the best look for the general public... especially when more recent additions have largely been species that are not exactly of the prestige that Jersey is/was known for. And that's not to say that Jersey can't keep goats and sloths and aardvarks... it merely shows that balancing the 'ABC' and the 'XYZ' in zoos is paramount. I think that Spectacled Bears strike a fine point between either extreme - they are bears - but not quite so well known as grizzly or polar bears. And visitors like them all the same. So it will happen that in future some visitors may go to other collections to get their bear/macaque fix...
But I will say that Jersey does still have an excellent primate collection [from both XYZ and ABC perspective]. And it would be a great shame if current management can't keep that in good stead...
 
The bears are a major loss for Jersey, there is no spinning that whatsoever. Let’s see if there’s anything to replace them but without them, as much as I love their array of interesting smaller creatures, only the great apes are true crowd pullers.
 
Cat-Man said:
The bears are a major loss for Jersey, there is no spinning that whatsoever. Let’s see if there’s anything to replace them but without them, as much as I love their array of interesting smaller creatures, only the great apes are true crowd pullers.
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Perhaps I am the 'tenth dentist'... but I do think very much that XYZ species are paramount to zoo management. Guests may well come for the lions and tigers and bears... but the lesser-known animals too can very much leave a mark. And I think that Marwell is/was going in a right direction... they know that people expect more of their animal collection - and say as you may about their latest additions, but it's great that there are going to be more animals there for people to look at. And I personally quite like Thriving Through Nature.
And so there has to be a balance. Heck - maybe 'XYZ' could itself be another of the major categories of animals people like to see. Something different! And with a collection in such a shadow as that of Gerald Durrell, then it's paramount that its collection keeps the favours of its patrons.
 
Madzooman said:
Do you work there? You seem to have a lot of insight into their collection strategy and financial situation.

If you don't work there I would assume that you are making sweeping assumptions.
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This feels a bit uncalled for, no point making the community toxic.
I would assume they are just going by public knowledge for example it’s a small island so their financial situation will partially rely on the tourist season, they’ve also done two fundraising campaigns to pay for future large projects.
Just my take on it.
 
dillotest0 said:
Perhaps I am the 'tenth dentist'... but I do think very much that XYZ species are paramount to zoo management. Guests may well come for the lions and tigers and bears... but the lesser-known animals too can very much leave a mark. And I think that Marwell is/was going in a right direction... they know that people expect more of their animal collection - and say as you may about their latest additions, but it's great that there are going to be more animals there for people to look at. And I personally quite like Thriving Through Nature.
And so there has to be a balance. Heck - maybe 'XYZ' could itself be another of the major categories of animals people like to see. Something different! And with a collection in such a shadow as that of Gerald Durrell, then it's paramount that its collection keeps the favours of its patrons.
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I agree entirely. I know it is said on this forum constantly but it bears repeating again and again - we love the rare species but zoos rely on Joe Bloggs to stay afloat, and they need certain animals to get them through the gates. If we don't keep this in mind whenever we discuss a collection we end up like those people on the fringes in politics who keep talking to their tribe and do nothing to reach across the aisle. Without the ABC species zoos can't stay alive, and then they won't be able to keep those rare species that really get us going!

Like said above, the Spectacled Bears were a something which fit both categories, and additionally fit Jersey's slightly quirky (for want of a better phrase) history (and slight side point, but the increase in Sun Bears and Spectacled Bears in British Zoos in the last 15 years has been delightful, and appeals to both the publics desire to see bears and a zoos aim to educate and inspire). They are a major loss to the collection, and it is concerning there appears to be no plans to replace them at this time.

Jersey is lucky in a way that it has no competition within 100 miles. But its smaller pool of potential visitors means it finds itself relying heavily on the tourist trade, in a location where visitor levels have dropped in the last 20 years (although have seen a small uptick in the years before the pandemic), and as a result does need to appeal to the average member of the public. It can trade on its name to some extent but that won't keep people coming back.
 
Madzooman said:
Do you work there? You seem to have a lot of insight into their collection strategy and financial situation.

If you don't work there I would assume that you are making sweeping assumptions.
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Cool down! Their strategy of keeping threatened but small(er) and not so well known species is known (not to say famous) to everybody who's interested in zoos. And - as the word "maybe" clearly indicates - the point about the finances was an assumption (people living in London should have enough English skills to understand that).
 
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