Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Durrell news

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GaryA said:
GD pretty much made do with what animals he could collect or buy/swap for many years and Jersey was a more general collection as a result. He managed to focus on the small brown jobs as he called them, over time.
I can remember the collection composing some larger species on my initial visit in circa summer 1986 and being surprised by the scaling back upon my subsequent visit in 1998.
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People have been mentioning the departure of the Spectacled Bears and how they were an iconic species for Jersey. They were, especially as they featured in the 'First Impressions' display. But the first bear 'Pedro' was pretty much a chance purchase, being available from a dealer(?). It was years before they could get him a mate and only when Brookfield Zoo in the US finally offered them a female.
 
@TeaLovingDave: Insteresting also, that Jersey Zoo wrote that they presume the reason for the high attendance in 2019 was based on the "Go Wild Gorilla sculpture trail". So not a new rare small animal, but a very popular animal (symbol). Would a "Malagasy Jumping Rat Trail" drawn the same amount of people?

@MRJ/SwampDonkey: A little online research shows that Tierpark Rheine in Germany - similar in size with 13 ha - has 250000 visitors in average per year, while the City of Rheine has about 78000 citicens. Although Rheine isn't an island of course, it has to compete with many other zoos nearby what/that jersey hasn't and it is much less known by (international) tourists as well (while I confess that Rheine has the advantage to be community supported afaik).
 
zoomaniac said:
@TeaLovingDave: Insteresting also, that Jersey Zoo wrote that they presume the reason for the high attendance in 2019 was based on the "Go Wild Gorilla sculpture trail". So not a new rare small animal, but a very popular animal (symbol). Would a "Malagasy Jumping Rat Trail" drawn the same amount of people?
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I agree that more people know about gorillas than Malagasy jumping rats but that doesn't mean that lesser-known animals shouldn't be promoted. How many people have heard of pikas? If a zoo wanted to promote pikas, Pokemon could help.
 
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zoomaniac said:
@MRJ/SwampDonkey: A little online research shows that Tierpark Rheine in Germany - similar in size with 13 ha - has 250000 visitors in average per year, while the City of Rheine has about 78000 citicens. Although Rheine isn't an island of course, it has to compete with many other zoos nearby what/that jersey hasn't and it is much less known by (international) tourists as well (while I confess that Rheine has the advantage to be community supported afaik).
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Of course Rheine is also in densely populated corner of Europe, with excellent road and rail links to larger centres.

But more important is the comment regarding community support. In Durrell's day the zoo supported conservation work from zoo profits. Today the opposite is the case - the zoo has needed support, and the question is to what degree can support of the zoo be justified at the expense of the conservation work.

So with regard to a possible tiger (or any other) exhibit, the Durrell Board would have to ask the question, would such an exhibit produce more income that it costs? If not are there conservation benefits that would justify that expenditure?
 
MRJ said:
Of course Rheine is also in densely populated corner of Europe, with excellent road and rail links to larger centres.

But more important is the comment regarding community support. In Durrell's day the zoo supported conservation work from zoo profits. Today the opposite is the case - the zoo has needed support, and the question is to what degree can support of the zoo be justified at the expense of the conservation work.

So with regard to a possible tiger (or any other) exhibit, the Durrell Board would have to ask the question, would such an exhibit produce more income that it costs? If not are there conservation benefits that would justify that expenditure?
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The sale of Durrells books also played a big part
 
Jersey Zoo/Durrell have shared a couple of updates on their new gorilla complex. Seems there was a pause in construction which has since re-started. Nice 3D rendering and they slate it to open Summer 2025. They claim it will be “the most modern gorilla facility in Europe, featuring a state-of-the-art heating, humidity and cooling system, specialised training and weighing areas, and two large indoor housing spaces”.

Building work underway for new gorilla house | Durrell
New Gorilla House at Jersey Zoo | Durrell
 
2 Pieces of March 2024 News/Piece of June 2024 News Worth Mentioning:

On March 21st, it was announced that the zoo transferred a (0.1) pied tamarin named Bobby to the Shaldon Zoo in Devon.

Also on March 21st, it was mentioned that the zoo transferred (1.3) pied tamarins to the Newquay Zoo in Cornwall*.

Shaldon Wildlife Trust

On June 16th, it was announced that the zoo transferred (0.2) Henkel's leaf-tailed geckos to Zoo Wuppertal in Germany in 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8SL0AMtHk_/?img_index=1

* Information posted by @jtrbmvcq on the Newquay Zoo News thread (Page 21 Post #417).

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On June 29th, the zoo announced that 2+ golden dart frogs hatched which are behind-the-scenes.

Jersey Zoo
 
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