NICK ELLERTON 5 February 1949 – 29 March 2014
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NICK ELLERTON 5 February 1949 – 29 March 2014 Obituary Sadly this reports that Nick really knew and cared about cook, a red wine lover and a loyal Ellerton died suddenly in the early animal welfare and was prepared friend. At times he had some morning of Saturday 29 March to be vocal about those issues. He outrageous opinions, strongly 2014, when he suffered a heart always put the needs of the expressed, but was always willing attack, in Sri Lanka. animals first and foremost, even to listen to challenges to those though it made him politically views, even if this did not always Nick worked as Deputy, then unpopular at times. He was a man shift his own. Curator of Mammals at the North ahead of his time in Zoos, and of England Zoological Society particularly drove changes in our Nick was probably the most (Chester Zoo) for 31 years before attitude to elephant welfare and observant person I have ever moving to Knowsley Safari Park for breeding so forcefully back in the known. He noticed everything. 11 years. Together with his 1980s. He was able to get a lot of He felt strongly about looking after longtime partner Penny Boyd progressive ideas around animal his own back yard before (formerly of Burstow Wildlife welfare started and worried little suggesting to other countries how Sanctuary in the UK, and latterly about the fallout for those who to look after theirs. He was also at Knowsley) they moved to were not prepared to change their realistic in the advice he offered to Sri Lanka in the summer of 2010 attitudes. Many of his colleagues overseas colleagues about animal following their retirement. Having learned a huge amount from him, and disease management because been born and raised in Kenya, and he was indeed a very he understood the challenges Nick`s interest in animals was significant and inspiring person faced as he was widely travelled. strong from an early age and he within the zoo world for many He was happiest beside a river was incredibly knowledgeable early careers. with a fly rod (and a gin), not only about all kinds of species (not just because he loved his fishing, but mammals). He had animal Those who knew Nick well, are because he loved the countryside handling skills second-to-none, aware that he lived life to the full! and everything going on in it. and his intuition around animals He was extremely well-read, an The zoo world has lost a `true was extraordinary. Above all he incorrigible raconteur, an excellent character. Penny Rudd. ZOO’s PRINT, Volume XXIX, Number 6 June 2014 1 More about Nick Ellerton from argued against this. He also Editor’s Note : Penny wanted natural breeding - so The objective of this series of As far as Nick’s CV is concerned, facilities had to be built to enable pages is not only to honor a he worked at the Zoos for 31 years bulls to be safely housed, and for gentleman (Nick Ellerton) who and started off pretty well straight females to deliver calves without gave a great deal to the zoo from school as far as I can work human intervention and community in his region, but also out at 17-18 years old! He started disturbance. to honor him for giving much to at Chester as a Keeper and the zoo community in South Asia, specialised a bit in primates but Many, many exotic species in particularly to India in the 1980’s worked on practically every section European Zoos (and indeed in and again to the zoos in Sri Lanka at various times before becoming Indian Zoos when he helped with from 2010 to present. I can’t the Curator of Primates. launching the health screening and speak for Sri Lanka but I was in Afterwards he was made Assistant individual identification India running Zoo Outreach General Curator and then finally techniques) have a lot to be Organisation in the early 1970’s. the Curator of Mammals. grateful to Nick Ellerton for. He Take time to read the article below berated countries who would in his entitled Sangai Breeding Strategy Nick then worked about 10–11 view `plunder` third world Discussions at Calcutta Zoo - May years at Knowsley as their Animal collections and cherry-pick the 1988, by Sally Walker which is Manager before retiring to Sri best species from smaller followed by succinct advice from Lanka. He had been born (in collections and take them back Nick Ellerton after his visit to Kikuyu) and raised in Kenya where home for commercial purposes. Calcutta to get the breeding of he had many, many wild animal He was certainly not naïve to the Manipur Brow Antlered Deer or pets. He was public school ‘goings-on’ in this complicated “Sangai” on right track. educated at St Edwards in Oxford, world. UK (known as ‘Teddies’) and In this first article, it is explained always had a passion for Rhinos He also loved British wildlife and succinctly what the situation and and fishing! His general had amazing identification skills problems were regarding breeding knowledge and animal handling for Mammals, Birds, Fish, plants of this highly threatened species skills were simply the best. and insects. He was a genuinely and how difficult it was to get help As you know only too well, he was good all-round naturalist and he from expert zoo personnel that a complete rogue in many ways, a was incredibly observant. He had overcome those problems. womaniser, a drinker, a smoker, an rarely missed anything and would Government officers were very avid reader, an amazingly enter- know where many of the wild birds reticent to get foreign experts and taining raconteur, a great cook for were nesting in the Zoo! it took years to straighten out things he liked to eat (he some protocol. At the right time, ostracised people who liked In latter years in Sri Lanka, he was important people in Calcutta Quiche!), the most infuriatingly saddened by the Elephant situation managed to arrange a visit to the impatient man and the most there which meant that the herds Alipore Zoo in Calcutta by an genuinely broadly capable ‘animal were often pushed from pillar to expert in all aspects of animal person’ on the planet. post by people with firecrackers as breeding, rearing and health. This they were not really wanted was a young Nick Ellerton who He was also a remarkably good anywhere near habitation, and came from an upper class family people-manager who taught well they were forced to keep moving. and joined the Chester Zoo as a and inspired outstanding loyalty He mourned the loss of a female zookeeper. Nick was then a from those who understood him. elephant knocked over by a truck Curator and had learned a great Although he was blunt and on the road, and the fact that no deal about zoo management. outspoken in his views, somehow one would humanely destroy this his forceful personality meant that dying animal, so he sat by the He accepted the invitation to Calcutta and blew the minds of people still liked him despite that. roadside with her protecting her locals with his expertise. He He was both scrupulously honest, from being prodded and poked as refused to let people call him an morally incorrigible and incompre- she took two days to die. He expert and was just a very hensible at the same time! would not leave her side despite straightforward human being who witnessing such sadness. wanted to help. Although he He did a massive amount to stayed only two weeks, he set a promote Elephant welfare in zoos This was a complicated man. precedent for international and where possible in logging interaction that resulted in many camps in-situ too, and had strong Penny Rudd, Registrar foreigner experts to come and opinions on keeping elephants in North of England Zool. Society assist. Hats off to Nick Ellerton unchained environments which Caughall Road, Upton-by-Chester, who modernised zoo management could only be done if zoos were CHESTER, CH2 1LH, UK. in India and other countries. May prepared to invest in adequate [email protected] he rest in peace. Sally Walker, facilities. Woe-betide any zoo who Zoo Outreach Organisation. ZOO’s PRINT, Volume XXIX, Number 6 June 2014 2 A Tribute with sadness for the early death of Nicholas Ellerton Dammika Malsinghe* The second time I met Nicholas or Nick as I called animals like birds, mongooses etc. and also with a him later, was at the Knowsley Safari Park, England cobra. I felt the harmony and pleasure they were in the year 2003, when I went there with my experiencing with nature. Both Nick and Penny loved husband and my Director of the Department of the surrounding so much. They were very interested National Zoological Gardens of Sri Lanka (at that in explaining about their pet wild animals rather than time). The Director and I went to attend a the subject matters we were dealing with. Nick conference on zoo designing at Paignton zoo, Devon described how an elephant came close to his fence and as a part of the tour we elected to see the one day. They had kept a water bath for birds and Knowsley Safari Park where Nick worked as the planted many tree bearing fruits, which attract birds. manager. I knew that Penny was interested in planting. One reason for selecting Knowsley was we wanted to Sometimes when they came to the zoo or to see a Safari Park and the other reason was the Colombo, they used to go to a famous plant sales acquaintance made with Nick during his one visit to center at Battaramulla.