sign in sign up
<<
Home , Lemur

on the on the edge edge

Mending a P8

Amphibian alarm P16

Spring / Summer 2014 2 3

Greetings from the CEO Contents

I recently had the pleasure of visiting In complete contrast, we have been 4 Durrell Times our projects in St Lucia, Antigua and doing our best to kill as many of another 8 Mending a megabat Montserrat, where frogs and rats seemed as we can. Rats, again usually to be the of the day. spread by humans, are very successful 12 Breeding aye-ayes invaders, breeding quickly and eating 14 The aye-aye and its parts Despite its name the mountain chicken everything. They can destroy native 16 Amphibian alarm is a large frog and we are trying to avoid and vegetation quickly. Durrell 20 Amphibian husbandry this phrase changing to 'was a large has developed an expertise in islands frog'. However the real story for me (very appropriate considering our base in 22 Big news for a little bird quickly became about a fungus. The the Channel Islands) and has become a 24 A flying visitor... appalling fungal disease known as chytrid leader in restoring the diversity of some 25 Your legacy means the world has decimated the frog's population in very barren ones; we start by poisoning the Montserrat, as it has done to many other rat invaders. We visited Bird Island, off the 26 To your health! amphibians elsewhere. It is the worst coast of Antigua; lush, green, with groups 28 Fond farewells disease ever seen amongst invertebrates; of birds a little irritated with our presence, 30 Recollections of it has or will affect most of the 6,000 and searched for the reintroduced racer amphibian ; it can kill almost all of . Rat traps should prevent the 31 The parting shot a population in weeks. We believe it killed problem arising again - serviced by local 95% of mountain chickens in less than boatmen and hopefully even paid for by the a . Some species are resistant, but tourist operators that occasionally use the this just means that it can be spread very beaches. Sustainable restoration in action. effectively, since they still carry it. I hope you enjoy reading the rest of It is very widespread and as yet there is On the Edge. no cure. Durrell, with other conservation organisations and universities, is working to find a solution; we have been breeding the frogs successfully in Jersey, and have reintroduced some to learn more. It is the worst disease ever seen It is thought that the disease initially spread amongst invertebrates; it has through the global trade in live frogs, some or will affect most of the 6,000 of which were resistant carriers. amphibian species. Photo and drawing credits Estate of Gerald Durrell,Tim Flach, JEP, Gregory Guida, Phillip Coffey, Daniel Drakes, Matt Morton, Dan Lay, Rick Jones, James Underwood, Colm Farrington, Paignton , Colin Stevenson, Fi Marchant, James Morgan, Oliver Johnson, Lesley Lawrence, Linda Scott, Will Bertram, Chief Executive Natalie Mayer, F Cunninghame CDF, Julio Avila CDF, Beate Wedelin CDF, Golden mantella frogs, Oliver, left, with Matt Morton, and Sue Maturín CDF. Regional Manager Caribbean Cover shot: Mossy frog, Dan Lay. DURRELL TIMES DURRELL TIMES The 30th Anniversary Spring / Summer 2014 of the first wild release The pink pigeon stands as one of the great This, the birds themselves and the fact that 30 success stories of the . on, Carl Jones – a crucial member of the In 1984, when Gerald penned the text below team from the very beginning – is in the running for this very magazine, there were just 13 to 15 for one of the greatest accolades in conservation Six heroes... one prize birds in the wild – up from the ‘barely double- (see previous page), are things we are enormously digits’ number of 10, found when the project to proud of. save them began. By 2011 the official IUCN* population figures stood at a much safer We hope you, our members and supporters, share 446 birds. this sense of pride with us. Without you 30 years of saving the most endangered animals could For the team at Durrell, however, the 30 year never have happened. If, wherever you are, you’d anniversary of this release has even greater like to raise a glass to celebrate this milestone, significance, as these beautiful birds were the first thank you for being part of the journey so far. species we ever bred in captivity and released into the wild – the realisation of Gerry’s main vision for his then 21-year-old Trust. *IUCN = International Union for Conservation of Nature

The Indianapolis Prize has been described as In January we learned that our own Professor the Nobel Prize of conservation and is widely Carl Jones has made the final six nominees for considered the highest accolade available for the 2014 awards and deservedly so. There can’t those who spend their lifetime saving be many people who can claim bringing six . species back from fewer than 12 individuals It was, without a doubt, one of to viable populations. the most important days in my life when just recently Lee, John Hartley and I went to the island of Mauritius and, with Carl Durrell’s ‘miracle Jones, responsible for the Black River breeding centre, released baby’ in UK two captive bred Pink Pigeons into the wild. living rooms Gerald Durrell, On the Edge, Spring/Summer 1984

The result of a collaboration between Durrell and The documentary aired on both BBC Four and BBC Jersey, 'Refugees of the Lost ' is a BBC Two last December, and over one million powerful half-hour documentary that highlights viewers watched the film, which featured the how Jersey is connected to Sumatra, Indonesia of ‘miracle baby’ Kea at Durrell thanks to our orangutans and their carers past Park. Watch the film at: 1984 Spring/Summer and present. www.durrell.org/refugees On the Edge Pink pigeon DURRELL TIMES DURRELL TIMES Going to great Commendation for lengths for wildlife... ‘I’m a Conservationist’ ...... has always been a hallmark of what makes ...and from none other than the British and Irish The combination of modern, real time the Durrell team special. So when our Head of Association of and Aquariums (BIAZA). communications between youngsters and the Dom Wormell and former Senior people on the cutting edge of conservation Keeper Rupert Beck decided to help raise Durrell’s Department of Education and impressed BIAZA – no small feat when you funds for rescued Sumatran orangutans, they Interpretation took four intrepid field scientists consider that one of the association’s fortes is did just that. and connected them via social media to Jersey engaging everyday people with the work of schoolchildren, who in turn took a ‘reality TV’ Britain’s zoological experts. The pair cycled from Land’s End to John style vote to deciding which project would get O’Groats – the entire length of Britain – in the £500 prize, kindly donated by Natwest. one week. Combining online sponsorship and a ton of effort, the pair raised £2,502 for The Orangutan Land Trust. This will go towards building new Durrell style islands, to replace barred cages at the SOCP Rescue Centre, in Jantho, Sumatra. Bear pair right Rupert Beck and Dominic Wormell at home here Three-year-old Andean bears Bahia (female) and Quechua (male) are two of the newest additions Official notice to Durrell’s , taking pride of place Annual General Meeting in the ‘First Impressions’ section of the Wildlife Park. Dear Member Bahia was first to join us and initially seemed a Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust will be holding its little overwhelmed, having been separated from Annual General Meeting (AGM) at: her family for the first time. However, when Les Augrès Manor, Trinity, Jersey JE3 5BP big boy Quechua came along, it was as if the two had known each other forever – the two On Wednesday 23rd July at 5.30pm spending their first days together wrestling and sleeping on top of one another. Please note this date and time.

May I remind you that under Rule 8 (3) any matters that you would like included in the agenda A few months in, and our keepers – more used must be lodged with me 60 days before the AGM, which is 19th May. to the much-missed elderly pair, Barbara and Wolfgang – have been kept rather busy, as the Yours faithfully youngsters fully test all the possible escape routes, and playfully destroy their enclosure in ways that only a bear can! Tim Ringsdore Honorary Secretary www.durrell.org/bear 8 9

Mending a Megabat

If you or I were to break a finger, it would very careful about avoiding collisions – an be painful and no doubt inconvenient, but it essential part of living in large colonies and wouldn’t stop us getting around. For ‘flying amongst . foxes’ (otherwise known as ) such as our Livingstone’s fruit , however, So when Claudia a Livingstone’s fruit at breaking a finger literally means all you get to the Island Bat Roost suffered a compound do is hang around... potentially fatal as this fracture last year, Durrell’s Vets decided makes feeding impossible. to try their own at a very intricate ‘digital repair’ to allow her to take to Bats wings are actually specialised . the air once again. The scientific name for bats is Chiroptera, literally “hand-wing”. The bones are long This X-ray clearly shows the 'hand' and and light for flight, and bats are generally also this bat's identifying microchip. 10 11

Mending a Megabat

A compound fracture means broken On the operating table Vet Andrew The pin itself is surgical steel (you can bones poking through skin... and in Routh had to fix the fracture by just see it here), and will remain inside Claudia’s case this meant quite a large carefully inserting a needle-like ‘pin’ Claudia’s wing for the rest of her life, wound to close, as well as a bone into the bone. Steady hands needed! unlike in human bones, where supports to repair. are removed post-healing.

... and we’re happy to report that she’s back amongst her colony, flying and rebuilding her muscles, seemingly none the worse for what could have been a life- ending injury – thanks to Durrell’s amazing Veterinary Team!

Stopping Claudia from licking her When the skin and bone healed, An X-ray shows the pin inside the wound was always going to be tricky, the site of the break remained visible, nicely fused bone, some weeks after but a specially derived artificial skin but it doesn’t seem to cause Claudia the operation. did the trick very well in the any issues... weeks following. 12 13

Breeding aye-ayes By Sian Jones

Perhaps surprisingly, given the intriguing keepers – from all over the world at San It’s been 11 years since we’ve seen a baby included a new aye-aye enclosure which appearance and threatened status of this Diego Zoo. The chance to compare notes, aye aye born in Jersey. Twenty three years offers outside access at all times. ‘oddball’ lemur, there are only 13 aye-ayes allowed us to decide the very best way to ago Gerald Durrell brought them to Jersey, in European zoos and wildlife parks. ensure a future for these amazing creatures. whilst Andrea Katz took some to Duke The aye-ayes initially became truly nocturnal Lemur Centre, North Carolina, and in that and so we couldn’t monitor their behaviour. In this case 13 is unlucky for the aye aye, At the meeting it was agreed that seven time, we’ve learned a lot. However, the We addressed this by covering the roof of as it doesn’t leave much room for genetic unrelated young breeding animals would be aye-aye can still surprise us. the outside area so that it would be more diversity in the captive population, and loaned to the breeding programme across dusk-like during the day and adding lights breeding efforts have been slow in our respective European organisations Traditionally aye-ayes have been kept to the outside which come on overnight, so recent years. – bringing the total to a much luckier 20 in nocturnal houses, and keepers have they think it’s daytime. individuals – and, excitingly, three of those controlled their light levels so that the A year ago, I was fortunate to attend a seven are coming to Durrell! animal's activities can be observed during We can’t wait to start learning more about Global Master Plan meeting with aye- aye daytime hours. When we redeveloped the aye-ayes, and we’ll let you know how it all specialists – field workers and fellow walled garden at Durrell, we works out... watch this space. 14 15

Large, wide and round eyes with a '' – the reflective The aye-aye backing as seen in cats. This aids night time vision, gathering plenty of light. and its parts Scent glands in the neck and cheeks allow aye-ayes to mark out their Sketches by Lesley Lawrence territories, which can be up to 80 acres Huge ears with complex internal ridges, for a male, and often overlap with that of that allow the aye-aye to focus its ear a female. and hear grubs and larvae inside logs A big, bushy tail… for balance and and branches, which it disturbs by showing what great shape they're in to percussive tapping with the thin prospective mates. middle finger.

The back and tail is covered in coarse black hair with white tips, whilst the An extremely thin, elongated, clawed rest of the body is covered in soft fur, middle finger that can be rotated 360 with paler regions on the face, chest degrees, and fish insects and larvae and . out of the hardest to reach places inside trees. When not in use, the aye- aye shuts down circulation to it, to save energy.

Hind legs for leaping. Aye-ayes are strong jumpers, just like other lemurs. They clear huge distances -to-tree, often in pitch darkness.

The 4th is the longest finger and is used for grooming…. The other fingers on this 's hand are great for gripping and hanging, as aye-ayes are born tree-dwellers. Front teeth that never stop Although it seems adapted to getting growing – like . These allow the at grubs and insects, aye-ayes have a aye-aye to chew through longer digestive tract than a dedicated The aye-aye uses a plant called Dypsis (and even concrete and metal in carnivore. Its diet can include lantzeana, which has ridges along the captivity) to make a hole for the coconuts, fruits and , stem, to rub their teeth up and down foraging finger to get at the grubs. making it an . ...like a toothbrush! 16 17

Amphibian alarm

Amphibians are a diverse and fascinating This is done through good old fashioned Whatever the threat, it is also really group but are also the most threatened field work - going out and surveying important to monitor populations to in the world, in dire need of (looking for them, basically) in likely see how they are changing over time. Introduction conservation attention. areas. Often this means working in fairly Depending on species and location we demanding conditions. could try alternative methods including Weird, wonderful, bizarre, unique Durrell is stepping up to do just that radio tracking (as in Montserrat), acoustic are some of the adjectives that through our dedicated Amphibian One amazing feature about amphibians is (sound) monitoring or estabilishing have frequently been used to Programme. This will save some of the their skin, through which they breathe and community awareness programmes. describe amphibians. Sadly, most threatened amphibians in some of the absorb nutrients. The deadly fungal disease highly threatened, undervalued, highest risk areas of the world, including Bd (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) or Sometimes bringing a species into overlooked could also descibe Madagascar and the Western Caribbean. chytrid can be devastating for many species captivity is essential for its survival. To do amphibians in recent history. as it grows on the skin, both suffocating and this, information has to be collected on The threats facing amphibians are starving the animal. A large part of our work, the species. Various requirements before Durrell is hopping up to the plate to numerous, and to combat these and especially in Madagascar, will be looking at any captive work can begin. On that front help turn this around through our ensure their continued survival a variety of ways to detect and combat this threat to we are fortunate to have expert captive dedicated Amphibian Programme. approaches will be taken. Collecting basic try to prevent it becoming a crisis, as it has breeding skills in Jersey and will be making information, such as how many there are, elsewhere in the world. good use of this in training students and where they are, is a crucial first step in at Durrell Conservation Academy and the protection of many species. developing overseas partnerships.

Sometimes bringing a species into captivity is essential for its survival.

HELP CAN US U O By Jeff Dawson Y DONATE AT: E T DU A R ON Mossy frog RELL.ORG/D 18 19 Adult

'Anura' Large eyes, with eyelids, as well as a '' - a third, transparent, moveable lid. In all Anura the eyeballs retract in explained the skull to help push food down when swallowing! 'Anura' is a group containing frogs and toads… and, yes, they are technically the same thing, in case you've always wondered.

An 'eardrum' or tympanic membrane with no outer ear as found in mammals. A sticky for grabbing prey, and Frogs ears are connected to their lungs some have small teeth in the upper jaw which vibrate in unison, preventing their for holding food in position ready for loud calling from deafening themselves. swallowing. Some have bony ridges others just have gums.

Tail vertebrae are fused together, to form a urostyle, for strength A larynx and/or a vocal sac for and to allow 'clear for take loud calling, especially during off' jumping. seasons.

Skin that breathes and can absorb nutrients from their surroundings. Frog's skin is almost all glandular, some are extremely poisonous!

Muscular rear legs that have modified moving parts and fused lower Specialist feet... some have pads that leg bones for strength and shock stick allowing them to climb, some have absorbance. Most of the muscles webbed feet for swimming. Some even push, the opposing pull muscles use their webbed feet to parachute are smaller. down from trees to escape predators. 20 21 More answers to the amphibian alarm By Tim Wright

A large proportion of India's 400 or so awareness among the general public about species of amphibians are threatened the ecological importance of maintaining with extinction. Around the world, captive amphibian populations. breeding is being widely used as a tool to protect and recover some of the most Workshop participants were trained in . Until now, amphibians topics including enclosure design and have been rarely seen in India's zoos, and construction, filtration, lighting and heating, there is only a single managed breeding managing water quality, biosecurity and programme in the whole country – that of disease issues, breeding requirements, the Himalayan newt, run by Darjeeling Zoo. nutrition, record keeping and the basics of visitor education. To help change this, last December staff from Durrell and Zoological Society of This workshop was just a first step towards London travelled to Assam in northeast supporting amphibian conservation in India, India to run an amphibian conservation and more work will follow. husbandry workshop. Durrell has extensive experience of not After an official opening by Assam's Chief only managing and breeding threatened Minister, 26 zoo personnel from across amphibians, but also sharing this expertise India received practical training in all through training workshops around the aspects of amphibian captive management, world, having run them in Madagascar, husbandry and breeding. Bolivia, Argentina, India, Sri Lanka, and Jersey. At the request of India's Central Zoo Authority, Durrell has begun the process of In total, 495 people were trained through building in-country expertise in amphibian Durrell Conservation Academy in 2013, husbandry, so that some of the more on a range of courses delivered in Jersey, threatened species can be protected and England, Mauritius, United Arab Emirates, bred in captivity, and also to increase Colombia and India. 22 23

Getting the nests down safely is just as tricky

Francesca finds an (almost) accessible nest Six-week old finches Big news for a little bird...

...and one with quite a big story, to boot. survived to adulthood for some years. through this stage would measurably Hand-rearing newly hatched chick The mangrove finches of the Ecuadorian increase the adult population. Galapagos Islands famously provided The situation was critical, and after Charles Darwin (and later naturalists Peter an approach from the Ecuadorian So this season, in partnership with San and Rosemary Grant) with real evidence Government, Durrell – in partnership with Diego Zoo and in particular Dr. Richard of how environments shape the species the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Switzer, eggs were collected from nests that prosper in them. The shape of the Galapagos National Park Service – set out in Isabela and hatched in complete mangrove finches’ beak changed the way on a long term effort to save the species. isolation (for bio-security reasons) at the people considered life on earth (at least as Charles Darwin Station. The next step in we know it). Durrell employed two fantastic field this extraordinary story will come when managers on this project, first Birgit Francesca takes the new chicks back to In recent years the population of these Fessl and later Francesca Cunninghame. their distant and returns them iconic birds (they are pictured in the logo Through very hard work in some extremely to the wild. of the Darwin Initiative, amongst others) inhospitable conditions, the team has done anything but prosper. By 2006 determined the techniques that could be Birgit will be there with her to see this pressures from invasive mammals and used to increase the number of adult birds. momentous return... and we’ll keep you parasitic flies meant that there were fewer With so few chicks surviving to fledging, posted on how the mangrove finch battles than 100 finches left and, not one chick had it seemed obvious that helping the birds its way back from the edge of extinction. Birgit Fessl and Dr. Glyn Young surveying Isabela, Galapagos 24 25

Your legacy means the world

Every gift to Durrell is most welcome. We If you are thinking of making or updating often do not know why this or that person your Will and would like to talk to someone chose to make a donation, but whatever at Durrell in confidence, please contact: the reason or size, each and every penny adds up. We have been able to save Mrs Rachel Shaw on 01534 860065 or species from extinction for more than email [email protected] 50 years because of them. Bracken family and keepers Asato We have received a number of remarkable gifts from supporters who have chosen to make a donation to Durrell in their Will. A flying visitor rekindles To those people who have thought of us alongside their family and friends, we are an old friendship very grateful.

Back in 1999 Asato the son of our famous When one of the aforementioned flight silverback Jambo was starting to crew, Wing Commander Mike Bracken show signs of being ready to fly the nest. MBE, got home to his wife and young daughter later that week, his stories of flying It was decided that Asato, at eight years an African ape-prince out of a tiny island of age and already sporting a light dusting was greeted with some disbelief. Mike of silver across his muscular back would vowed to prove it one day. Fifteen years join the experimental bachelor group at later, he did just that... bringing his family to Paignton Zoo. This would determine how meet now-retired Richard Johnstone-Scott, he fared away from his family, before being along with current Senior Gorilla Keeper sent to a breeding group elsewhere Jonathan Stark, and of course Durrell’s 2013 legacies in Europe. current family of awesome , led by silverback Badongo. Being no ordinary traveller, Asato took a special private flight with the Royal Air Both the Bracken family and keepers Honouring the generosity of: Force’s 57 Air Training Squadron no less! past and present enjoyed sharing tales He and his keeper, Richard Johnstone- of their extraordinary occupations, and Scott would have the entire hold of their it was surprising how often these tales L Rickard M Lord M Stedman, E Burnell C-130 Hercules to themselves, with Asato overlapped. Wing Commander Bracken P Collett B Parker J Watt I Abrams awake and safe in his transport crate for informed us that 57 Squadron has recently S Hayes I Flute K Polkinhorn J Langley the whole journey. reformed, and we can’t help wondering if J Patterson P Seaforth E Crockatt J Bryden-Fayers they need a mascot... C Higgins A Wilder M Aldred J Phillipps It all went as planned, and although the A Cobb M Grimshaw A Hynes C Morse flight crew joked about being joined by the R Kerr E Parry D Gauld P McConchie young silverback in the cockpit, the closest they got was bidding a fond farewell to keeper and gorilla at the other end. 26 27 To your health! Thank you Dr. Slaffer!

Truly one-of-a-kind, our dedicated doctor cared for the health and wellbeing of Durrell’s extended family of keepers, conservationists and even animals for more than 34 years. It goes without saying that we’ll miss him, but we know that he and his family will always be part of the Durrell Team.

Despite retiring from medical practice in late 2013, Dr Simon Slaffer didn’t leave with a farewell handshake. Instead, he and his family arranged a unique charity challenge that raised an amazing £4,173 for our conservation work.

In his own words:

“I have been interested in wildlife since I was involved in examining any great childhood, and when I came to work in ape that was moved from one enclosure Jersey in 1980 my predecessor was Gerald to another, and usually carried out a Durrell’s personal physician. Gerry knew that full medical examination, including a the orangutans and were very much cervical smear in the females like Gina the like us. Doctors are ‘specialists in humans’, orangutan. so Gerald would consult his doctor when a problem arose with the apes. I was involved in treating gorilla Jambo’s Dr Slaffer at the charity challenge bad shoulder and investigating N’Pongo’s raising funds for Durrell From 1980 I advised in various situations families’ diarrhoea, as well as allergies to when requested by the vets to give an straw dust, arthritis, sickness in opinion. It wasn’t uncommon to get a phone and more. On occasions when I thought call from Richard Johnstone-Scott and ‘super specialist’ advice was needed, I include a visit to Durrell on my house-call introduced consultants from the hospital, rounds between the humans. I would say many of whom are continuing to do valuable what we would do in a human, and this work for the Trust. proved very helpful from time to time. My 30 year old son frequently came up One example was my diagnosing and to Durrell as a child, and although he lives treating orangutan Gambar’s heart condition. in London now, he still loves to visit, and He improved so much that he impregnated even brings his girlfriend along to share his the females and another generation was childhood memories.” born. This story became big news, featuring on TV globally.

Middle left to right: Dr Slaffer with Sir at Durrell, Dr Slaffer examines 'Gina', Dr Slaffer's proud of the fact that his classic car is the same as one featured on one of Gerald's books. Bottom left to right: Dr Slaffer and son Matthew in the Gorilla enclosure 1986, Matthew's seventh birthday party at Dodo Restauran, Matthew and girlfriend at Durrell in 2013. 28 29

Goodbye Dr Jonah Farewell Professor John E. Fa Ratsimbazafay

John Fa came to Durrell almost 22 years People here also remember John for papers. For all this John received a A noted primatologist, and specifically ago, but was known to us well before that. making superb coffee and for constructing well-deserved professorship from a lemur expert, Jonah came to Durrell In Mexico in the late 1980s he met up with flamboyant paella, the recipe for which will Imperial College. in 2002, and started with a passion John Hartley, who was Gerry’s PA at the have reached the far corners of the planet and conviction that would become his time. Hartley recalls clambering up and through the ITC graduates! John will carry on working with us on a trademark. Under his tenure as Training and down the slopes of volcanos with John and number of projects, not least a book on Conservation Coordinator, Madagascar, his students to look for volcano rabbits, and In about 2003 John became the Director the history of the Trust. And wherever he he led on community work that helped to then visiting the extraordinary collection of of Conservation Science, and travelled to finds himself in the world, I know he will put an end to the hunting of the critically currasows kept by an eccentric friend of all of our active field sites, imparting his sincerely and enthusiastically promote endangered Lac Alaotran gentle lemur. John near Mexico City. wisdom and making a profound impact on the Durrell cause. the future of many species in Durrell’s care. During his visits to Jersey, Jonah gave John was primarily a field ecologist, but To John, we thank you for everything you presentations at Durrell Conservation also a popular teacher at the University In 2009 John became Durrell’s Chief have done for Durrell and Academy which invariably earned him a of Mexico, and it was as an educator Conservation Officer, with the task of conservation, and we wish you all the standing ovation for his energy and inspiring that he came to Durrell. He took over increasing Durrell’s visibility in conservation best of luck! words of hope. Fittingly, Jonah will take the International Training Centre, which and science. In fact he has done just that his knowledge and communication skills had made a strong start under the first throughout his time here by organising to head up Madagascar’s foremost lemur Training Officer, but John took it further by conferences, undertaking consultancies for conservation organisation, the Groupe developing the conservation biology side of zoos, NGOs and governments, developing d’Etude et de Recherche sur les the practical training. In the words of one of partnerships with universities and teaching Dr. Lee Durrell de Madagascar (GERP). John’s colleagues, “Hundreds of trainees on their courses. He has also overseen Honorary Director took away the Durrell flame to ignite research projects of numerous Masters and So although this is goodbye, it’s not at all a species conservation with good science.” PhD students, doing field work himself in sad one, because we believe that the future West on the issue, and of Madagascar’s lemurs is in the very best he has published hundreds of scientific of hands. 30 30 Recollections of Alison Jolly The parting shot...

We hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of On the Edge, and that it’s given you some food for thought, and hope for the future of wildlife.

By the time this issue gets to you, we’re willing to bet that you’ll be affected in one way or another by the football World Cup.

Whether you’re a football fan, a family member of one or just someone who changes channel every time a game starts, you won’t be able to escape from what happens in Brazil this summer!

Our team...

...have had the Brazilian city known as Manaus (one of the host cities of this year’s World Cup) in their minds for years. It’s the only region in the world that the tiny, charismatic By Lee Durrell known as the pied tamarin calls home... and to do that, it has had to adapt to the Dr Alison Jolly, 1980, lecturing at the first 'Summer School' city that has almost totally swallowed the rainforest within the last 20 years. at the Trust with colleague Professor Robert D. Martin It is rare that one gets to meet one’s heroes, the work of Durrell, both in Madagascar Our goal... but I have been lucky that way. A book that and abroad. We supported her educational was a constant companion when I lived in outreach project in rural Madagascar, ...is ultimately to make sure that any animal that comes under our conservation care has the Madagascar in the early ‘70s was Lemur which utilised her enchanting children’s chance to ‘go home’ one day. For these pied tamarins, home means traffic instead of trees, Behavior by Dr Alison Jolly. I held in awe books on lemurs. power-lines instead of vines and, this year, a massive influx of new people. the woman scientist who was for lemurs what Jane Goodall was for chimpanzees. I visited Alison just a few weeks before she Finally, our paths crossed at a primate died. We talked about the book she was Our supporters... symposium in Cambridge in 1976, and I just finishing, which she knew would be found Alison to be utterly approachable, published posthumously. As always, she ... could help us to ensure that there’s still some space for pied tamarins. We have the best but with an aura of serenity and wisdom was knowledgeable and forward-looking, players in when it comes to this species, and we’re the best defenders in unmatched by anyone I have ever known. as well as serene and wise. I told her about the conservation game. the scholarship we want to set up in her The next time our paths crossed, I had just name for young Malagasy conservationists, Please help us to level the playing field for the animals of the World Cup city of Manaus. met Gerald Durrell – another hero – at a and she was delighted. dinner party in 1977. I found out later that he had telephoned Alison the next morning Just after Alison passed away, I found to check out my bona fides! Gerry’s well-thumbed copy of Lemur Behavior. Inside the front cover is inscribed Alison became a noted primatologist “For Gerald Durrell, who did a great deal to and the doyenne of conservation in begin this study. Alison Jolly”. Madagascar, as well as part of the Trust. She served on our Council and our How fortunate I am that my two heroes Scientific Advisory Committee for many knew each other! years and on the Board of our sister trust in the USA. She taught on one of the first For me information on The Alison Jolly courses at the Academy and promoted Scholarship go to: www.durrell.org/latest/news/ the-leading-lady-of-lemurs Is there an animal lover amongst your friends or family?

Gifting them a Durrell animal adoption does more than just show that you care for them...

... it shows that you care about the astounding creatures we share our planet with. www.durrell.org/adopt T. +44 (0) 1534 860015