Jersey Zoological Park
2008/9 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Great Britain
Durrell (prev. Jersey Zoological Park) |
|
The dodo is the symbol of the trust and the zoo. Statues of dodos stand at the gateways of the zoo.
|
|
Date opened | 26 March 1959 |
Location | Trinity, Jersey |
Land area | 25 acres |
Number of species | over 190 |
Website |
Jersey Zoological Park or Jersey Zoo is a 25- acre (100,000 m²) zoological park established in 1959 on the island of Jersey in the English Channel by naturalist and author Gerald Durrell (1925-1995). It is now officially called Durrell after its founder. It has approximately 150,000 visitors per year, despite a lack of emphasis on large animals and its relatively out-of-the-way location; visitor numbers tend to vary with the tourist trade to Jersey.
Durrell began his career capturing animals for other zoos, but thought that the facilities needed to concentrate more on animal conservation rather than mere entertainment. He tells the story of starting the zoo in his book "Menagerie Manor".
Jersey Zoo has always concentrated on rare and endangered species. It has mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, comprising over 190 species.
Since 1964, the zoo has been home to the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (formerly the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust).
Site
The zoo is located at Les Augrès Manor, Trinity, Jersey, 5 miles north of Saint Helier. It officially opened on March 26, 1959.
The zoo is situated in 31 acres of landscaped parkland and water-gardens. It has a strong commitment to looking after the Island’s native wildlife, and large areas within the grounds have been designated native habitat areas. A £1 million project to redevelop the central valley, completed in 2002, has created a haven for kingfishers, bank voles, butterflies, dragonflies and several species of waterfowl. The extensive planting of flowering and fruiting trees throughout the grounds also serves to attract a plethora of wild birds and insects. Included in the former are several species of bird which used to be commonly seen in Island gardens but have become increasingly scarce, including the house sparrow and song thrush.
There are over 50 nest-boxes positioned around the grounds, which are used by a variety of birds including barn owls, kestrels, swallows and martins. Other animals which are commonly seen within the grounds are the red squirrel, bank vole, and the short-toed tree creeper, which is not found in the UK.
New Vision
In January 2008 Durrell announced its new vision for the future with an emphasis on its 'Topspot' theme in conservation i.e. Madagascar. The plan is a five year £46 million pound project which would improve the visit to Durrell and improving the animal's welfare. All funds need to be raised. The first stage includes an 'African Bai' including a centered around a larger gorilla complex, showing more information and starting new programmes with animals from the same region i.e. river hogs and guernon monkeys. The other main project is 'Mascerena' with a central open exhibit for the bats and birds of Madagascar, Mauritius and Comores to fly free, and will be surrounded by other exhibits featuring the mongoose and various lemurs. The rest of stage one includes a visitor centre with restaurant, and plans for eco-lodges. The second stage would involve a new amphibian and reptile centre, improved medical and college facilities.
Jambo
Jambo was a gorilla who was born in 1961, in Basel, Switzerland. Jambo shot to international news stardom overnight on August 31, 1986, when five year old Levan Merritt fell into the gorilla enclosure and lost consciousness. Jambo stood guard over the boy when he was unconscious, placing himself between the boy and other gorillas in what ethnologists analyze as a protective gesture. He later stroked the unconscious boy. When the boy regained consciousness and started to cry, Jambo and the other gorillas retreated, and an ambulanceman and two keepers rescued the boy. Most of the drama was shot on home video by Brian Le Lion, and extensively photographed by bystanding zoo visitors. The publicity on major news channels and newspapers helped ease public fears about the potentially violent nature of gorillas.
Current breeding programmes at Durrell
Durrell primarily works with species from locations which are ecologically rich in diversity and not found anywhere else, such as islands and rainforests.
Mammals
Species | Status | Threats | Location | Programme |
---|---|---|---|---|
Western Lowland Gorilla | Endangered | Hunting and Disease | Congo | 1959- |
Sumatran Orangutan | Critically Endangered | Hunting and Habitat Loss | Sumatra, Indonesia | 1968- |
Celebes Crested Macaque | Endangered | Habitat Loss | Sulawesi, Indonesia | 1963- |
Lar Gibbon | Near Threatened | Habitat Loss | South East Asia | 1997- |
Ring-tailed Lemur | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | Madagascar | 1964- |
Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur | Endangered | Habitat Loss | Madagascar | 1982- |
Red Ruffed Lemur | Critically Endangered | Habitat Loss | Madagascar | 1982- |
Alaotran Gentle Lemur | Critically Endangered | Hunting and Habitat Loss | Madagascar | 1990- |
Aye-Aye | Endangered | Deforestation | Madagascar | 1990- |
Silvery Marmoset | Least Concern | Deforestation, Logging | Brazil | 1973- |
Golden Lion Tamarin | Endangered | Deforestation | Brazil | 1980- |
Black Lion Tamarin | Critically Endangered | Deforestation | Brazil | 1982- |
Golden-headed Lion Tamarin | Endangered | Deforestation | Brazil | 1980- |
Emperor Tamarin | Least Concern | Deforestation | Brazil | 1990- |
Cottontop Tamarin | Endangered | Deforestation | Brazil | 1975- |
Pied Tamarin | Critically Endangered | Deforestation | Brazil | 1989- |
White-headed Marmoset | Vulnerable | Deforestation | Brazil | 1988- |
Goeldi's Monkey | Near Threatened | Deforestation | Brazil, Peru | 1988- |
Black Howler Monkey | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Argentina | 2006- |
Andean Bear | Vulnerable | Hunting, Habitat Loss | Peru | 1962- |
Ring-tailed Coati | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Central & South America | 1998- |
Oriental Small-clawed Otter | Near Threatened | Trapping | India, Bangladesh | 1999- |
Malagasy Giant-Jumping Rat | Endangered | Limited Distribution, Habitat Loss | Madagascar | 1990- |
Meerkat | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Botswana, South Africa | 1999- |
Narrow-striped Mongoose | Endangered | Habitat Loss, Logging | Madagascar | 2006- |
Livingstone's Fruit Bat | Critically Endangered | Deforestation | Comoros | 1992- |
Rodrigues Flying Fox | Critically Endangered | Deforestation | Mauritius | 1976- |
Maned Wolf | Neat Threatened | Habitat Loss | Brazil, Chile | 2000- |
Parma Wallaby | Near Threatened | Habitat Loss | New South Wales, Australia | 1978- |
Red-fronted Brown Lemur | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | Madagascan Dry Forests | Autumn 2008- |
Birds
Species | Status | Threats | Location | Programme |
---|---|---|---|---|
Northern Bald Ibis | Critically Endangered | Hunting, Habitat Loss | Morocco, | 1968- |
Chilean Flamingo | Near Threatened | Habitat Loss, Pollution | Chile | 1976- |
Greater Flamingo | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Africa, Asia | 2002- |
White-naped Crane | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | Mongolia, Russia, China | 1979- |
Grey Crowned Crane | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Africa | 1972- |
Blue Crane | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | South Africa | 2004- |
Congo Peafowl | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | Congo | 1976- |
Edward's Pheasant | Endangered | Hunting, Trade, Habitat Loss | Vietnam | 1976- |
Vietnamese Pheasant | Endangered | Hunting, Illegal Trade | Vietnam | 1999- |
Palawan Peacock Pheasant | Vulnerable | Hunting | Palawan | 1983- |
St Lucia Amazon | Vulnerable | Deforestation | St Lucia | 1975- |
Echo Parakeet | Endangered | Habitat Loss | Mauritius | 1987- |
Wrinkled Hornbill | Near Threatened | Deforestation | Malaysia | 2002- |
Pink Pigeon | Endangered | Deforestation | Mauritius | 1977- |
Nicobar Pigeon | Near Threatened | Deforestation | Nicobar Islands | 2005- |
Emerald Dove | Least Concern | Deforestation | Sri Lanka | 2005- |
Mindanao Bleeding-heart Dove | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | Mindanao Island, Philippines | 2005- |
Swan Goose | Endangered | Hunting, Climate | Mongolia, China | 1970s- |
Red-breasted Goose | Endangered | Climate Change | Scandinavia | 1970s- |
Madagascar Teal | Endangered | Deforestation | Madagascar | 1993- |
Meller's Duck | Endangered | Deforestation | Madagascar | 1975- |
White-winged Wood Duck | Endangered | Hunting, Habitat Loss | India, Bangladesh | 2007- |
Marbled Duck | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | Spain | 1999- |
Ferruginous Duck | Near Threatened | Habitat Loss | Africa | 2006- |
Hottentot Teal | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Africa | 2005- |
Indonesian Teal | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Indonesia | 2007- |
White-backed Duck | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Central Africa | 2007- |
White-faced Whistling Duck | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Africa, South America | 2007- |
Black-winged Stilt | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Europe | 1999- |
Bali Starling | Critically Endangered | Illegal Bird Trade | Bali | 1972- |
Montserrat Oriole | Critically Endangered | Habitat Loss, Volcanic Activity | Montserrat | 1999- |
Red-crested Turaco | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | South Africa | 1972- |
Black Bulbul | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Madagascar | 1999- |
Blue-crowned Laughingthrush | Critically Endangered | Trade, Habitat Loss | China | 2001- |
Red-tailed Laughingthrush | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | China, Thailand | 2003- |
White-rumped Shama | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Malaysia | 2004- |
White-crowned Robin-chat | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | West Africa | 2004- |
Java Sparrow | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | Java, Indonesia | 2005- |
Pekin Robin | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | China | 2005- |
Hooded Pitta | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Malaysia | 2005- |
Chestnut-backed Thrush | Near Threatened | Habitat Loss | Indonesia | 2005- |
Asian Fairy-bluebird | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | India, Sri Lanka | 2005- |
Grey-faced Liocichla | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | China | 2005- |
Tropical mockingbird | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Trinidad | 2008- |
Brazilian Tanager | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Brazil | 2007- |
Reptiles
Species | Status | Threats | Location | Programme |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jamaican Boa | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Jamaica | 1976- |
Burmese Python | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | Myanmar | 1985- |
Eyelash Viper | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | South America | 2002- |
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman | Least Concern | Habitat Loss | South America | 2004- |
Radiated Tortoise | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | Madagascar | 1976- |
Marginated Tortoise | Least Concern | Hunting, Habitat Loss | Albania, Greece | 1990- |
Indochinese Box Turtle | Critically endangered | Habitat Loss, Trade | Vietnam, Laos | 2004- |
Malagasy Flat tailed tortoise | Endangered | Habitat Loss | Madagascar | 1990- |
Hispaniolan Slider | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | Dominican Republic, Haiti | 1999- |
Spiny Turtle | Endangered | Habitat Loss | Malaysia | 2006- |
Rhinoceros Iguana | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | Haiti, Dominican Republic | 1972- |
Lesser Antillean Iguana | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss, Hunting, Predation | Lesser Antilles | 1992- |
Utillan Spiny-tailed Iguana | Endangered | Habitat Loss | Utila Island, Mexico | 2006- |
Rio Fuerte Beaded Lizard | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss | Mexico | 2007- |
Jersey Common Lizard / Green Lizard | Near Threatened | Habitat Loss | Jersey | 2005- |
Amphibians
Species | Status | Threats | Location | Programme |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mountain Chicken | Endangered | Habitat Loss, Volcanic Activity | Montserrat | 1999- |
Mallorcan midwife toad | Vulnerable | Habitat Loss, Climate Change | Mallorca | 1985- |
Jersey Agile Frog | Critically Endangered | Habitat Loss | Jersey, Channel Islands | 1998- |
Trinidad Stream Frog | Vulnerable | Climate, Habitat Loss | Trinidad | 1994- |
Green and Black Poison Dart Frog | Near Threatened | Climate, Habitat Loss | Costa Rica | 1997-2008 |
Blue Poison Dart Frog | Vulnerable | Climate, Habitat Loss | Surinam | 1997- |
Reticulated Poison Dart Frog / Strawberry Poison-dart Frog | Near threatened | Climate, Habitat Loss | Colombia, Surinam | 1997- |
Golden Poison Dart Frog | Endangered | Climate, Habitat Loss | Colombia | 1998- |
Mission golden-eyed tree frog/ Amazon Milk Frog | Least Concern | Climate | Brazil | 2007- |
It has been announced that there are six new species of frog set to be shown for the first time late in 2008. Plus for the first time a caecillian
Other
Species | Status | Threats | Location | Programme |
---|---|---|---|---|
Partula (genus) | Critically Endangered | Introduced Species | Palau, Micronesia, Guam, | 1992- |
Education Species
Located within The Royal Pavilion, an educational centre mainly for schools and the public to visit and learn about the behaviours of different species. Unlike the other species they are not considered to be under threat.
Species | Location |
---|---|
Corn Snake | United States |
Rainbow boa | Latin America |
Milk Snake | North, Central & South America |
New Guinea Blue tongued skink | New Guinea |
Giant African land snail | Africa, Asia, Introduced in French Polynesia |
Giant millipede | West Africa |
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach | Madagascar |
Extatosoma tiaratum | Australia |
Cane Toad | Central & South America, introduced in Australia |
Local Wildlife Encouragement Programme
A programme set up by Durrell to encourage local Jersey wildlife such as red squirrels, bank voles and hedgehogs integrating them with the zoo. Centre piece is a pond encouraging waterfowl and insects such as dragonflies and damselflies.
Durrell is also working closely with local wildlife groups to help with the declining populations of Jersey's Sand lizard and the Jersey Crappaud / Common Toad.
Local rare and declining plant propagation
A long way from the usual animal conservation work at Durrell. Aim is maintain the genetic diversity of the locally rare plants. Currently four species are being grown in the propagation unit. Fragaria vesca or Wild Strawberry, Dianthus gallicus or Jersey Pink, Anogramma leptophylla or Jersey Fern and Linaria vulgaris or Common Toadflax. Other plant species will be propagated as seed or cutting material becomes available. As some of these plant species are so severely threatened, just finding specimens for propagation will be a real challenge.
During the valley restoration project in 2000/01 two species of locally rare orchid were encouraged, and first flowered in 2005. They are Loose Flowered-orchid and Southern Marsh-orchid.