Our joint efforts have had far-reaching effects. Our work with the endangered Mauritian birds galvanised the people of Mauritius into being more aware of and concerned about their special island wildlife. So much so that the Black River Gorges area in which we were working was designated a National Park by the government. In fact, Yousouf Mungroo, the very first graduate of Durrell Wildlife’s International Training Centre in Jersey, became the first Director of the first National Parks in Mauritius. This training centre in Jersey is a highly respected facility where people from all over the world, including many among our Mauritian team, come to learn good conservation practice which they can then take back and apply in their own country.
So what of the reptiles taken from Round Island, I hear you ask? Having been comfortably installed in the ‘Ark’ for over twenty-five years with great success, the skink and gecko have now been retired back to Mauritius into semi-wild conditions (I am secretly hoping that this may happen to me one day). This leaves only the Round Island boa to update you on. We have made great inroads into understanding this enigmatic snake, but it has not completely revealed its secrets to us. There is still much to learn and the study in Jersey continues to help us to address conservation questions that would be difficult to undertake in situ.
So, I contemplated, perhaps even from this very spot Gerald Durrell’s dream of a conservation effort to encompass a whole spectrum of rare and endangered species was formed. I allowed myself a brief moment of pride, and, I admit, a little smugness. But one must not rest upon one’s laurels (especially when one is clinging to a gently swaying tree) for there is still much to be done. The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust continues to work with the pink pigeon both in the wild and, now in a largely ambassadorial role, in Jersey. More recently, the plight of the beautiful emerald echo parakeet, the rarest parakeet in the world, has also been addressed with a successful recovery programme in Mauritius. Over thirty years of conservation expertise on the island of Mauritius means that this inquisitive and bright little bird is in very safe hands.
Exciting new projects are constantly in development, with specialists from Jersey being sent to work alongside our local Mauritian staff. In fact, a colleague of mine will be trading a cold, wet Jersey winter for the blue skies of Mauritius as he helps to establish a recovery programme for a very delicate, rare and beautiful ‘passerine’ (that’s a little songbird to the non-birdy experts among you).
Since this book was written, the restoration of Round Island has gone from strength to strength, with native plants being grown and translocated onto the island and, most recently, with the construction of a field station — much to the delight of the weather-beaten warden. Even the Aldabran giant tortoise has been seconded into a bit of manual labour for the greater good. On another island this close relative of the native Mauritian giant tortoises (hunted to extinction over a century and a half ago), has been found to be an excellent grazer of exotic, unwanted plants, leaving valuable native plants to grow undisturbed — much like a selective, benign, lumbering, lawn mower. If trials are successful this tortoise will soon be utilised on Round Island.
As the first few droplets of rain fell from the sky and clung gently to the forest grime that had already laid claim to my face, I realised that the time for reflection had passed and I ought to get moving. Limited experience of the tropics told me that these droplets do not usually travel in ones and twos, and so I would be wise to begin my descent before the mountains gave up their valiant struggle to hold back the clouds. I could imagine my mosquito welcoming committee in the vegetation below tutting and looking at their watches. I felt a mixture of emotions as I looked out over the forest for one last time: a great sense of pride at what had been achieved, a tinge of sadness that human impact invariably causes such damage, but mostly an enormous sense of hope and excitement for the future. Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, as part of its ongoing commitment to saving species worldwide, will continue to support the efforts of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation in its endeavours to protect and propagate the animals and plants of this unique environment. And talking of another unique environment, the keepers and staff on site in Jersey will carry on investing our skill and expertise in caring for the precious animals entrusted to us by the government and people of Mauritius.
A MESSAGE FROM THE DURRELL WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TRUST
What Gerald Durrell did for the golden bat and the pink pigeon subsequently saved several native Mauritian species and inspired the founding of the country’s first national park. His experiences with these animals gave fresh impetus and new inspiration to his lifetime crusade to preserve the rich diversity of animal life on our planet.
The crusade to preserve endangered species did not end with Gerald Durrell’s death in 1995. His work goes on through the untiring efforts of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust.
Over the years many readers of Gerald Durrell’s books have been so motivated by his experiences and vision that they have wanted to continue the story for themselves by supporting his Wildlife Conservation Trust. We hope that you will feel the same way today because through his books and life, Gerald Durrell set us all a challenge. ‘Animals are the great voteless and voiceless majority’ he wrote, ‘who can survive only with our help.’
Please don’t let your interest in conservation end when you turn this page. Write to us now and we’ll tell you how you can be part of our crusade to save animals from extinction.For further information, or to send a donation, write to:
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust Les Augres Manor Jersey Channel Islands JE3 5BP Via UK
Or visit the website: