Jersey Zoo is honouring what would have been the 100th birthday of its founder - Gerald Durrell.

A plaque, paying tribute to the world-renowned naturist, has been unveiled at his former home - the Manor House within the grounds of the zoo. 

It reads:

Gerald Durrell 1925 – 1995

Celebrated writer, naturalist and conservation visionary, Gerald Durrell lived here at Les Augrès Manor from 1959 until 1995.

Born in India, he spent his formative years in Corfu, which inspired his lifelong mission to save species from extinction.

He founded Jersey Zoo in 1959 and a charitable trust in 1963.

Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is respected throughout the world as a pioneer in wildlife and habitat conservation. Behind you lie Gerald’s ashes under the stone of Jersey granite.

“GD100”

Lee Durrell, Gerald's widow, said a few words: 

Gerald Durrell: history and legacy

Gerald was born in Eastern India in 1925, where he lived for a few years before moving to England, then to Corfu - the latter of which he spent much of his childhood. 

The Greek island was credited in Durrell's book 'My Family and Other Animals' with igniting his love for animals and the natural world.

Gerald Durrell tending to some tapirs

In 1946, the naturalist received an inheritance from his father, which he used to fund animal-collecting trips to West Africa and South America. This was also when he began writing, using the money from his books to fund his own Zoo. 

Jersey Zoo opened its doors in 1959, with a charitable body set up in 1963 (now called Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust) to oversee the zoo and carry out animal-saving work. 

The opening of Jersey Zoo

Gerald married American zoologist Lee McGeorge in 1979. The pair co-authored 'The Amateur Naturalist' - which sold over a million copies.

The Durrells then reached an even larger audience as they expanded into nature and animal documentaries and series such as 'Ourselves and Other Animals' and 'Durrell's Ark'. 

Durrell became an OBE in 1982. He past away just over a decade late,  on 30 January 1995, after a battle with liver cancer. 

Gerald Durrell with Princess Anne, a patron of Jersey Zoo, in 1972

Since his death, Gerald has been hailed as a true pioneer of conservation from the public, The Royal Family and even David Attenborough. 

Jersey Zoo continues to grow and operate in his name and under his ethos.