Jersey zoo » Durrell (Jersey) Zoo

07-09-2007

I've just read Hadley's post, and an indication here that the Jersey collection could become more general in future? It bears out my theory that they are having to undertake major changes in order to stay afloat. As you said, the general visitor doesn't get too excited about some of the smaller more obscure species on show at Jersey. Its location and size means it will never become a major collection of large species, but maybe now they are considering adding a range of more 'visually appealing' species to draw visitors.

Their worst problem is their location... Jersey is very expensive to get too, whether by air or boat, and to stay there too. So, despite its appeal, its not a very popular family holiday destination, and as anyone knows, it is families who are any zoo's bread and butter...

08-09-2007

Sorry I missed out the Black Howler Monkeys (Alouatta caraya) and also the Bali Mynah (Leucopsar rothschildi). Jersey does seem as if it is becoming a more general collection. Unfortunately the public who don't mind what they see far outnumber enthusiasts who would make a special journey just to see a species of obscure island rat, or strange lizard.

08-09-2007

I really think you can tell if a (non-specialist) zoo is serious about conservation as opposed to just maintaining numbers in a zoo population from their reptile and amphibian collection.

My point was really that captive breeding ex situ for most mammals rarely engages the captive stock with conservation projects for that species in the wild other than maybe by raising awareness/funds for the project. It is more likely that in situ efforts will produce a larger wild population. And Jersey really doesn't seem to pretend otherwise, which to me explains why few endangered mammal or bird species have been added to the collection since the aye ayes and gentle lemurs. So to survive I can see them adding more 'model' species that simply 'represent' rarer wild relatives.

08-09-2007

I think they use a new buzz word nowadays- 'Ambassadors' for the wild species...

09-09-2007

does anyone know what happened to Jersey's tuatara? They were the first zoo outside of NZ to breed them (in the 70s or maybe late 60s?). When did they stop keeping them, and was it because they died or just go to another collection?

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09-09-2007

did they breed them?

09-09-2007

Jersey have not bred tuataras. The last record I have for them is 1977, I don't know where they went to.

10-09-2007

everything I've read says they were the first zoo outside NZ to breed them....(?)

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10-09-2007

Chlidonias can you provide a reference? If it is true it's something I've not seen before. The rare species census always showed Jersey as having 1.1

10-09-2007

I guess you're right. I originally read it in a NZ book called "Some of my best friends are animals" by Michael Willis (owner of Willowbank in Christchurch, NZ) and I've read it a few other times since, but it would appear that all those came from Willis' book. I've always just believed it to be true but I can't find anything on the internet and it doesn't say anything about it in the DoC Tuatara Management Plan (which has a little about the history of tuatara in captivity). Oh well, I don't mind being wrong so long as I learn new things :-)
Still wondering what happened to Jersey's tuatara though...

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10-09-2007

I'm making enquiries at the moment as to what happened to the Jersey pair.

Re tuatara breeding I saw in the 1970s a report saying Chester Zoo had bred Red Birds of Paradise. This did not occur until a few years ago. What the author was referring to was that the original pair had laid an egg.

If this had been copied by other people without being checked, a situation similar to the Jersey tuataras could have occurred.

Perhaps eggs were laid by the Jersey tuataras, the female at Chester laid several clutches.

As you said, it's nice to learn new facts.

11-09-2007

it woud be nice if somewhere like london or jersey coud house tuataras, so we coud have a larger population in the uk.

11-09-2007

When Chester obtained their group they had to have permission off the Maori people before they were allowed to leave New Zealand.

I'm ashamed to say I never give the Tuataras a second glance now, I've seen them regularly since 1967.

11-09-2007

Here is a report on the Durrell Wildlife Trust which I received earlier this year. It seems although there is not much happening in the zoo, the Trust's field work is expanding.

Durrell Wildlife Trust has been credited with saving 7 out of the 26 bird species which would have become extinct without the actions of conservationists. The seven species are Mauritius Kestrel (Falco punctatus), Rodrigues Fody (Foudica flavicans), Rodrigues Warbler (Acrocephalus rodericanus), Mauritius Pink Pigeon (Nesoenas mayeri), Echo Parrakeet (Psittacula equees), Bali Starling (Leucopsar rothschildi) and the Waldrapp Ibis (Geronticus eremita).

Measures pioneered by the Trust are currently being used to aid the conservation of Mauritius Fody (Foudia rubra), Round Island Petrel (Pterodroma arminjoniana) and Olive White-eye (Zosterops chloronothus).

A survey on Montserrat in 2005-2006 revealed the presence of the Montserrat Galliwasp (Diploglossus montisserrati), Guadeloupe Big-eyed Bat (Chiroderma improvisum) and Yellow-shouldered Volcano Bat (Sturnira thomasi), all previously thought to be extinct, together with the re-discovery of a shrub and an orchid which were also thought to be extinct.

An in-situ plan to conserve the Madagascan Pochard (Aythya innotata) is being inaugarated.

20 Ploughshare Tortoises (Angonoka yniphora) bred at the Ampijoroa breeding centre in Madagascar were released into the wild. The Trust has now released 45 young tortoises back into their natural habitat.

The St Lucia Whiptail Lizard (Cnemidophorus vanzoi) was successfully released onto Praslin Island in 1995 and the population now numbers 335. The Trust are investigating the possibility of creating two new colonies on Rat Island and Dennery Island. The known range of this lizard is only 12 hectares, all of it on islands off the eastern coast of St Lucia.

The Trust has achieved a protection order for 125000 hectares of Madagascan habitat at Menabe, including dry forest, mangrove swamps and wetlands. Included in this total is a 30000 hectare total conservation area. The reserve contains Flat-tailed Tortoises (Pyxis planicauda), Madagascan Giant Jumping Rats (Hypogeomys antimena) , Narrow-striped Mongooses (Mungotictis decemlineata) and Berthe's Mouse Lemurs (Microcebus berthae).

Durrell Wildlife are investigation projects to conserve Atelopus frogs in Lake Negra, Venezuela and another un-named (in the magazine that is, not an undescribed species) critically endangered frog in the Merida region of Venezuela.

A conservation programme has doubled the wild population of Grand Cayman Blue Iguanas (Cyclura lewisi). These lizards are raised in captivity until they are three years old, and then they are released into the wild. Two releses of 92 and 103 lizards have taken place.

An in-situ breeding programme has begun for the Mangrove Finch (Camarhynchus heliobates), in conjunction with the Charles Darwin Foundation and the Galapágos National Park.

An attempt is being made to count the number of St Lucia Parrots (Amazona versicolor) in the wild.

The Olive White-eye (Zosterops chloronothus) has been successfully bred in captivity and 15 chicks have been released on to Ils aux Aigrettes, off the coast of Mauritius. This project is jointly run by Durrell Wildlife, Chester Zoo and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation.

Durrell Wildlife is monitoring the effects of development within the range of the White-breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus brachyurus) on behalf of the St Lucia Forestry Department. The known population is less than 1100 birds.

Births at the zoo (winter 2006)
White-chinned Emperor Tamarins (Saguinus imperator subgriscens)
Spiny Hill Turtle (Heosemys spinosa)
Eyelash Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii)
Bartlett's Bleeding Heart Pigeon (Gallicolumba criniger)

Births at the zoo (spring 2007)
Madagascan Giant Jumping Rat (Hypogeomys antimena)
Bartlett's Bleeding Heart Pigeon (Gallicolumba criniger)
Pied Tamarin (Saguinus bicolor)

11-09-2007

i wish jersey woud stop bringning in the common species like howler monkeys and meerkats and bring in much more rarer species.