Gourt > Arts > Literature > Authors > D > Durrell, Gerald
Gerald ('Gerry') Malcolm Durrell (January 7, 1925 – January 30, 1995) was a naturalist, zookeeper, author, and television presenter, best known for founding what is now called the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Jersey Zoo on the Channel Island of Jersey in 1958, and for writing a number of books based on his animal-collecting expeditions, zoo-keeping, and conservation efforts.
Biography
The Indian years
Durrell was born in Jamshedpur, then Bihar Province, India on January 7, 1925. His parents had themselves been born in India but were of English and Irish descent. He was the fourth surviving and final child of Louisa Florence Durrell (née Dixie) and Lawrence Samuel Durrell. Durrell's father was a British engineer, and as befitting family status, the infant Durrell spent most of his time in the company of the ayah or nursemaid. Durrell reportedly recalls his first visit to a zoo in India, and attributes his life-long love of animals to that encounter. The family moved to England after the death of his father in 1928.The Corfu years
The family moved to the Greek island of Corfu in 1935, where Durrell began to collect and keep as pets the local fauna. They stayed until 1939. This interval was later the basis of the book My Family and Other Animals and its successors, Birds, Beasts, and Relatives, The Garden of the Gods and a story in the short story compilation Fillets of Place. Durrell was home-schooled during this time by various family friends and private tutors, mostly friends of his eldest brother Lawrence (later to be a famous novelist). One of them, the Greek doctor, scientist, poet and philosopher Theodore Stephanides would be Durrell's friend and mentor, and his ideas would leave a lasting impression on the young Durrell. Together, they would examine and Durrell would house Corfu fauna in everything from test tubes to bathtubs. The other big influence on Durrell during these formative years, according to Durrell, was the writing of French naturalist Jean Henri Fabre. More on [ Gerald Durrell ]
@madeehasyed u are the gerald durrell of kitties :)
shobz (Shoaib Taimur) Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:38:16 -0000
@madeehasyed u are the gerald durrell of kitties :)
Reading group update. Read 'My family and other animals' by Gerald Durrell. Meet in LRC 3.15pm Wed 16th Dec - mince pies/hot choc treat
simonettataylor (Sim Taylor) Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:02:07 -0000
Reading group update. Read 'My family and other animals' by Gerald Durrell. Meet in LRC 3.15pm Wed 16th Dec - mince pies/hot choc treat
has read Marrying Off Mother: And Other Stories by Gerald Durrell - http://bit.ly/1mf7J8
shwami (Siddharth Vaghela) Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:32:07 -0000
has read Marrying Off Mother: And Other Stories by Gerald Durrell - http://bit.ly/1mf7J8
GERALD DURRELL by Douglas Botting: Years and years ago in a summer rental at the Oregon Coast where the days we.. http://bit.ly/42qOjn
Cruise__Chick (Cruise Chick) Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:25:25 -0000
GERALD DURRELL by Douglas Botting: Years and years ago in a summer rental at the Oregon Coast where the days we.. http://bit.ly/42qOjn
Gerald Durrell 1925-1995 - A photograph and biography of the author and naturalist from the Wild Ones: The Children's Education Programme of Wildlife Preservation Trust International.
Gerald Durrell OBE - An appreciation of the author and naturalist from Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Includes photographs, biography and list of his works.
Meta Description: [ Web site for Durrell Zoo Main public site for Durrell Zoo ]
In Memory of Gerald Durrell - Links to articles, pictures, books, essays, photographs, biographies, and other material about Gerald Durrell.
Meta Description: [ Gerald Durrell: links to articles, pictures, books, essays, photographs, biographies, and other material about Gerald Durrell ]
| Aye Aye | |
