Beasts in My Belfry Read online

  Working and living in the tranquil setting of Les Augrès Manor in those days was a marvellous experience. The collection was still in its infancy, and it was a time of breaking new ground in the management and breeding of many rare and endangered species. It was also a time of learning for everyone concerned, which created a special kind of camaraderie among the predominantly young and enthusiastic team.

  Mr D’s hilarious description of his invitation to join Captain Beale and his wife for a curry dinner reminded me that he was known to produce copious amounts of wickedly hot curry himself. Invariably, it seems that he made far too much, with the result that a huge saucepan of his latest culinary delight would suddenly appear in the staff kitchen accompanied by a humorous note. The delicious contents would then be reheated and devoured by an always ravenous staff.

  The zoo was managed on a shoe-string budget and by making do with what was available. Instead of using costly reels of hose, water was drawn from an ancient pump into large milk churns and then sloshed over cage floors. Brooms and scrubbing brushes were made to last until only stubble remained, and then they were used for at least another week. In addition to our animal-keeping duties, we also assisted with maintenance tasks such as painting enclosures, applying creosote to fences and repairing anything that didn’t require a tradesman’s skills. Then, twice weekly, there was the unenviable procedure of loading ‘Paddy’s wagon’ with maggot infested offal from the meat store along with other bins of animal waste destined for the local dump. This highly unpleasant task had the more wily keepers slinking off to perform ‘vitally important jobs’ elsewhere, usually at the furthest point from where this ancient vehicle was parked . . . consequently Paddy and I got to know one another rather well!

  At that time more conventional zoos regarded conservation as a minor activity, yet Mr D was already prophesising what is happening globally today. In Beasts in my Belfry he describes his initial awareness of the imminent plight of many species. ‘I started my researches on the subject and kept a massive file of the results. I did not know at the time, but I was producing a rather shaky and amateurish version of the Red Data Book now published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The results of my research horrified me . . .’

  Many years later, having founded his own animal sanctuary, Gerald Durrell set out with great determination and purpose to prove how zoos can contribute to conservation and to the survival of species. He recognised an urgent need to establish breeding programmes for species most at risk, and as a consequence the collection became more specialised, and focussed on fragile isolated populations. This included many small, unspectacular creatures, including spiny and pygmy hedgehog tenrecs (and later, giant jumping rats) from Madagascar, the rare Mexican volcano rabbit and hutias, Caribbean rodents from Jamaica and Cuba. Overlooked by many other conservationists these and many other scurrying ‘little brown jobs’ owe their very existence to the perseverance and unfailing efforts of Mr D.

  Having achieved marked breeding successes at the Trust Mr D then gradually backed this up by extending the work far beyond the boundaries of the zoo to promote education and research programmes and initiate in-situ conservation projects overseas. Zookeeping staff needed little encouragement to embrace the idea of animal and conservation research as part of their role, and many went on to achieve prominence in their chosen fields.

  One has only to read the early annual reports to appreciate the significance of the work and the progress made by Jersey staff despite severe financial constraints. More scientific papers were later produced on animal husbandry techniques, field work studies and research in what became the Dodo Journal, a highly acclaimed publication within the zoo fraternity

  In 1981 I was planning a self-funded field trip for the following year to study mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. When Mr D heard about it he promptly brought it forward to October of that year by making a generous donation towards my expenses. As a result I spent a truly memorable six weeks on the misty southern slopes of Mt Visoke with a fourteen-strong group led by the huge and majestic silverback Beethoven.

  Mr D’s long-envisaged Jersey-based International Training Centre (his mini-university) for students and trainees from various parts of the world saw its first intake in 1977, and has since exceeded 1,750 participants from 124 countries. Many now occupy influential positions in zoos, national parks and other conservation organisations.

  In the grounds today stand two prominent statues. One depicts our famous Jambo, the ‘Gentle Giant’, who on an unforgettable summer’s day in 1986 did so much to dispel the absurd myth of ‘King Kong’ by clearly displaying a degree of fellow creature concern towards the stricken form of the little boy who had fallen into the gorilla’s enclosure. The other, situated close to the main entrance, is an excellent likeness of our founder, a born naturalist and a remarkable man who progressed from zookeeper to animal collector and world-renowned author to then become a major force in conservation. Both Mr D and Jambo had a profound influence on my career, and for me will always remain conspicuous by their absence.

  Interestingly, the dedication in Beasts in my Belfry reads, ‘For Bianca and Grandy, in memory of three-quarters of a gorilla, and many other things . . .’ a typically humorous acknowledgement by Mr D regarding the purchase of N’Pongo, a much-loved grand old lady, former group matriarch and mother of eight who now rests peacefully at the highest point in the outside gorilla enclosure.

  Once likened to ‘a great big silverbacked gorilla’ by the prominent zoologist Dr Desmond Morris, Gerald Durrell, through his tireless dedication, great vision and downright stubbornness to succeed, transformed Jersey Zoo from its humble beginnings to what is now his priceless legacy to us all: a world famous institution appropriately known as the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, with its mission statement ‘Saving Species From Extinction’ being its endless quest.

  A MESSAGE FROM THE DURRELL WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TRUST

  Gerald Durrell’s childhood efforts at zoo-keeping, which so bemused his long-suffering family, were the beginning of a lifelong dedication to saving endangered species. What he learned on Corfu from mentors such as Theo inspired his crusade to preserve the rich diversity of animal life on our planet.

  This crusade to preserve endangered species did not end with Gerald Durrell’s death in 1995. His work goes on through the untiring efforts of 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 the work of his 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 only survive 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.

  Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

  Les Augrès Manor

  Jersey, Channel Islands, JE3 5BP

  UK

  Website: www.durrell.org

  Email: [email protected]

  MARRYING OFF MOTHER

  AND OTHER STORIES

  by Gerald Durrell

  A wonderful collection of stories from one of Britain’s best-loved naturalists

  ‘Which of these stories is true and which is semi-true I have, of course, not the slightest intention of telling you, but I hope this will not detract from your enjoyment . . .’

  Gerald Durrell introduces an eccentric cast of characters in this entertaining collection of stories, first published in 1991.

  In the title story, we join his family in Corfu, where Gerry joins forces with Larry and Margo in encouraging Mother to consider finding a new husband, only to rue the consequences. Highlights from the other tales in this collection are the acquisition of a stron
gly perfumed pig named Esmerelda, a foul-mouthed parrot called Moses, and a compulsive gambler who inspires a miracle.

  Written with Durrell’s usual sharp eye for observing humour in a situation, Marrying Off Mother will delight fans both old and new.

  ALSO AVAILABLE AS A PAN HERITAGE CLASSIC

  ROSY IS MY RELATIVE

  by Gerald Durrell

  From one of Britain’s best-loved authors and pioneering naturalists

  At the age of thirty, Adrian Rookwhistle’s life hasn’t quite turned out the way he’d have hoped. Working an unfulfilling job as a clerk in the city and living under the tyranny of his fearsome landlady, he can’t help but think that there is more to life.

  However, all of this suddenly changes when he receives a curious letter from his dying uncle who has bequeathed him£500 and an elephant by the name of Rosy, who has a seemingly unquenchable thirst for liquor. At a loss for what to do with his unexpectedly gargantuan, and rarely sober, inheritance, Adrian sets forth on a journey, believing to have the answer to his dilemma – he’ll give her away to the circus.

  Together Adrian and Rosy carve a trail of destruction through the peaceful countryside of southern England, meeting a curious cast of misfits along the way. Drunk or sober, Rosy spreads chaos in her wake, until the full weight of the law finally catches up with her . . .

  ‘His uproarious first novel’ Daily Mirror

  ‘Comic havoc!’ New York Times

  ‘Enchanting . . . beautifully told’ Scotsman

  ALSO AVAILABLE AS A PAN HERITAGE CLASSIC

  Endnote

  1. The Book of Beasts, T. H. White (Ed.), Jonathan Cape, London, 1954.

  BEASTS IN MY BELFRY

  Gerald Durrell was one of Britain’s best loved authors and pioneering naturalists. His books, such as the bestselling My Family and Other Animals which celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 2006, continue to entertain generations of children and adults alike.

  The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is an international conservation charity with headquarters in Jersey, UK.

  ‘A renegade who was right . . . He was truly a man before his time’

  SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH

  BY GERALD DURRELL

  and available from Pan Macmillan

  Ark on the Move

  The Ark’s Anniversary

  Beasts in My Belfry

  Catch Me a Colobus

  The Drunken Forest

  Fillets of Plaice

  Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons

  Marrying Off Mother and Other Stories

  Menagerie Manor

  The New Noah

  The Picnic and Suchlike Pandemonium

  Rosy is My Relative

  The Stationary Ark

  Three Singles to Adventure

  Two in the Bush

  First published 1973 by Collins

  This electronic edition published 2017 by Pan Books

  an imprint of Pan Macmillan

  20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR

  Associated companies throughout the world

  www.panmacmillan.com

  ISBN 978-1-4472-1409-0

  Copyright © Gerald Durrell 1973

  Cover image © Getty Images/CSA Images/Printstock Collection

  The right of Gerald Durrell to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  Pan Macmillan does not have any control over, or any responsibility for, any author or third-party websites referred to in or on this book.

  You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  Visit www.panmacmillan.com to read more about all our books and to buy them. You will also find features, author interviews and news of any author events, and you can sign up for e-newsletters so that you’re always first to hear about our new releases.

 

 

  Gerald Durrell, Beasts in My Belfry

 

 

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