The Stationary Ark

By Gerald Durrell

What we tried to do in Jersey is create a new sort of zoo. I think we have succeeded.

In The Stationary Ark Gerald Durrell describes his battles to create his vision of a new sort of zoo at Jersey with descriptions of his successes and failures with a liberal sprinkling of zoo animal tales on the way. Much of Gerald Durrell's long-standing basic captive breeding and conservation vision, which may, in this century, seem almost obvious, is set out here along with prophecies – just one almost throwaway instance: ‘In our next step, we plan to form the Trust into a kind of mini-university of wildlife husbandry and breeding’.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Dec 16, 2011
• ISBN: 9781447214229

Gerald Durrell

<p><b>Gerald Durrell</b> was a naturalist and author of memoirs based on his life with — and love for — animals. He founded the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Durrell Wildlife Park on the isle of Jersey.</p>

Reviews for The Stationary Ark

[cathyskye · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Stationary Ark is a quick yet fascinating read, all about Durrell's experiences and opinions of what a proper zoo should look like and what it should be doing. First published in the 1970s, Durrell doesn't hold back on his opinions, such as that most zoos of the day were a disgrace. Zoo design, to him, should consist of four things in strict order of importance: (1) the needs of the animal, (2) the needs of the person looking after the animal, (3) the public who wish to see the animal, and (4) the aesthetic aims of the architect and of the gardener who has to tend it. Most zoos, Durrell believed, had those four priorities in reverse order. He also believed that a zoo's primary function should be in the areas of conservation and research, not of entertaining the public. And don't even get him started on the subject of safari parks! No, he didn't hold back with his opinions, but he also didn't name names-- which made me wonder if I've ever visited any of the zoos Durrell had low opinions of.But The Stationary Ark isn't just about Durrell's opinions. He shares how he started his own zoo on the Island of Jersey-- how he obtained animals, how he transported them to the zoo, how the animals were taken care of when they became ill, etc. One thing I'd never realized is how little was really known about almost any animal in a zoo because no research was available and because for so long zoos kept no records of the daily care and feeding of their animals. (If the animal died, they could always send someone out to get another from the wild.)This is a fascinating little book that I'm so glad I read. Now I want to learn how present-day zoos stack up against Durrell's criteria-- criteria that put the needs of the animals front and center where they should be.

[julesjones_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nowadays, a good many zoos are seriously involved in conservation work, the last hope for some of the most endangered species on the planet. In the 1970s, that wasn't the case. This book was Durrell's polemic against the keeping of wild animals purely for entertainment purposes, an impassioned plea for things to change. In a series of seven essays he set out the case for zoological gardens to be genuine centres of scientific excellence devoted to the preservation and breeding of the animals in their care, and described the work of the zoo he had set up for this purpose. He made himself highly unpopular in some quarters with his stinging criticism of then-current practice, not least because it's well and entertainingly written, a successful appeal to the public at large to support his campaign. The first chapter is a little dry, but after that this is a fascinating description of the work of the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust. Funny, moving, and utterly devoted to the animals without ever lapsing into saccharine sentiment, this is well worth a read.