Who Is Gerald Durrell? Age, Biography and Wiki
Gerald Durrell, born on January 7, 1925, was a renowned British naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist, and author. He founded the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, an organization dedicated to the preservation of endangered species. Although he passed away in 1995, his legacy continues to inspire naturalists and wildlife enthusiasts around the world. As of 2025, he would have celebrated his 100th birthday, marking a century of his profound impact on the field of natural history.
| Occupation | Conservationist |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | January 7, 1925 |
| Age | 70 Years |
| Birth Place | Jamshedpur, British India |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Country | Jersey |
| Date of death | 30 January, 1995 |
| Died Place | Saint Helier, Jersey |
Popularity
Gerald Durrell's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
During his lifetime, Gerald Durrell was known for his active lifestyle and charismatic presence. While specific measurements detailing his height and weight were prominent in his youthful days, it is generally reported that he stood at approximately 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm). His physique showcased an enthusiasm for exploration and outdoor activities, befitting his profession as a naturalist.
In January 1964, Louisa died. Durrell was devastated. He began to drink more: he had been advised to drink Guinness to combat anaemia, and began drinking a crate a day, and gaining weight.
Constant worries about the zoo's and Trust's finances and the pressures of the zoo's daily management began to cause problems for the Durrells' marriage; Jacquie "began to loathe the zoo", as she later recalled, and withdrew from many of the activities related to the zoo and the Trust.
In 1964, after a holiday in Corfu, Durrell and the BBC arranged a trip to Sierra Leone with the BBC to film a documentary about animal collecting. Jacquie, who had not enjoyed her time in the Cameroons, refused to go, and instead went to Argentina to research a possible third collecting trip there.
Durrell set sail in January 1965, and from Freetown the expedition travelled to Kenema in the interior where they set up their base. The animal collecting and filming went well, though it turned out to be particularly troublesome to catch colobus monkeys—one of the expedition's main goals.
Durrell injured his spine and broke two ribs in an incident with one of the Land Rovers, and was in pain for the rest of the trip. Jacquie came to Freetown to help him manage the trip back.
The resulting series of six programmes was broadcast in early 1966 and was well reviewed: the Times Educational Supplement described it as "one more television classic in natural history".
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Gerald Durrell was married twice throughout his life. He first married Jacqueline "Jackie" Durrell in 1951, but the couple divorced in 1979. He later tied the knot with Lee McGeorge Durrell in 1989, with whom he remained until his death in 1995. Their partnership was characterized by mutual love for wildlife and conservation. Although he is no longer with us, his legacy and family connections have had lasting effects on the wildlife conservation community.
Gerald Malcolm Durrell OBE (7 January 1925 – 30 January 1995) was a British naturalist, writer, zookeeper, conservationist, and television presenter. In 1935 the family moved to Corfu, and stayed there for four years, before the outbreak of World War II forced them to return to the UK.
In 1946 he received an inheritance from his father's will that he used to fund animal-collecting trips to the British Cameroons and British Guiana. He married Jacquie Rasen in 1951; they had very little money, and she persuaded him to write an account of his first trip to the Cameroons.
The result, titled The Overloaded Ark, sold well, and he began writing accounts of his other trips. An expedition to Argentina and Paraguay followed in 1953, and three years later he published My Family and Other Animals, which became a bestseller.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his death in 1995, Gerald Durrell had a significant net worth, primarily accrued through his successful writing career, television appearances, and the conservation activities of his trust. While exact figures are hard to determine today, estimates suggest that his net worth was in the range of several million dollars, reflecting both his contributions to literature and wildlife preservation.
The expedition had been successful but not profitable; it had absorbed half of Durrell's inheritance of £3,000. British zoos would pay £1000 (equivalent to £ in ) for a gorilla, a hippo, or an elephant, and Durrell planned a second trip which would target these larger animals.
Herbert Whitley, the owner of a private zoo, promised to buy at least half of whatever animals Durrell brought back. Yealland was not available for another expedition, but Ken Smith agreed to join Durrell, and the two made plans to return to the Cameroons, this time intending to go further north, into the grasslands of the central Cameroons.
They left from Liverpool in early January 1949, arriving in mid-February, and reached Mamfe on 20 February. There they set up a base camp, and Durrell went to Eshobi again, where he was greeted warmly by the villagers, who had profited handsomely by selling him the animals they captured during his first expedition.
The villagers quickly acquired first one and eventually dozens of flying squirrels for Durrell, one of the species he was keenest to obtain. These proved to be difficult to keep in captivity as they were fussy eaters, and only four remained alive by the time Durrell returned to the coast in August.
In mid-March they went north to Bafut, where the Fon (the local ruler) had agreed to rent them a house in his compound. On arrival Durrell met with the Fon, explaining what animals he was seeking, and drawing sketches of them.
On advice from the district officer (the local British colonial administrator) Durrell had brought a bottle of Irish whiskey, and the two men drank it over the course of the evening. Durrell and the Fon became firm friends, and often drank together in the evenings.
The Fon's influence meant that there was a constant stream of hunters coming to the house with animals for Durrell, augmenting what Durrell was obtaining from the hunts he himself went on. Acquisitions included a great cane rat, pygmy dormice, hyraxes, pouched rats, an Allen's galago, skinks, a Nile monitor, sunbirds, and a golden cat.
Hunters frequently brought snakes, and Durrell was bitten by a burrowing viper, requiring an emergency trip to Bemenda, forty miles away, for antiserum.
Career, Business and Investments
Gerald Durrell’s career spanned several decades and included a variety of influential positions. He started his journey as a writer, captivating audiences with his books that often detailed his experiences with wildlife. His most notable work, "My Family and Other Animals," offers a humorous glimpse into his upbringing in Corfu, showcasing both his talent for storytelling and his love for nature.
In addition to writing, Durrell was a pioneering figure in establishing conservation programs, specifically through the founding of the Jersey Zoo in 1959, later known as the Durrell Wildlife Park. His commitment to saving endangered species has inspired numerous projects and initiatives around the world.
Louisa established the family in a Kensington flat, and began looking for a house for them. While they were in London, Gerald took his first job, as an assistant at a pet shop near the flat, and impressed the owner with his knowledge of animals.
Louisa moved the family back to Bournemouth by early 1940, and there she made one more attempt to get Gerald an education. A visit to a local public school was not a success, so another tutor was hired: Harold Binns, a veteran of World War I.
Binns taught Gerald to appreciate poetry and gave him a love of the English language and good writing, and also showed him how to make use of his local public library. Gerald spent the next two years exploring the countryside around Bournemouth and reading books from the library, supplementing these with purchases when he could afford to do so.
Social Network
Although Gerald Durrell passed away in 1995, his influence continues on social media through various wildlife and conservation pages dedicated to his legacy. Fans and wildlife enthusiasts share his quotes, ideas, and philosophies in various online forums. The Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust maintains an active online presence, educating and engaging the public in wildlife conservation efforts.
Both Gerald and Jacquie now began writing: Gerald turned the television series Two in the Bush into a book of the same name, and Jacquie wrote a humorous account of her life with Gerald, titled Beasts in My Bed. Gerald followed this with his first fiction book, a story for children called The Donkey Rustlers. The Durrells spent mid-1966 in Corfu.
While they were there, Two in the Bush was published in the UK, once again to positive reviews. They returned to Jersey in September, and then took a two-year lease on the Mazet, a house Lawrence owned near Nîmes in the south of France.
That winter, the zoo was again in desperate financial trouble: Durrell was able to persuade the bank not to foreclose on the property, and Lord Jersey, a local aristocrat, covered the staff's wages for a few months to tide them over to the spring. In early 1967 Durrell was featured in an episode of the BBC's series Animal People.
He turned the manuscript of Rosy is My Relative, his first novel, in to his publishers, and went to Corfu again for the summer. The BBC filmed The Garden of the Gods, a documentary about Durrell's childhood, while they were there.
Education
Gerald Durrell's education focused more on practical experience than formal schooling. His early life spent in nature instilled a deep curiosity about animals and the environment. This hands-on approach to learning directly influenced his work and writing, more than traditional academic experiences. Durrell's passion for natural history was cultivated through exploration, family influences, and a profound appreciation for biodiversity.
In summary, Gerald Durrell remains a pivotal figure in the naturalist community. His contributions to wildlife conservation, engaging storytelling, and advocacy for endangered species have left a lasting impact, continuing to educate and inspire future generations, even in 2025.
In the late 1950s Durrell decided to found his own zoo. He finally found a suitable site on the island of Jersey, and leased the property in late 1959. He envisaged the Jersey Zoo as an institution for the study of animals and for captive breeding, rather than a showcase for the public.
In 1963 control of the zoo was turned over to the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust. The zoo repeatedly came close to bankruptcy over the next few years, and Durrell raised money for it by his writing and by fundraising appeals. To guarantee the zoo's future, Durrell launched a successful appeal in 1970 for funds to purchase the property.
