WILD L IFE
2020 ISSUE 1
Jersey Zoo is the heartbeat of Durrell Together, with your help, we can ensure Jersey Zoo endures this crisis and thrives into the future. W W W. D U R R E LL. O R G/LOVE YOU RZOO
DONATE • JOIN • ADOPT • VISIT • SHOP • STAY • FUNDRAISE
WELCOME
WE LCO M E TO WI LD L IF E 2020 has been challenging so far, to say the least, but our remarkable work to save species from extinction carries on. By the end of last year at Jersey Zoo, for example, the Livingstone’s fruit bats had been through a ‘baby boom’, and an Alaotran gentle lemur was born, the first for 10 years. Our rewilding strategy was given a lift by the fledging of 16 red-billed choughs in the flock we reintroduced to the northern cliffs of Jersey in 2013. Madagascar pochard ducklings appeared on Lake Sofia only a year after the release of their captive-bred parents. By the beginning of 2020 we had bred 160 pochards, the rarest duck in the world! But then COVID-19 surfaced and our human world turned topsy-turvy. Six months later, our species still faces unprecedented physical, psychological and economic challenges. We know that the incursion of this virus (and other recent diseases) is linked to how badly we have been behaving towards nature over the last few decades – clearing forests and wetlands, trading in wild animals, and disrupting the climate of the whole planet. We must try to rectify these misdeeds, otherwise nature will keep hitting back. How has Durrell fared during the last ghastly
months? In fact, we have come through incredibly well, thanks to the superhuman efforts of every member of the Durrell family. From zookeepers to field workers, from fundraisers to donors, from volunteers to governors, all of you have ensured the continuation of our mission to save species from extinction. Yes, we are experiencing serious financial setbacks and impediments to field activities, but our staff remains in good health and spirits, and our strategy to “Rewild Our World” still inspires everything we do. This spring, we rejoiced in the hatching of white storks in England for the first time in hundreds of years, and we celebrated the release of pygmy hogs in Assam to boost the tiny population still clinging on there. Responses to the “Love Your Zoo” campaign to help offset the costs of the seven-week closure of Jersey Zoo have been heart-warming. Loyal supporters from near and far…and many new ones…have expressed their love for the zoo and the Trust very generously, and I hope will continue to do so to bring us safely through these difficult times. It is difficult to predict the future after the pandemic, but for Durrell, with an extraordinary family like ours, it will most certainly be bright!
CON TE NTS 2
CONSERVATION IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
4
AT THE ZOO
6
IN THE WILD
8
TECH CORNER – TRACKING THE SMAR T WAY
12
SPECIES SPOTLIGHT – MADAGASCAR POCHARD
18
DODO DISPATCH – WHAT IS A BIRD?
22
INVEST IN THE FUTURE OF OUR WORLD
24
BORN TO BE WILD
26
SAVING THE MATA ATL ÂNTICA
28
SAVING WILDLIFE STAR TS WITH SAVING PEOPLE
30
BE INSPIR ED
32
IN NUMBERS – TRAINING
D R LEE D UR R E LL HONORARY DIRE CT O R
It is important to us that we keep you informed about our work, and the difference we are making to the many species, habitats and local communities with which we work. If your household has received more than one copy of Wild Life and you would like to discuss your mailing preferences going forward, please don’t hesitate to contact a member of our Supporter Care team on (0)1534 860111 or supportercare@durrell.org If you’d like to hear from us more regularly you can subscribe to our email newsletter at www.durrell.org/ wildlife/social
Wild Life is printed on paper which is certified FSC® Mix Grade with fibre coming from responsible sources and can be fully recycled. Your copy of the magazine is sent to you in a fully compostable wrap.
D U R R E L L WILDLIF E CO N SERVATION TR UST is a Registered Charity with the Jersey Charity Commissioner, registered charity number: 1 PATR O N HRH The Princess Royal FOUND ER Gerald Durrell, OBE, LHD HONORA RY D IRE CT OR Dr Lee Durrell, MBE, PhD DU R R E L L WILDLIF E C ON SERVATION TR UST - UK is registered in England and Wales. A charitable company limited by guarantee. R E G I S TE R ED C HA RIT Y N UMBER 1121989 R EGISTER ED COMPANY NUMBE R 6448493 R E G I S TE R ED OF F ICE c/o Intertrust Corporate Services (UK) Limited, 35 Great St Helen’s, London EC3A 6AP
P H O TO A N D ILLUST RAT IO N CR ED ITS Aardman Animation, Will Bertram, Tomas Bertelsen, Joe Blossom, Udayan Borthakur, Emma Caton, Center for International Forestry Research, Elizabeth Corry, Alejandra Curubo, Bea Detnon, Gerardo Garcia, Finella Gray, Malcolm Green, Lucy Groves, Mike Hudson, Simon James, Tiffany Lang, Floriot Randrianarimangason, Danny Richardson, Ben Sadd, Colin Stevenson, Volvo, Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, and Charlie Wylie COV ER IM A GE Alaotran gentle lemur, Charlie Wylie
ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
1
CO NSERVAT I O N IN THE T I M E O F COV I D - 1 9 DR L E S L E Y DICKIE CHIEF EXECUT IV E OF F ICER
I had initially written a different article to introduce this issue of our magazine. However, global events have overtaken us, and what else would there be to write about other than COVID-19, the zoonotic disease currently sweeping the planet. Like most people and organisations, it has had a profound impact on Durrell.
2
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 2 • 2 01 9
I had initially written a different article to introduce this issue of our magazine. However, global events have overtaken us, and what else would there be to write about other than COVID-19, the zoonotic disease currently sweeping the planet. Like most people and organisations, it has had a profound impact on Durrell. For the first time in our 61-year history, we closed the gates of Jersey Zoo on 24th March in order to protect our staff, visitors and of course our beloved animals. Never before has the zoo been closed for more than a few days. Naturally, the closure had a significant financial impact on the Trust, and even after reopening to visitors on 12th May, our revenue had reduced by 80%. With limited tourists expected for the rest of the year, we have projected our income loss will be nearly ÂŁ2 million. There is currently no definitive evidence that apes, like our gorillas and orangutans, can contract COVID-19. However, we do know that they can be infected, with potentially fatal consequences, by other human coronaviruses. Therefore, it would seem likely that COVID-19 could be transmitted to our apes. The recent case of a tiger becoming infected at the Bronx Zoo highlights the ability of viruses to jump species barriers, the exact reason we now find ourselves in this situation. So, how did we respond, and what are the likely impacts? Unlike many other jobs, zookeepers cannot take their work home. We cannot just switch off the lights and mothball the zoo. We still have over 1,200 animals to care for every single day, some of them among the rarest on Earth. As a precautionary measure during lockdown, we split our keeper and vet teams into smaller units, so not everyone was at the zoo at the same time. Doing so lessened the risk of potentially spreading the disease and additionally protected the numbers of staff that can work with each of our different types of animal. If too many of our staff who are trained to care for particular species were unable to work because they were showing symptoms of COVID-19, we risked having too few staff to maintain our high welfare standards. By splitting into multiple teams to prevent cross-infection, we lessened the risk. We also have several ex-zookeepers on staff, myself included, who were ready to brush up their skills and step in if required. When the zoo closed to visitors, we redeployed members of our catering team, who would typically be serving visitors in our cafes, to assist with food preparation for the animals instead. Our fantastic volunteers usually help with food preparation, but due to many of them being over the age of 65, we had to ask them to stay at home for their own safety. The current situation has certainly highlighted just how valuable our volunteers are in the day-to-day running of the zoo, and it has been wonderful to see many of them return to help in recent weeks. Our many conservation breeding centres around the globe face the same challenges we are experiencing in Jersey but with often heightened issues. For example, our specialist duck pellets for the rarest duck in the world, the Madagascar pochard, are
shipped from the UK. As this is no longer an option, the team have had to find alternative sources. In Assam, Parag Deka, Project Director for the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme, realised the local forest guards and their families were not receiving any information about protecting themselves from COVID-19. He took it upon himself to run training courses on hygiene and social distancing. In Madagascar, Richard Lewis, director of our programmes in the country, has become the British Embassy Warden for the capital city of Antananarivo. This role came about after the UK government ordered the UK ambassador to leave the country. Now Richard is tasked with assisting British nationals in Madagascar where required. Elsewhere in Madagascar, we are working with our partners to give information and training to rural communities related to coronavirus. Imagine what it is like for rural communities in a developing country with minimal health care, who regularly deal with cerebral malaria, cholera and even plague, to then face COVID-19 as well. I am proud of the way our teams have been doing their best to get on with their jobs, whether working at home or not, and assisting others where they can. COVID-19 will likely be with us permanently into the future, like other coronaviruses. Zoonotic diseases, where the pathogen has originated in a non-human animal and then jumped to a human, account for more than 70% of all emergent diseases. SARS, MERS, Ebola, Zika and now COVID-19 have all emerged in less than two decades, they are all zoonotic, and all potentially fatal to humans. We have, of course, faced pandemics in the past. What is different now is the rate in which new diseases emerge, and there are clear reasons why. Put simply, it is the way we are treating our planet and the other animals that live here. Wild animals are reservoirs of potentially fatal diseases for humans. But if they are living in undisturbed, suitable and abundant habitat, then they pose little risk. By destroying their habitats, by illegally trading them, by stressing their immune systems during that process, and then bringing them more and more into contact with us, for example in wildlife markets, we are greatly exacerbating the pandemic risk. This is further aggravated by climate change forcing animals to move or by creating more stress on their systems. Large-scale industrial agriculture also heightens the risk by putting millions of domestic animals into cramped conditions, under stress and in close quarters with humans. We are receiving a very sharp lesson from Mother Nature, and we ignore it at our peril. I hope that when we get through this initial shock, it will highlight that protection of wild places and wild animals is not some luxury, but vital to our future. That climate change will have a real impact on lives beyond rising sea levels. That poor animal welfare should not be allowed to continue. Will we heed this lesson, if not for the Earth, then for our own future?
ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
3
NEWS
AT THE Z OO
BAT BABY BOOM 2019 was a successful year for Livingstone’s fruit bats at the zoo, with eight adorable pups joining the colony. These critically endangered bats are found only in the Comoros archipelago in the western Indian Ocean. Earlier last year, Tropical Cyclone Kenneth hit some of the main roost sites of the bats, which were thought to number around 1,000 individuals before the storm hit. The captive breeding programme at the zoo is essential as climate change will likely bring more of these cyclones with ever greater intensity over the coming years.
A NEW HOME FOR RARE TUR TLES This summer construction has been underway in our Amphibian and Reptile House to create an enclosure for our Madagascar big-headed turtles, which arrived at the zoo last year through a confiscation in Asia. The turtles stayed behind the scenes to grow accustomed to their new home before going on display to the public. Known locally in Madagascar as ‘rere’, they are thought to be one of the most endangered turtles in the world. Since 1998, our team have been breeding and releasing turtles and working with local communities in Madagascar to halt hunting and the loss of wetlands, which are threatening the survival of the turtles.
TRACKING RED-BREASTED GEESE Red-breasted geese are becoming increasingly threatened by climate change, habitat loss and hunting along their migration route. To better understand where the problems occur, we need to know more about their wintering and breeding sites, and where they stopover on migration. We are helping to trial specially made neck collars fitted with solar-powered satellite transmitters on our geese at the zoo. The collars weigh no more than 2% of the bird’s weight. Some will be live and transmitting, and others are dummies. Our team are watching the birds closely to see if the collars affect their daily lives, particularly their feeding, preening and sleeping.
4
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
LEMUR BREEDING SUCCESS On 20th December 2019, we were delighted to welcome a baby Alaotran gentle lemur, the first to be born at the zoo in 10 years. Born to first-time mum Miora and dad Nova, the new arrival is a vital addition to the captive breeding programme for the species. Alaotran gentle lemurs are critically endangered in the wild due to the increasing destruction of their marsh habitat around Lake Alaotra in Madagascar.
NEWS
PECULIAR PARENTS Two baby aye-ayes have been born at Jersey Zoo this year. One was sadly rejected by its mother and keepers had to step in to handrear it to ensure its survival. Mifaly, which means ‘playful’ in Malagasy, is only the fifth baby globally to be fully hand-reared to this age and is also one of the smallest babies on record, weighing just 65g at birth. The ayeaye is an endangered species of lemur from Madagascar. and this precious new baby is a welcome addition to the captive breeding programme. So much goes on behind the scenes at Jersey Zoo to protect endangered species, and we want to ensure that this vital work can continue long into the future. To find out how you can support us, visit www.durrell.org/loveyourzoo
NEWS
I N TH E W I L D
COMMUNITY SPIRIT Lake Alaotra in Madagascar is under increasing pressure from the 100,000 people who live around its shores. Although it is home to several threatened species, the marshes surrounding the lake are being cleared at an alarming rate to make way for rice fields. Our team have been working with local communities to restore the lake and protect the unique wildlife that lives there. Over the past year, 27 hectares of marsh were successfully planted, and 4.5km of channels have been cleared of the damaging invasive plant, water hyacinth. The team have provided training to local people to transform the removed hyacinth into organic fertiliser and woven baskets to benefit the community. The success of these restoration efforts will ensure the long-term protection of this unique ecosystem for the benefit of both the wildlife and people who depend on it.
6
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
JERSEY’S CHOUGHS SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS The choughs have been spreading their wings across Jersey with a record number of successful nesting attempts in 2019. A total of 16 ‘choughlets’ (fledged chicks) were recorded throughout the year, one of which came from the picturesque coastline of Plémont several kilometres from the release site. Since their reintroduction to the island in 2013, the Jersey chough population has been steadily growing as a result of the team’s close monitoring and care, combined with successful breeding in the wild. For more information on the project, visit www.birdsontheedge.org
HISTORIC SUCCESS FOR WHITE STORKS Last summer, 24 young white storks that were hatched and raised at Cotswold Wildlife Park were released at the Knepp Estate in West Sussex, to boost the population in the wild. Since then, the team have been keeping track of the birds through reported sightings and GPS tags attached to eight of them.
KN E PP E S TAT E
A month after they were released, one individual called Marge crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, becoming the first British-bred juvenile to successfully migrate to Africa. Out of the 24 released storks, she also managed to travel the furthest, spending most of the winter in Morocco. Many of the other young storks spent the end of last summer entertaining holidaymakers in Cornwall before flying south and spending time around landfill sites in Spain. Meanwhile, back at Knepp, volunteers were busy constructing huge artificial nests to encourage some of the resident storks to breed. The team eagerly awaited the arrival of storks back in the UK ready for this year's breeding season. In early spring, a pair of white storks were seen building a nest in an old oak tree at Knepp. Project Officer for Durrell, Lucy Groves, confirmed there were five eggs in the nest. In the following weeks, she watched in anticipation as the white stork pair carefully incubated the eggs. Eventually, Lucy managed to glimpse eggshell being removed from the nest, and the parents were seen regurgitating food for the chicks to eat. They had managed to successfully hatch chicks!
RA BAT , M OR OCCO
This is a significant landmark for the project as it is the first time storks have known to successfully breed in the wild in the UK for hundreds of years. Before this, the last known breeding pair was recorded in 1416 on St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. Since then, storks have been a rare vagrant to the UK, with 20 or so visiting each year.
“After waiting 33 days for these eggs to hatch, it was extremely exciting to see signs that the first egg had hatched on 6th May,” says Lucy. “The parents have been working hard and are doing a fantastic job, especially after their failed attempt last year. It is incredible to have the UK’s first white stork chicks to hatch in the wild for hundreds of years here at Knepp.” Two weeks after the first white storks hatched, it was confirmed that a second nest had also managed to successfully hatch three chicks. This news is an exciting development for the White Stork Project. This pioneering partnership of private landowners and nature conservation charities aims to restore a population of approximately 50 breeding pairs in southern England by 2030. To find out more about the project, visit www.whitestorkproject.org
ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
7
TECH CORNER
TRA C K IN G T HE SMA R T WAY F I N EL L A G R AY, M ADAG A S CAR P R O TE CTE D ARE A DATA S P EC I ALI ST
Local communities lie at the heart of our work to protect endangered wildlife and habitats. Villagers from these communities have valuable knowledge about their local environment and are trained to patrol protected areas. However, many are not able to read and write, which can limit the quantity and quality of data they can report. To overcome this, our team on the ground in Madagascar use the app CyberTracker to record wildlife sightings and threats encountered on their patrols. The app is designed for use by non-literate trackers by using pictures and symbols to represent the different species and threats. The app links to the SMART patrol and threat management software where this data can be stored and analysed by our data team in Madagascar. From this data, the team can better manage protected areas by identifying hotspots for illegal activity.
8
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
A P I C T U RE- BASED SM AR T P H O NE AP P ALLO W S LO C AL PAT R O LLERS W O RK I NG W I T H T H E D U RRELL T EAM I N M AD AG ASC AR T O REC O RD D ATA F R O M T H E F I ELD W H I LE O V ER C O M I NG LO W LI T ERAC Y LEV ELS AM O NG I ND I G ENO U S P EO P LE.
The CyberTracker app was initially developed for Kalahari bushmen to record wildlife data using icons. Our team can customise CyberTracker to include data such as the start and end time of patrols and the track these patrols take. Patrollers can add geolocated photos and details of threats or wildlife sightings, solely using icons.
TECH CORNER
The dry forest of Menabe Antimena is increasingly threatened by slash and burn agriculture. Patrollers need to be able to record threats accurately and report data for action as quickly as possible. At the end of 2019, SMART database manager Angelo Ramy and his team trained three village patrols, Kirindy, Lambokely and Kiboy, to use the CyberTracker.
The patrollers can now record and report threats in greater detail and are not restricted by literacy levels. Our team will continue to train and support them until they are confident and proficient at using CyberTracker. They will then roll out the project to the other nine patrol villages in Menabe. We hope that eventually all of our community patrols will use CyberTracker.
Patrol data is regularly collected from the smartphones and taken to the Morondava office to be uploaded into SMART so that Angelo can analyse the data and give feedback to the team on the ground. However, the remoteness of villages can cause frustrating delays. In the coming months Angelo and his team will be implementing ‘SMART Connect’, which aims to provide nearer ‘real-time’ sharing of patrol data. This update will be critical in dealing effectively with the many threats to Menabe’s wildlife.
ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
9
10
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
I T’ S A SMALL WO R LD This tiny Henkel’s leaf-tailed gecko hatched at Jersey Zoo on the 15th November 2019 after an incubation period of 110 days. He was around 9cm long at the time of hatching, but adults can grow up to 30cm in length. These geckos are native to Madagascar and, although they are relatively widespread, destruction of their forest habitat and collection for the pet trade poses a threat to the species. Whilst he is still growing, this little gecko will remain behind the scenes at the zoo’s Amphibian and Reptile House so the keepers can make sure he is settled and eating well before going on public display. Look out for updates on Jersey Zoo’s social media channels. PHOTO Pierre Krizan
ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
11
SPECIES SPOTLIGHT MADAGASCAR POCHARD
12
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
SPECIES SPOTLIGHT MADAGASCAR POCHARD
The Madagascar pochard was once believed to be lost forever. Now the return of this rare duck gives hope for wetland restoration across Madagascar.
Meet the world’s rarest duck world’s Meet the ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
13
SPECIES SPOTLIGHT MADAGASCAR POCHARD
T H E ELU SIVE D I V I NG D UC K In 2004, at a British Ornithologists’ Union symposium at the Linnean Society of London, Dr Glyn Young suggested that the Madagascar pochard be added to the growing list of birds to have become extinct in Madagascar and the Indian Ocean. At the time, very little was known about the pochards, and their decline in the wild had gone largely unnoticed. Glyn Young is the Head of Durrell’s Bird Department, whose work with the Madagascar pochard has spanned more than 30 years. “I first took an interest in the pochards when I realised how little was known about Madagascar’s wildlife, particularly its four endemic ducks. I hope I’ve done something to change that!”
THE SILENT EXTINCTION Since the Madagascar pochard was described to science in the late 1800s, the species was mainly confined to Lake Alaotra, Madagascar’s largest lake. Expeditions to the lake in the late 1920s described the pochards as being a relatively common species in the area. However, by 1960 they had all but vanished. “Very little was known about the pochards at that time,” says Glyn. “Although they seemed to be mainly present at Lake Alaotra during those early expeditions, evidence suggests they may have been more widespread across the central plateau of Madagascar. No one fully knows why they disappeared, but habitat loss and degradation following human occupation in Madagascar was a likely cause. At Lake Alaotra, the pochards seemed to decline throughout the 1940s and 1950s. At this time many exotic species of fish were introduced to lakes across Madagascar, lakes already being drained for agriculture, particularly for rice fields.”
14
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
SPECIES SPOTLIGHT MADAGASCAR POCHARD
Between 1970 and 1990, several expeditions were mounted to Lake Alaotra, some with the specific aim of looking for the pochard, but no individuals were found. Eventually, a single adult male was captured alive by hunters in 1991. “Initially, we were hopeful that more individuals would be found in the area,” says Glyn. “We put out the news that we were looking for the pochard and even showed it to other active fowlers and fishermen in the area. No one was familiar with the species. We could not locate where the male had come from and found no hope of any more hidden somewhere.” The male duck sadly died the following year, extinguishing hopes that populations of the species could one day be recovered. Further expeditions to find the pochards proved unsuccessful. Eventually, the team admitted defeat, believing that this single pochard may well have been the last remaining member of its species.
REDISCOVERY 15 years later, the seemingly impossible happened. In November 2006, Lily-Arison René de Roland, a biologist working for The Peregrine Fund (TPF), was with a team surveying birds of prey at Lake Matsaborimena in a remote region in northern Madagascar. As he combed his way through the dense vegetation surrounding the lake, he spotted something he never expected to see — a small group of Madagascar pochards! Instantly recognising the enormity of his find, Lily-Arison and his team began photographing the birds to use as proof of their discovery. They then hiked for two days to reach the nearest town that had an internet connection to share the exciting news. One of the first people Lily-Arison contacted was Glyn. “When I first heard the news, I was initially sceptical as we’d had many false leads before. But from the photos, we confirmed it was indeed the Madagascar pochard. Almost immediately, I arranged to fly out to see the birds for myself. It was all very exciting. Our first priority was to ensure the ducks were fully protected. The Peregrine Fund based a full-time team at the lake, which included members of the local community, to ensure they were protected from human interference. They also set about developing legal protection for the area under Madagascar’s national protected areas system.” However, as the team started to study the birds, a new problem came to light. “At least 63 ducklings hatched in the breeding season of 2008,” says Glyn. “But none survived. With such a low reproduction rate, we knew the pochards were in danger, and we knew we had to take action.”
MADAGASCAR POCHARD SCIE N TI FI C NAME Aythya innotata
L A C SOF I A
DIS T RI BUTI ON Found only in Madagascar HABITAT Freshwater lakes, pools and swamps WINGSPAN Approximately 165cm DIE T Insects FACT They feed mainly by diving in shallow waters. Adults usually dive for 1–2 minutes at a time.
ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
15
SPECIES SPOTLIGHT MADAGASCAR POCHARD
S AVING A SPEC I ES Three years after the Madagascar pochard was rediscovered, a rescue mission was carried out by Durrell, the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), TPF and the Malagasy Government. It was decided that they would collect eggs from wild nests and begin a captive breeding programme for the species. Access to the lake was along 40km of dirt track. Not ideal for transporting fragile eggs! As ducklings are more robust than eggs, the team decided to hatch the chicks in tents next to the lake using battery-operated incubators. Once hatched, they then travelled the 8-hour drive to Antsohihy. Here, 24 ducklings were raised in a hotel room, which acted as a temporary rearing and holding facility. A new captive breeding centre was eventually opened by Lee Durrell and Government authorities in 2011. The breeding programme’s very first pochard duckling hatched later that year.
A NEW HOME As the captive population of pochards began to steadily increase, the team started searching for an ideal release site for the birds. Studies into why they had become so rare revealed that the large-scale degradation of Madagascar’s wetlands and lack of invertebrate food was the leading cause. “Durrell and WWT surveyed a lot of wetlands across Madagascar to look for somewhere that might support a population of pochards,” says Glyn. “We looked at the food available to the ducks and the threats that they might face in each region. Not one of the wetlands we surveyed was completely ideal. However, one wetland, Lake Sofia, had many attributes similar to Alaotra. Although much smaller, Lake Sofia is less impacted by people living around the lake and marsh. We developed a good relationship with people living around the lake. This cooperation is key to the future of the project.” By 2018, the team were ready for the next stage of the project, releasing pochards onto Lake Sofia. 21 ducklings were transported 200km along dirt roads to the lake. Once there, they spent time in a lakeside aviary before moving to the world’s first floating aviaries, created using cages from Scottish salmon farms. These aviaries were trialled at WWT Slimbridge in the UK before being transported to Madagascar ready to house the world’s rarest duck. The pochards spent a week in the safety of the aviaries so they could become accustomed to their new surroundings. Eventually, the door was opened and they were free to explore their new home. The Madagascar pochard had been officially reintroduced to Lake Sofia!
Commenting on this crucial landmark for the project, Glyn says, “The idea that we could be releasing pochards into the wild only 12 years after rediscovery is incredible. It pays remarkable testament to the dreams and hard work of many people from Madagascar, Jersey and the UK, who have worked tirelessly to see this remarkable bird get a chance of survival in a changing world.” Towards the end of 2019, just one year after the release of the ducks on Lake Sofia, another key milestone for the project was reached well ahead of schedule — they had ducklings! “This is yet another remarkable step in this project to save and restore the Madagascar pochard,” says Glyn. “When we started in 1989 and found no hope for the species’ survival until 2006, things looked very bleak. But we never gave up and I am so proud on behalf of our partnership and for all of our Malagasy colleagues that this pivotal milestone offers hope that the pochard may one day be widespread across Madagascar’s wetlands.”
LOOKING AHEAD The return of the Madagascar pochard to Lake Sofia is an exciting milestone for the project. Still, Glyn says it is just one step in a long-term plan to restore Madagascar’s wetlands. “We plan to release further ducks at Lake Sofia and watch them very closely to see how they get on and how they adapt to their new world. By the start of 2020, a total of 160 captive‐-bred pochards had hatched, which is a huge achievement for the breeding programme. We will also look for wetlands to work on and help the pochards return to them. Who knows, one day we may see them back at Lake Alaotra once again.”
C LO C K WI SE FR O M LEFT Driving to Marataolana, Lake Sofia release site, ducklings in pre-release pool, preparing to release the ducklings, approaching a floating aviary.
16
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
ISSU E 2 • 2019 W ILD LIFE
17
D O D O D I S PAT C H
DODO dispatch
FEATHERS
bird
birds are the only animals that have feathers. they help them fly, keep them warm, make them stand out or even hide away. 3
4
1. rachis is the hollow shaft of the feather 2. QUILL is at the base of the rachis
1
3. BARBS Each side of the feather is made up of hundreds of individual barbs.
4. VANE is the collective name for all the barbs.
BIRD?
what is A
5. DOWNY BARBS, sit closest to the bird’s skin and help to keep it warm.
2
All birds are vertebrates. A vertebrate is an animal with its backbone inside its body. They have feathers and wings that can be different sizes, shapes and colours. Most birds can fly. But some, like the penguin and ostrich, are flightless. Instead of teeth, birds have a beak that can come in many shapes and sizes. Birds hatch from eggs. They range in size from the tiny bee hummingbird, which is 5cm long, to the ostrich, which is 2.75m tall. Birds are decended from dinosaurs. In fact, they are considered to be modern day dinosaurs! There are more than 10,000 different kinds of bird alive today.
18
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
5
draw your own FEATHER… If you were covered in feathers what would they look like?
D O D O D I S PAT C H
BEAKS
bird
the shape and size of a bird's beak can tell us what it eats and how they get their food. Here are just a few of the many types of beak…
FISH eater The long, sharp beak of fish eating birds allows them to make sudden jabs into the water, stabbing their catch.
nectar feeder The long beak of a nectar feeder helps them probe deep into flowers and lets their long tongue lap up nectar.
FRUit and nut eater A powerful, sharp hooked beak helps to peel and tear fruit into pieces and smash tough nuts apart.
MEAT EATER Birds of prey have sharp hooked beaks for tearing apart their food.
seed eater Seed eaters have short, thick bills that help them crush hard seeds.
draw your own beak… Now you’ve learnt about some of the different beaks that birds have, why not design your own. What's your favourite food? Could you draw a beak for eating pizza or even ice cream? ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
19
D O D O D I S PAT C H
My day with the hornbills Chloe Allen - Bird Keeper at Jersey Zoo
Which animals do you work with?
What about Homer and Marge?
Our Bird Department is split into two sections. The first includes ducks, geese and flamingos. The second section is the one I mainly work on and contains songbirds, pigeons, pheasants, and hornbills. I love all the birds that I work with, but the hornbills are one of my favourites.
Our other hornbill pair Homer and Marge are currently enjoying the single life. Hornbills have very different personalities and, unfortunately, Homer and Marge just didn’t like each other much when they were introduced. Homer, in particular, prefers to keep an eye on his keepers and visitors, free from the responsibilities of parenthood!
Why do we have hornbills at the zoo? Wrinkled hornbills have been kept at Jersey Zoo since 2001. They are endangered in the wild because of habitat destruction and poaching. Fortunately, we’re able to study them here to understand them better so we can hopefully prevent them from going extinct.
How many hornbills ARE at the zoo? We currently have four adults, two juveniles and three chicks. We have Homer and Marge, and Samson and Levana who’ve had five chicks.
How do they raise young? Hornbills mate for life and nest in tree cavities, however, in captivity we provide them with wooden nest-boxes. Before laying her eggs, the female completely seals herself into the nest using food, mud, and poo! She stays there for around three months, leaving only a narrow opening. For the next few weeks, the mother (and chicks once they hatch) are entirely dependent on the male feeding them through this opening, so the birds must have a strong bond. Although Samson and Levana are both first-time parents, they did a fantastic job raising their young. After 106 days, mum Levana broke free along with two beautiful chicks! Although the chicks are becoming more independent, the family likes to stick together. The younger birds can be identified from their parents by their blue eyes and paler faces.
20
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
What do they eat? Our hornbills eat a variety of fruit and insects. In the summer, they get apple, banana, tomato, plum, papaya, mango, pear, grapes and boiled egg, as well as special hornbill pellets. In winter, this is reduced to apple, banana, tomato and pellet. This is to mimic the diet of birds in the wild where fruit would be less varied and abundant during the winter.
What is your daily routine? When we go on our first checks of the day, we provide most of the birds with fresh drinking water. However, hornbills gain the water they need from eating fruit, so don’t need an additional source. We also give the birds an insect feed, usually locusts or morio worms at this time, and check that the birds are healthy and looking well. After this, we return to the kitchen and prepare the hornbills’ lunch. We then go about our afternoon jobs, usually involving any maintenance we need to do, such as cleaning the aviaries or replacing perches. Once done, we go back out a final time to check the birds are all well and give them one last round of insects before we leave for the night.
D O D O D I S PAT C H
FEET
bird
birds’ feet come in many different shapes and sizes, each type suited to where they live. MOst birds have four toes, Some have three, the OSTRICH only has two!
gripping feet
webbed feet Some birds have toes that are connected with flexible skin. This helps them swim.
Birds of prey have sharp hooked claws called talons. They use them to catch and hold their prey (food), and also kill it.
perching feet walking and running feet This is an ostrich foot, its large toes help them run at over 43mph!
More than half of the birds in the world rest on branches (perching). Their toes help them to hold on safely.
draw your own BIRD With your new found bird knowledge, can you draw your own bird? Here are three pairs of feet to get you started…
Share your creations with us on social media using #dododispatch ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
21
SECTION TITLE
invest in THe future of our world
The team navigate the narrow, winding canals through the Lac Alaotra marsh in canoes in search of gentle lemurs. This shot was taken from our drone and shows just how much more efficient aerial surveys of the 200 km2 of marsh can be compared with traditional canoe surveys.
SOM E OF T H E GR EAT EST GI F T S W E R EC EI VE A R E T H OSE L EF T T O U S I N W I L L S. L EGA C I ES EN A B L E U S T O B E A M B I T I OU S A N D DEL I VER C ON SERVAT I ON W I T H GL OB A L I M PA C T . A S W E L OOK T O T H E F U T U R E A N D T H E I N C R EA SED PR ESSU R ES FA C I N G T H E N AT U R A L W OR L D T H I S T Y PE OF SU PPOR T I S M OR E I M POR TA N T T O U S T H A N EVER B EF OR E.
Legacy Story:
Monitoring gentle lemurs in Madagascar Inspired by regular trips to Jersey Zoo, UK supporter Nick Legon left a gift to Durrell in his Will. Some of Nick’s legacy enabled Durrell to purchase a drone and infrared camera equipment and send a team to Madagascar to trial a new monitoring technique for the critically endangered Alaotran gentle lemur. The new infrared drone is already having a measurable impact on our work towards rebuilding healthy wetlands for wildlife and the people who rely on them. We are hopeful that in the longer term this exciting technology can be adapted for use at other sites and with other species in Madagascar.
There is no first world and third world. There is only one world, for all of us to live and delight in
Get in touch Judith recently joined our team as Legacy Manager. She has over 25 years of experience in the Trust industry. She is a lifelong member and supporter of Durrell and was delighted when the opportunity came up to use her skills and knowledge to work for a charity that she is passionate about. Judith would love to hear from any of our supporters who have chosen to leave a gift in their Will already and hear about their own memories of Durrell and Jersey Zoo. She can also provide guidance to anyone who is considering leaving a gift to Durrell and will handle all enquiries sensitively and with the utmost discretion.
GERALD DURRELL
ABOV E Professor Serge Wich of Liverpool John Moores University accompanies Durrell’s Dr Herizo Andrianandrasana and members of Durrell’s local community association on the shore of Lac Alaotra to fly a drone mapping mission for a key piece of gentle lemur habitat (Credit Mike Hudson, Durrell)
Please contact Judith on +44 (0)1534 860065, email judith.freeman@durrell.org or write to her at Les Augrès Manor, La Profonde Rue, Trinity, Jersey JE3 5BP
ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
23
n r boto be
d l i W
Fourteen pygmy hogs were released into Manas National Park in Assam, India earlier this year. The hogs are part of a captive breeding programme to restore this rare and elusive mammal to its tall grassland habitat, which dominates the foothills of the Southern Himalayas. The disappearance of this unique habitat due to human exploitation has caused the dramatic decline of wild hogs, and there may now be as few as 200 individuals left in the wild. Durrell conservationists are working in Assam as part of the Pygmy Hog Conservation Programme. This project aims to restore this iconic species and recover the unique grasslands, which are home to many other threatened wildlife. The captive breeding programme began 24 years ago from just six pygmy hogs that were captured in Manas National Park. As of 2020, the programme has released 130 hogs back into the wild at various sites across the species’ historic range. The individuals released this year are the first to be released back into Manas, where the last original population of pygmy hogs still survives, although with dwindling numbers.
24
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
F R O M T O P L E F T Pygmy hogs in their release pen, aerial shot of release pen,
programme staff eagerlly awaiting the release, hog transport boxes.
ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
25
SAVING THE MATA
ATLÂNTICA
Laury Cullen graduated from the Durrell Conservation Academy in 1992 with a graduate certificate in Endangered Species Management. Since then, he has built an inspiring career working to recover the Atlantic Forest with our partner organisation in Brazil, the Instituto de Pesquisas Ecológicals (IPÊ). Laury says his training at Durrell was the springboard he needed to launch his exciting career in conservation.
26
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
The Atlantic Forest, or Mata Atlântica, once covered a vast area stretching more than 1,000,000km2 across Brazil. Over time it has been gradually chopped down for timber and cleared for extensive farmland. This has had a devastating effect on the rich diversity of wildlife, most of which is found nowhere else on Earth. The human impact has been so severe that less than 7% of this once lush forest now remains. Laury began working for IPÊ in 1990 and is now the Project and Research Coordinator for the organisation. His mission is to preserve the Atlantic Forest by protecting its unique wildlife, restoring habitat and engaging local communities in conservation. Laury was inspired to join a Durrell training scheme by the founder of IPÊ, Dr Claudio Padua, who was the first-ever trainee at the academy from Brazil. “Claudio is so passionate about Durrell’s work and how his time at the academy in Jersey influenced his career,” says Laury. “He kept emphasising to me that the training would give me a complete range of skills in endangered species recovery and managing conservation projects. Claudio was also keen to highlight that I would grow my confidence and make valuable international connections. I knew that the Durrell Endangered Species Management Graduate Certificate would be the perfect springboard for the rest of my career.”
C LO C K WISE FR OM FAR LEFT Laury Cullen, Laury and members of a community nursery, a selection of planting used in the agroforestry projects Laury manages, community planting in progress.
In the three decades working at IPÊ, Laury has helped to reverse the destruction of the Atlantic Forest through engaging local communities. He works with small landowners to develop the best agroforestry techniques. In this management system, trees and shrubs are grown among crops and pastureland to revive degraded soil and provide habitat for endangered wildlife. He is also helping to replant the largest reforestation corridor in Brazil, of which Durrell is a key partner. This project aims to connect areas of fragmented habitat, which are tended by hundreds of local families generating more income for the region. Laury's work at IPÊ has helped develop new income sources for farmers so that people can live in harmony with the natural world. Laury says he learned many valuable lessons through his training at Durrell. “I remember the moment when I learnt that habitat can be rebuilt from small fragments with strong support from landowners. Also knowing how people and animals use the landscape allows us to identify priorities when it comes to restoring habitat. I also learnt that, as an institution, your presence in an area is key. IPÊ has been in the Atlantic Forest region for the last 30 years safeguarding continued funds, community participation and management of this long-term programme.” Laury's inspiring work has gained him significant recognition in the conservation world. In 2002, he won the prestigious Whitley Gold Award, which recognises conservation heroes who create a lasting impact by working with communities in biodiversity-rich countries. He also went on to win the Rolex Award in 2004, which supports exceptional individuals with the courage and conviction to take on some of the significant challenges impacting our planet. When asked what he would say to anyone considering training at Durrell, Laury said, “You will be in direct contact with the world’s leading experts in species conservation. Many of the people you meet are managing their own recovery programmes, both overseas and on-site at Jersey Zoo. Through training and hands-on experience, you will learn skills from conflict resolution and community-based conservation techniques through to project management and leadership. Durrell is the best place for acquiring all these experiences.”
SUPPORT OUR WORK WITH IPÊ TO REBUILD THE ATLANTIC FOREST VISIT www.durrell.org/atlantic TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT COURSES AT THE DURRELL CONSERVATION ACADEMY, VISIT www.durrell.org/academy
ISSU E 1 • 2020 WI LD LIFE
27
T H E SUC C ESS OF O UR M IS S IO N TO S AV E S P E CIE S F R OM EXTI NC TI ON IS D E P E N D E N T O N E N G A G IN G LOC AL C OMMUNI T IE S IN TH E P L A CE S W E W O R K . A V I TAL PAR T OF T H IS IS TO E N S UR E W E UN D E R S TA N D T H E NEED S OF THES E CO M M UN ITIE S A N D TO H EL P O U T WHERE WE C A N D UR IN G D IFFICULT TIM E S .
saving WILDLIFE starts with saving people On Monday 9th December 2019, Cyclone Belna hit northwestern Madagascar bringing winds of up to 100 mph. The cyclone caused landfall near Soalala, a district where Durrell has worked since 1990 to protect the ploughshare tortoise, one of the world’s most endangered tortoises. With the majority of resources distributed among the capital of Soalala, many villages in isolated areas could not benefit from this support. To assist these communities and to meet their urgent needs, Durrell conservationists in Madagascar stepped in to distribute emergency provisions to villages in some of the worst affected areas. To do this, the team received significant financial support from Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA). JOA has already been supporting Durrell’s community work in Madagascar as part of the Enabling Change project. This five-year programme aims to improve household nutrition, financial independence and reproductive health, among other initiatives. The cyclone caused widespread damage to houses and community buildings, including schools. With the help of Fokontany chiefs and village notables, the team identified and prioritised areas most affected by the cyclone. In total, 830 households from seven villages in three districts were recognised as the most in need of urgent support. The team spoke with victims and local authorities to identify the primary needs requested by the affected villages. These essentials included food, blankets, sheets for roof repairs and other necessities such as oils, candles and various kitchen utensils. The emergency aid response provided by Durrell, with the generous support of Jersey Overseas Aid, was much appreciated by the local authorities. The villages welcomed the team and sang and danced as they received the muchneeded supplies. The provisions greatly relieved the suffering and loss of inhabitants after the destruction caused by the cyclone. This response is the first time that Durrell has made a humanitarian assistance intervention following a cyclone. Local and regional authorities have recognised how well this fast and well-coordinated response demonstrates Durrell’s commitment to rural development and the protection of natural resources and biodiversity in the region. Through the emergency response effort, our team was able to show their commitment to many of the villages they have been working with for some time. We hope this will improve the level of engagement and overall success of our work with local communities in the Soalala region in the future.
28
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
Richard Lewis, Madagascar Programme Director, helping distribute much-needed emergency provisions.
ISSU E 1 • 2020 WI LD LIFE
29
D O IT FOR D U R R E L L
BE INSPIRED
We are so grateful to all our friends, members, and supporters and we would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to each and every one of you. We hope you will be inspired by some of the ways our supporters have raised funds to help us save wildlife. FUNDRAISING MASKS We are so thankful to two volunteers who have raised more than £8,500 by making and selling patterned fabric face masks! Sarah Nugent has made approximately 1,500 masks using recycled materials from the Durrell Charity Shop and has raised £6,400 from selling them outside her home. Karen Clark has raised more than £2,100 and has also coordinated a team of 20 volunteers to produce over 250 animal-themed masks for our dedicated staff.
COMMEMORATIVE COINS Last year, a unique set of £2 coins were authorised for release by the Jersey Treasury and fully approved by Her Majesty the Queen to celebrate Jersey Zoo’s 60th anniversary. The collection raised over £3,000 in donations for Durrell.
PAPER FOR THE PL ANET Office Club and Nemo Group have launched ‘Our Earth’ paper and are supporting our vision of a wilder, healthier, more colourful world with a donation to Durrell from each ream sold. The paper is produced in the EU using wood from sustainably managed forests and a mill that generates renewable energy. You can support Durrell by ordering “Our Earth” paper at www.sps.co.je
CRESTBRIDGE SUPPOR TS BRAZIL REFORESTATION Following the cancellation of high-profile industry events to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, Crestbridge generously donated the funds to Durrell to support our work connecting fragmented patches of rainforest in the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. S UP P O R T OU R W OR K T O R EB U I L D TH E ATL A N T I C F OR EST AT W W W.D U R R EL L . OR G/ AT L A N T I C
In April, we reached out to our community of supporters to take part in the 2.6 Challenge for Durrell, a national fundraising event coinciding with the London Marathon. Supporters were creative with fundraising challenges around the number 2.6 and 26. We received 133 donations raising a total of £4,328, enabling us to continue our work and give wildlife a future!
30
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
THE BIRDMAN This short film tells the inspiring story of Durrell’s Chief Scientist, Professor Carl Jones MBE. Carl has probably saved more species from extinction than any other conservationist, and has inspired many people around the world to take up the conservation cause. Screened on Sky Atlantic, The Birdman was made in partnership with Volvo Car UK. Volvo is generously supporting three Durrell projects; the reintroduction of European wildcats and white storks to the UK and recovering the Atlantic Forest in Brazil.
www.durrell.org/birdman ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
31
TR A I N I N G IN N UMBERS
ID
U
S AL
TRAINED…
I N 1977 OUR F I R ST T R AIN E E , Y OUSOOF M UN GR O O …
ER 6,000 I N
DI
V
The Durrell Conservation Academy provides world-class training to conservationists from around the globe, giving trainees the skills and confidence to save endangered wildlife.
...
1984 O FFI C I AL O PEN IN G O F THE DURRELL C O NS ERVATION A CADEMY I N JERSEY
C
O
UN
OV
TRIE
S
#1
FR
OM
149 DIF
E FER
N
T
… A R R I V ED I N J ER S E Y F R OM M A UR I T I US
IN 2 019 T HE A C A D EM Y PR OV I D ED … 170 C ON SERVAT IO N PR OF ESSI ON A L S
… 234 D AY S OF T R A I N I N G F OR 260 A SPI R I N G C ON SERVAT I O N IS T S
8 9% O F TR AI NEES R E P O R TED THAT TR AI NING HAD A P OSI TI VE EFFECT O N THE I R C AREER
32
W IL D L I F E I SS U E 1 • 2 02 0
94% OF T R A I N EES F ELT M OR E C ON F I D EN T I N T HEI R A B I L I T Y T O M A K E A D I F F ER EN C E I N C ON SERVAT I ON
SECTION TITLE
Adopt today
A N D HELP C AR E F O R O U R A N IMA LS AT J ER SEY Z O O
Kea
Badongo
Bahia
Kate
Barnaby
Stumpy
Bintang
Bluey
Wilbur
Miora
Homer
Astrid
Who will you choose?
FR OM ONLY £32 A YEAR VISIT WWW.DURRELL.OR G/ADOPT Y O UR G IF T WILL H EL P TO CR EATE A WIL D ER WOR L D ISSU E 1 • 2020 W ILD LIFE
33
DU RRE L L W I L DL I F E C AMP
Stay in five star luxury…
…surrounded by some of the rarest animals on the planet. F O R M O R E I NF O R MATIO N Call us on +44 (0)1534 860097 or visit www.durrell.org/camp
