conservation

Introduction

Biodiversity represents the number, variety and variability of living organisms; there are over 3 million species estimated to live on Earth. Over very long periods of time species evolve and also go extinct due to natural processes. Also humans have for thousands of years caused the extinction of plants and animals.

However in recent decades we have witnessed a massive rise in the rate of species going extinct. These species provide the building blocks on which our ecosystems are based and it is these ecosystems that provide us with resources such as clean water, fuel, fibre and food. So by removing these species we are also reducing the environment’s ability to provide us with vital resources.

With our international headquarters in Jersey, Durrell has built up a worldwide reputation for pioneering conservation techniques. For almost 50 years we have been working to protect critically endangered plant and animal species. Our animal conservation programme currently works with more than 36 such species worldwide, with the aim of halting their decline before they reach the desperate situation of a few remaining individuals.

Durrell Conservation Projects

Over the years, together with the species that Durrell works with, we have also developed a number of techniques that characterise our commitment to animal conservation. Durrell aims to build a single link between the skills and expertise that exist with the staff working at its site in Jersey to scientists working in the field and the local communities who rely on the resources that the habitats provide.

In all cases Durrell experts work with local communities to generate knowledge concerning the species in question. Little scientific knowledge exists for many of the species that we work with – some have not even been scientifically named. So we often start by trying to understand the ecology and distribution of the species in its natural habitat. This can be very gruelling and many of our species are found in very remote locations that are several days trek from roads and towns. We work closely with local communities which often have invaluable knowledge concerning where animals are found and what their habits are.

Where possible Durrell develops monitoring techniques that can be implemented either by local nature conservation authorities or non-governmental organisations. Through this approach we can assist the development of policies at the regional or national level that will protect the species and assist their recovery.

In some cases, it is necessary to take individuals into captivity to both ensure that the species does not go extinct and also build up a population that can be re-introduced into the wild. Here we provide our internationally renowned skills in captive breeding and management to assist the recovering of populations, either at our site in Jersey on in the country of origin. The skills developed in the management of these species can then be transferred to local conservation workers.

Durrell's Global Conservation Projects

Durrell’s activities in India are concentrated on the recovery of the pygmy hog. As well as being the world’s smallest wild pig, the pygmy hog is also the rarest and most threatened. The species is a strict endemic of terai grassland, a narrow belt of alluvial grassland south of the Indian Himalayas. Terai grassland is one of the most biodiversity rich ecoregions in India and holds important populations of large mammals such as tiger and one-horned rhinoceros. The grasslands also host a rich diversity of ungulates, supporting 5 species of deer alone.

Durrell has been working in the Caribbean for 30 years and we currently focus our efforts primarily in St Lucia, Hispanola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), Montserrat, Antigua and the Cayman Islands. We are working to protect a range of critically endangered species groups, including several species of iguana, snakes such as the Maria Island snake and the Antiguan racer – two of the worlds most threatened snake species.