A statement from Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust

Since July 2023, Durrell’s Trustees have engaged patiently with a group of members concerned about the management of Jersey Zoo. This group represents less than 1% of Durrell's membership. 

We have listened to the group’s concerns and, through dialogue and independent mediation, made efforts to address them. Despite this, the group continued to make unreasonable and ever-changing demands. Their campaign has severely impacted Durrell’s financial and management resources, reputation and employee well-being. 

Why Members should vote AGAINST the resolution 

Jersey Zoo is vital to Durrell's mission but represents just one aspect of our charitable purpose. Since 2017, we've significantly expanded our global operations to maximise our impact on saving species from extinction, doubling our spend on conservation: in the field, on science and training. Today, half of Durrell’s employees are based outside Jersey. 

The campaign against Durrell’s leadership jeopardises decades of vital conservation work, both in Jersey and globally. The Trustees, with expertise covering a range of sectors, are carefully chosen to complement each other’s skills and ensure effective governance. Their resignation would disrupt Durrell's operations for years. 

The Trust’s leadership regularly solicits feedback on its performance, updates policies as required, strives to improve staff communications, and monitors our conservation impact. We need stable leadership to allow us to develop our next strategy, aligned with Gerald Durrell's enduring legacy and in close collaboration with Gerry’s widow, Lee Durrell, our Honorary Director. 

Governance: The Board undergoes independent review every three years, with the next scheduled later this year. Our practices are constantly evolving to meet the demands of our growing organisation. We are committed to ensuring fairness and open dialogue with employees. 

Staff Welfare: Ensuring the well-being of our employees is paramount, with robust procedures in place for whistleblowing and access to a range of well-being initiatives. Durrell has a strong HR team committed to enhancing staff communication and maintaining high engagement levels. Our 2023 staff survey showed 70% positive engagement (UK charity benchmark: 62%). 

Animal Welfare: Ensuring the welfare of our animals is Durrell’s top priority, with an outstanding team of professional vets based on-site, expert animal keepers and regular inspections ensuring compliance with relevant standards. 

Species Choices: The mix of species at Jersey Zoo is a necessary balance between those present for direct conservation purposes and those for inspiring and educating the public. An updated vision for the zoo and collection plan, developed collaboratively with our staff, will form part of Durrell’s new strategy. 

Conclusion 

Durrell is a growing, impactful, international wildlife conservation organisation. We are proud that Jersey Zoo is our home, and the interrelationship between our zoo, science and field programmes, together with the passion and expertise of our staff, is what distinguishes Durrell worldwide. 

We welcome constructive criticism and know we can always do better, but the negative campaign waged by this small group has been hugely damaging to the Trust at many levels. 

Your vote AGAINST the resolution is a vote in support of Durrell!