Gerald Malcolm Durrell

Born Jan. 7, 1925, in Jamshedpur, India. English zoologist and writer.

In 1958, Durrell founded a zoological park for endangered animals on the island of Jersey, one of the islands in the English Channel. (Since 1964, the park has been administered by the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust.) An organizer and leader of expeditions to collect animals for zoological parks, he has made trips to Africa (Cameroon, 1947–48, 1949–50, 1957) and South America (Argentina and Paraguay, 1953–54; Argentina, 1958–59). He has also led expeditions to Mexico (1968) and Australia and New Zealand (1969–70).

Durrell has written more than 20 books, primarily about animals; he first appeared in print with The Overloaded Ark (1953; Russian translation, 1958). Among his other books are The Drunken Forest (1956; Russian translation, 1963), A Zoo in My Luggage (1960; Russian translation, 1968), Two in the Bush (1966; Russian translation, 1968), and Menagerie Manor (1964; Russian translation, 1968).

Durrell’s books have enjoyed popularity in many countries owing to his scientific accuracy, his entertaining descriptions of the life, behavior, and habitats of animals, and his appeals for humane treatment of all living things on earth.