I had never heard of Gerald Durrell (the little brother of Lawrence Durrell) until a friend introduced me to his writing just before we went off to the Ionian this past Spring. He was British and was hauled off to Corfu as a child where he became interested in the natural world. Later in life he founded the Jersey Zoo (The Island of Jersey in the UK).
I have to admit that I don’t have a fuzzy feeling for zoos. Here in Vancouver we have the most pathetic excuse for a game farm that many feel does more harm than good. But I also recognize that without wildlife preservation societies, there are many species that would likely have gone extinct by now.
While the Aye-Aye and I is a cute read, it also highlights the efforts that some people have gone to in order to gain access to severely threatened animals in an attempt to preserve the species.
It’s a funny read, but also a good reminder that zoos have their place.
If you haven’t read a Gerald Durrell book before, don’t start with this one though, start with My Family and Other Animals, it will give you some history and definitely bring a lot of laughter.