tools & technology in conservation

Durrell has been saving animals from extinction for close to 50 years. Our success in Mauritius is well known. Other animals, such as the Mallorcan midwife toad, the lion tamarins of Brazil, the pygmy hog in Assam and many rare Caribbean species such as the Cayman blue iguana are well on the road to recovery, because of our efforts.

In Madagascar, our efforts to understand the status of rare species, such as the narrow-striped mongoose, the ploughshare tortoise of the west and the gentle lemur from the east, have been instrumental in assigning protected areas for them. In our own “back yard” we work on recovery programmes for Jersey’s rare amphibians and in protecting farmland birds.

These successes would not have been possible without our expert team. Our conservation programme is growing and the needs are greater than ever. Having the right tools to do the job is absolutely essential. These range from the very large (modified shipping containers to ensure biosecure environments for amphibians or 4WD vehicles capable of enduring rough terrain) to the not so large (binoculars, UV heat bulbs, data loggers and tiny radio transmitters).

Each piece is a vital part of what we need to meet the conservation challenges we face. We have a constant need to replace essential field equipment and upgrade the technology we are using, often at short notice. Durrell would like to ask for your help by making a donation to our 2007 appeal - ‘Technology and Tools for Conservation’’.

100% of the funds raised will be used to purchase essential conservation equipment for our Jersey and overseas conservation programmes - and it will make a difference!

We hope that you will feel able to help. Your donation could purchase:

• £10 – a UV light bulb for our work with amphibians
• £50 – Data loggers or Infra red temperature readers
• £150 – a GPS receiver for monitoring the wildlife and habitat in Assam
• £300 – a fibre-glass canoe for our work in the Western Wetlands of Madagascar
• £2,000 – Renovation of our vivariums (reptile tanks)
• £6,000 – Solar panel installation and maintenance at our ploughshare tortoise breeding centre in Western Madagascar