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Death of lemur brings end of an era

30^th December 2008

Dad, Durrell’s elderly male black and white ruffed lemur, has died. The 28-year-old lived an exceptionally long life for a lemur and died of natural causes just over a week ago.

Regarded as the favourite amongst the mammal keepers for his playful ways and affectionate personality, Dad will continue to have a presence at Durrell because he was the model for the lemur sculpture featured on Gerald Durrell’s statue, at the entrance to the Trust.

Originating from the island of Madagascar, these very distinctive and vocal primates are threatened with extinction in their native environment, due to rapid habitat loss caused by an impoverished and ever increasing human population.

The first black and white ruffed lemurs arrived at Durrell in 1982 and those bred over the years have formed a valuable part of a captive breeding programme so, should the worst happen in the wild, this delightful animal would not be lost forever. Dad and his life-long breeding partner had 20 babies together, one of which is Gutless, the last remaining black and white ruffed lemur held at the Trust.

Durrell has many well-established links with Madagascar, especially involving the conservation of lemurs. Since 1964, a great deal of conservation expertise has been gained both in Jersey and in the wild. As well as captive breeding, vitally important habitat protection, research, education and training programmes are ongoing.

Durrell recently entered into a three-year partnership with Fairbairn Private Bank to sponsor Dad and Gutless and the related conservation work that takes place both in Jersey and Madagascar. The animal sponsorship programme has been developed by the Trust as a way of engaging with corporate supporters. Durrell will now look to develop Fairbairn Private Bank’s programme for this species in 2009.

Mammal keeper, Pip Heigl, described Dad as a joy to work with: “He’d be the first lemur to welcome you as you entered the enclosure, climbing into the feed bucket to make sure he’d stolen all the best bits for himself. He also loved being tickled and spending his day basking in the sunshine. “Harmonia, his breeding partner died a few years ago, and as she was quite bossy with him, I know these last few years have been happy and quite peaceful for him here at the Trust.”

Dad also had his brush with stardom, meeting John Cleese, of Monty Python fame, in 1996. John was so taken with the black and white ruffed lemurs that he gave the proceeds of the London premier of Fierce Creatures, filmed here at the Trust headquarters in Jersey, to fund a release programme that was started the following year.

 

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