Gerald Durrell

Gerald Malcolm Durrell, born on January 7, 1925, in India, was an author renowned for his fiction writing, particularly known for his humorous and detailed accounts of his encounters with various animals and humans. After his family moved to Corfu when he was a young boy, Durrell developed an interest in studying the island's wildlife, which would later become the subject of his famous trilogy.

The trilogy, which includes "My Family and Other Animals," "Birds, Beasts, and Relatives," and "The Garden of the Gods," recounts Durrell's experiences in Corfu with wry humor and great perception. These books describe the many animals and people he encountered during his time on the island, painting a vivid picture of the unique characters and creatures that inhabited it. After leaving Corfu, Durrell returned to England, where he worked as a student keeper at Whipsnade Park, and later, he began organizing his own animal-collecting expeditions to various parts of the world.

Durrell's adventures during his expeditions to places like the Cameroons, Paraguay, Argentina, and Sierra Leone became the subject of several of his books, including "The Drunken Forest." He also recounted his experiences visiting different countries while shooting various television series, such as "An Amateur Naturalist." In 1958, Durrell realized a lifelong dream when he set up the Jersey Zoological Park, followed by the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust. He was married twice, to Jacquie Durrell and Lee Durrell. Durrell's style is known for being exuberant, passionate, and acutely observed, leaving a lasting impact on the literary world and conservation efforts. Gerald Durrell passed away in 1995.