Menagerie Manor
Gerald Durrell
Those who have read other books by Gerald Durrell will find this book much like the others—amusing anecdotes involving animals he has met or owned—except that the animals have changed. Durrell admits that instead of dreaming of becoming a policeman or a fireman when he was six years old his desire was to have his very own zoo. As he grew older the desire remained but became more focused. He recognized that all over the world animal species are being greatly reduced in number or eliminated entirely. Most of the large animals are of some commercial or tourist value and therefore are receiving most of the attention. But throughout the world there are many interesting mammals, birds and reptiles whose habitat may be small but any interference with it could cause the creature to be lost forever. While the best way of protecting the species is to protect the habitat While such protection is not always possible, a secondary method of preserving the species is to establish breeding stocks in parks or zoos. Thus Durrell’s goal was to establish a zoo with the main function of establishing breeding stocks for the small, endangered animals.
Through a series of surprising events Durrell’s dreams came true and he was able to establish his own zoo on the Island of Jersey. Thus we meet, amongst others:
- Trumpy, the grey–winged trumpeter, who flies to Durrell’s bedroom window (apparently they don’t use window screens on the Island of Jersey) and if Durrell doesn’t leap out of bed immediately, he flies “to the dressing table, decorates it extravagantly…and then hops on to the bed and proceeds to walk up and down, thrumming like a distraught cello until he is assured that he has your full attention.”
- Delilah, an African crested porcupine—the largest of porcupines with some quills as long as fourteen inches—and her adventures as a television star.
- N’Pongo, the baby gorilla who lived in the guest room until its cage was finished.
Although this is a small book—approximately 7 1/4 inches by 4 1/4 inches by 172 pages—I found it very amusing.