h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Jersey Zoo was set up by Gerald Durrell, the animal collector and writer.

Jersey Zoo is a wonderful zoo for animals, but not so good for people coming to see the animals. This is because of the philosophy behind the zoo. It is not a showcase of animals, captured for our amusement or education. It is an organisation dedicated to helping endangered species to survive. The zoo captures small numbers of endangered animals, breeds them in ideal conditions and then returns them to the wild. This is done in a very controlled way so that the animals will have a very good chance of survival.

This philosophy is evident throughout the zoo. Many enclosures are empty because the animals have just been moved to the wild. Some enclosures have no fences at the boundary, so that the small animals in them are free to leave if they want. Of course, they are still limited by the fence around the whole zoo. This ensures they will get used to a limited form of freedom before being thrown in at the deep end. Most of the enclosures are very large and the animals are very far from the public, being completely hidden in many cases.

The Zoo is for the benefit of the animals, not the human visitors. They would allow no visitors at all if they could afford it. Nevertheless, it is a fascinating place to visit. Of particular note are the five Aye-Ayes, a type of nocturnal lemur which is so endangered that there are probably more in Jersey Zoo than in the rest of the world put together. Also watch out for the large families of great apes, both gorillas and Sumatran orang-utans.