Product Description

In the gloom, it came along the branches towards me, its round, hypnotic eyes blazing, its spoon-like ears turning to and fro independently like radar dishes, its white whiskers twitching and moving like sensors; its black hands, with their thin, attenuated fingers...tapping delicately on the branches as it moved along, like those of a pianist playing a complicated piece by Chopin...I had had my first encounter with an aye-aye and I decided that this was one of the most incredible creatures I had ever been privileged to meet...Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa, is one of the most fascinating islands in the world. The fourth largest island, it is home to five per cent of the world's plant and animal species, including giant jumping rats, flat-tailed tortoises and gentle lemurs. Ninety per cent of its flora and fauna are found nowhere else in the world. But when Gerald Durrell visited, creatures like the aye-aye were in danger of vanishing.Mostly due to 'slash and burn' agriculture, cutting down the forests which are the life-blood of the island, the aye-aye and many other unique creatures were threatened with extinction. Some had to be established in captivity to build up viable breeding colonies and maintain the species. Gerald Durrell decided to undertake a rescue mission to bring aye-ayes back to his breeding centre, now called the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, on the island of Jersey. This is the tale of his hunt for the aye-aye, and the adventures he had.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #28248 in Books
• Published on: 2008-01-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Review
"Informative (and often very funny) book is concerned with Gerald Durrell's life-long work to protect endangered species" --lifeoutloud.co.uk, January 2008

Wolverhampton Chronicle, 17 April 2008
"Well done to Summersdale for making the late naturalist and conservationist's charming memoirs available again"

Sandwell Chronicle, 17 April 2008
"A must read for animal lovers"

Customer Reviews

The best of Durrell
This book, which I read in Madagascar, is one of Durrell's best. The adventures of Durrell and Quentin Bloxham in search of the Aye Aye are vividly and amusingly described. And it's a success story. Their achievements are wonderful and they had a lot of fun; they have managed to draw the Malagasy people into their efforts to conserve animals which were part of the food chain and in imminent danger of extinction. The Durrell Trust is carrying on the good work.

lacking the humour of My Family
This is a much more factual account of a conservation trip and I felt lacked the humour of My Family and Other Animals. It was interesting but didn't give me the same level of entertainment.

rediscovering Gerald Durrell
I have recently rediscovered the pleasures of reading Gerald Durrell when I came across these reprints from Summersdale publishing. It has been a wonderful experience revisiting these magical true life stories stories and even more poignant in today's climate. A Man ahead of his time.