Durrell Conservation Academy began as the 'International Training Centre for the Conservation and Captive Breeding of Endangered Species'situated at the headquarters of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey. It was officially opened by our Patron, the Princess Royal, and our Founder, Gerald Durrell, in 1984. It was renamed 'Durrell Conservation Academy'in honour of our Founder in 2012.
Jersey remains HQ for our training delivery, but in 2013 we established a second training base in Mauritius and plan to establish a training base in Madagascar from 2020.
Our training facilities (which are available for hire)
Our training team in Mauritius
In addition, we run training courses and workshops elsewhere around the world to meet the needs of conservation organisations. As we all as our Current Courses we also provide bespoke training courses for colleges, universities and conservation organisations. To find out more click here.
In Mauritius, through Durrell Conservation Training Ltd we offer direct access to a variety of species and habitat recovery projects that Durrell has been involved with since the late 1970’s. Here, you will be immersed within existing conservation projects and be taught the key field skills required of wildlife conservation professionals. You will gain first-hand experience and learn directly from field project managers and local wildlife organisations across Mauritius.
Our Mauritius training work is led by our staff members Martine Goder and Teesha Baboorun.
We deliver much of our practical, field conservation training through our partnership with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) and the National Parks and Conservation Service of the Ministry of Agro Industry and Food Security of Mauritius.
MAURITIAN
WILDLIFE FOUNDATION (MWF)
The
Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) is a non-governmental, non-profit
conservation organisation working in Mauritius, Rodrigues and their offshore
and outer islets to save threatened endemic flora and fauna from extinction. It
was established in 1984 under the initiative of Durrell Wildlife Conservation
Trust and other conservation organisations. The conservation work in Mauritius
began as a species orientated programme concentrating on a few critically endangered
species, including the Mauritius Kestrel and the Pink Pigeon. In 1996, the organisation
expanded its operations to habitat restoration, including the management of
native forests and small islands. MWF is now perfecting whole
ecosystem management and restoration of offshore islets with a focus on
removing invasive species, replanting native vegetation, monitoring and
reintroducing threatened bird and reptile species.
Round
Island (Ile Ronde)
Located 22.5
kilometres off the north-east coast of Mauritius, the islet is a closed nature reserve
and the second largest Mauritian island at 219ha with an elevation of 280m
above sea level. Round Island represents one of the longest-running island
restoration projects in the region, having been designated a nature reserve in 1957
and supporting the last remnant of a lowland palm rich community that formerly
covered the dry lowland areas of Mauritius. It is jointly administered by the National
Parks and Conservation Service and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation. The Round Island field station and
plant nursery and has been permanently staffed by wardens and conservation
biologists since 2002.
Selected as one of Durrell’s worldwide rewilding sites, the island has been the focus of
a new long-term planning strategy aiming to restore the entire ecosystem and functionality.
Ile aux
Aigrettes
Ile
aux Aigrettes, Mauritius, sits within a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) and is also
an established Nature Reserve, hosting a unique lowland coastal forest
assemblage. A wide range of conservation activities are undertaken on Ile aux
Aigrettes, including terrestrial bird and reptile reintroductions, flora restoration,
conservation education and eco-tourism. This work sits within an established
island restoration plan. It is therefore an ideal training site, providing
exposure to a range of conservation work that can then be applied within and
beyond KBAs elsewhere. The field station and facilities are well equipped to
comfortably support 14 staff. The island also has an endemic plant nursery, a
Visitor Centre, bird management aviaries and reptile head-starting facilities.