The end of an era
6 January 2009
THE END OF AN ERA
It was only in September 2008 that Fairbairn
Private Bank announced its three-year partnership with Durrell
Wildlife Conservation Trust to sponsor their black and white ruffed
lemurs. Based at Durrell’s Trust in Jersey, these were two
father and son lemurs more commonly known as Dad and
Gutless.
Sadly, the bank now has to release the sorry
news that Dad, Durrell’s elderly male black and white ruffed lemur,
has died. The 28-year-old lived an exceptionally long life for a
lemur and died of natural causes in December.
Regarded as a favourite amongst the mammal
keepers for his playful ways and affectionate personality, Dad will
continue to have a presence at Durrell because he was the model for
the lemur sculpture featured on Gerald Durrell’s statue, at the
entrance to the Trust.
Fortunately, the three-year partnership with
Durrell not only covered the sponsorship of Dad and Gutless, but
also the related conservation work that takes place both in Jersey
and Madagascar, the lemurs’ native habitat.
The animal sponsorship programme has been
developed by the Trust as a way of engaging with corporate
supporters. Despite Dad’s untimely death, Durrell will continue to
develop Fairbairn’s programme for this species in 2009.
Mammal keeper, Pip Heigl, described Dad as a
joy to work with: “He’d be the first lemur to welcome you as you
entered the enclosure, climbing into the feed bucket to make sure
he’d stolen all the best bits for himself. He also loved being
tickled and spending his day basking in the sunshine.
“Harmonia, his breeding partner, died a few
years ago and as she was quite bossy, I know these last few years
have been happy and quite peaceful for him here at the Trust.”