Durrell Conservation Academy

🦦 WORLD OTTER DAY 🦦

Here, at Durrell’s HQ in Jersey Zoo, we have two beautiful Giant Otters – mum and daughter duo Alexandra and Fia.

📋 Playful and noisy, they made a great subject for one of our DESMAN groups to practice their behaviour observation skills, learned during our Research and Analytical Skills week.

👇 Find out more about our Giant Otters: https://www.durrell.org/visit-jersey-zoo/meet-our-animals/mammals/giant-otter/

👇 Find out more about our DESMAN course: https://www.durrell.org/conservation/training/courses/

ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY

🌍 Durrell’s mission is Saving Species from Extinction — it’s literally written in stone at the headquarters of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Jersey Zoo.

⭐️ Today, we’re celebrating the incredible work our alumni are doing to protect endangered species around the world. From primate conservation to reptile recovery, from community education to policy development — effective conservation depends on a wide range of skills and passionate people.

Did you know we offer not one, but two courses focused on endangered species conservation?

🦧 Endangered Species Recovery (ESR)
Perfect for early-career conservationists, students or career switchers, this 5-day course introduces the practical skills involved in endangered species recovery and conservation action. https://www.durrell.org/conservation/training/courses/

🦍 Durrell Endangered Species Management Graduate Certificate (DESMAN)
Accredited by the University of Kent, this intensive 3-month programme explores the key principles of endangered species management and conservation practice. Students stay on-site at the Durrell Wildlife Hostel for a truly immersive learning experience. https://www.durrell.org/conservation/training/courses/

Whether you can spare 3 months or just 5 days, we invite you to join us and become part of the next generation of conservation leaders.

📩 Apply now and help save species from extinction.

https://www.durrell.org/conservation/training/courses/

📆 LEADERSHIP DATES: 24th September – 19th November 2026

⭐️ Leadership isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about learning how to inspire, adapt and bring out the best in others.

🌱 Join Durrell’s Leadership Course and develop practical skills in communication, confidence, decision-making and team leadership.

🌍 While this course is designed with conservation leaders in mind, the skills and knowledge you’ll gain are transferable to any professional environment — so don’t let the conservation focus stop you from joining!

💪 Whether you’re an emerging leader or looking to grow your confidence in the workplace, this course is designed to help you lead with purpose.

Find out more 👇
https://www.durrell.org/conservation/training/courses/

🩵 Today was a special one here at Durrell Conservation Academy.

🪴 As we wrapped up our DESMAN course after an incredible 12 weeks, we also took a moment to celebrate the 100th birthday of David Attenborough - someone whose work continues to inspire so much of what we conservationists stand for and strive towards every day.

🐛🍰With cake, memories and a slideshow capturing a whirlwind three months together, it felt like a fitting way to mark both occasions. There may even have been a few tears - always a sign of something truly meaningful coming to an end.

⭐️ A huge thank you to all of our DESMAN students for your hard work, passion and dedication throughout the course. We are so proud of everything you’ve achieved and can’t wait to see where your journeys take you next.

🟢 Conservation Standards are a worldwide framework often used when planning and managing conservation projects.

🟪 We had our amazing Impact Team – Becca Young and Zoe White – join us to lead us through the use of Conservation Standards. There were lots of post-its and colour coding but don’t let these diagrams fool you – there is method to the madness.

📊 We looked at project planning, implementation, monitoring & evaluation and the various factors that can influence the success of a conservation project.

COS is another course that you can join as an independent 5-day course. Find out more here: https://www.durrell.org/conservation/training/courses/

🌊 From classroom to coastline...

🏝️ Part of our DESMAN course includes field trips across the island, giving students the opportunity to see real-life conservation work in action in the place they are studying.

We recently visited Sorel where our Red-billed Chough Reintroduction project is based.

🐏 We learned about the various aspects of this project including the land management of the area - the Manx Loaghtan sheep were a hit.

💻 We met up with Abbie Thomson (Bird Keeper, Jersey Zoo) at the aviary who answered all our questions and showed us how the team observe and record behaviour which is especially important during breeding season.

👇 Find out more
Chough project: https://www.durrell.org/conservation/species/birds/red-billed-chough/
DESMAN: https://www.durrell.org/conservation/training/courses/

📸 Chough - D. Farrant, WPC
📸 Manx Loaghtan Sheep - J. Kissell, WPC

🚨 Application from Mauritius and Rodrigues Island Only! 🚨

We are offering a great opportunity for early career or aspiring conservation biologists from the southwest Indian Ocean region to be part of a one-year remunerated internship programme with Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation.

📆 June 2026 - December 2026

The internship will provide work experience, field and classroom-based training on the following:

👉Invasive alien species management
👉Reptile, seabird and plant survey & monitoring techniques
👉Native habitat restoration
👉Native plant propagation and nursery management
👉Data analysis in Excel, R-studio and QGIS
👉Estimating population abundance using Programme MARK and Programme Distance
👉Communication, leadership and management
👉IUCN Red Listing process

🏝️The internship will be based on Round Island, Ile aux Aigrettes and mainland Mauritius.

👇 For more detailed information on the application process please check the link below:
https://www.durrell.org/conservation/training/internships/

📝Send us your CV and Motivation letter on the [email protected] by the 27th of April 2026

✨Madagascar Highlight: FAMPITAFA Closing Event

TWO YEARS OF IMPACT: THANK YOU FAMPITAFA TRAINERS!

🌿The FAMPITAFA project (FAnamafisana ny Fahaiza-manao ny MPITAntana ny Faritra Arovana/Skill Strengthening of Protected Areas Managers) has been implemented by Durrell Madagascar from April 2024 - March 2026, funded by the British Government through the Darwin Initiative.

🎯Over the past two years, the 20 new trainers have played a key role in passing on their skills to protected area managers and local communities. Their remarkable commitment has led to sustainable strengthening of capabilities in the field.

🤝Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust would like to send them sincere congratulations and thanks for their involvement and dedication.

🌍Even when the project ends, its impact continues. Sharing knowledge and putting into practice what we have learned, continues to bear fruit every day.

🌱Because a project can end... but its results last.

⭐️ One of the things that makes our DESMAN course so unique is the incredible range of expertise behind the training.

🦦 Recently, we were joined by two of Durrell’s Conservation Science team – Dr Lauren Moore and Dr Tom Dando – who led sessions on population monitoring, data recording and behavioural studies.

We spent some time outside, building practical skills in distance sampling, radiotracking, camera trapping, and even carrying out our own short behavioural observations on some of the animals at Jersey Zoo.

📊 To round off the week, we strengthened our statistics skills – an essential tool across many areas of conservation.

A brilliant week of learning and real-world practical experience!

https://www.durrell.org/conservation/training/courses/

⛑ A first for our DESMAN course... the 2026 students have gained their first aid certification.

🩹A big thank you to Amber Dyson - Durrell’s Head of Global Safety, Risk and Safeguarding – for delivering the training.

🚑 From theory to practical, scenario activities, including a trauma scene, we really put our first aid (and acting) skills to the test.

🥾 Being able to relate these lifesaving skills to the real-world fieldwork that will be carried out back home made it all the more valuable.

DESMAN: https://www.durrell.org/conservation/training/courses/

📸: Ernest Chakuma (Durrell), Academy Staff