REBECCA Brewer is done looking back. After one of the most turbulent periods in Durrell’s history, she wants Islanders to “get behind” the zoo as it works to “move forward positively.”
“We can’t keep going over old ground,” Durrell’s chief executive said. “Change and investment in a site like this takes time, and we’re putting the right building blocks in place.”
That message comes on International Zookeeper Day as the finishing touches are made to a new gorilla enclosure – a project years in the making, and one Ms Brewer sees as a symbol of progress after a difficult spell for the organisation.
But, with apologies to Ms Brewer, some looking back might help explain how the zoo got here for those who missed the backstory.
She stepped in as interim chief executive in late 2023, tasked with stabilising the organisation after allegations of bullying, high-profile resignations and a critical article in The Times accusing the charity of “chasing cash with cute animals” had shaken confidence.
Within a week of that article, the previous chief executive resigned, and Durrell was left facing questions about its leadership, culture and direction.
Ms Brewer had already served as the trust’s director of finance and operations manager before accepting the top job. And her appointment was confirmed on a permanent basis in late 2024 – a year the charity itself described as “like no other”.
That year brought a £4.8 million deficit, a £1m fall in donations, and a 16% drop in visitor numbers, while a dissident members’ group attempted, unsuccessfully, to unseat its trustees.
Yet speaking to the JEP from the 17th-century manor house at the heart of the 32-acre site, Ms Brewer was clear in insisting that the 66-year-old institution is more than the sum of its problems.
“We already do so much for Jersey and society in the community, whether it’s with the zoo, our education programme, or collaborations with other charities.
“We’re really invested and committed to Jersey, and I just hope the Island is invested and committed with us,” she said.
Now, as the organisation celebrates what would have been founder Gerald Durrell’s 100th birthday, Ms Brewer has said her focus is on completing capital projects, diversifying income streams and making cost efficiencies, keeping the mission of saving species from extinction on track – and reminding Islanders that, in her words, “we are more than a zoo.”
At the top of the list is the long-awaited gorilla house.
Delayed for years after rising costs forced work to pause, the multi-million-pound facility – billed as ‘the most modern facility in Europe’ – is on track to be finished by December.
It will replace the current enclosure, which has been in use since 1981, and give the animals far more choice over how they interact with their environment, keepers and each other.
“It’s looking fantastic,” Ms Brewer said. “We’re at the final touches stage – glass going in, the interpretation and signage being finalised.
“We’ll move the gorillas in at the start of next year and hope to have it open to the public towards the end of January or February, with a bigger launch in spring. We want to give the gorillas a few weeks to settle first.”
The project has been in the making since 2019, when Durrell launched Go Wild Gorillas – an initiative that saw 40 life-sized gorilla sculptures form a public art trail around the Island in celebration of the wildlife conservation charity’s 60th anniversary.
The colourful figures were later auctioned off and generated £1.14m, which, combined with individual donations and a £980,000 government grant, raised the “much-needed funds” to replace the decades-old facility.
But from there, costs rose sharply – something Ms Brewer described as a “real challenge” – and the project was paused and redesigned before finally restarting last summer.
“We were committed to doing the project within those costs,” Ms Brewer explained. “But with Brexit and the Ukraine war, steel prices shot up.
“Costs in Jersey have continued to rise. There was about a 20% increase, and we paused the project to see if prices would settle.
“We really worked hard to bring it down as far as possible without compromising on quality or animal welfare,” she added. “If we’re going to be spending this amount of money, it’s really important that we get it right.”
Once the gorillas are settled, attention will turn to Tropical Islands, a planned new home for reptiles and amphibians.
That project has already had its own art trail – Tortoise Takeover in 2023 – which saw more than 100 tortoise sculptures scattered across the Island and an auction that raised £720,500 – including a record-breaking £100,000 for a one-off hare sculpture.
Despite this, the project remains in the early stages, with Ms Brewer admitting that more money will be needed to complete the facility.
She said: “Next year, once we’ve got our new director of operations [Mark Habben], we’ll be moving forward with the design for that so that we understand what the rest of the funds are that we need to raise, and we’ll put together our fundraising strategy,” Ms Brewer said.
The capital projects come against a difficult financial backdrop.
The trust reported a £4.8m deficit in 2024 – higher than budgeted – though Ms Brewer stresses that £3m of this was already covered by restricted reserves.
“We had always planned for a deficit, but the cost of living and inflation have hit hard,” Ms Brewer said. “There’s been a 25% increase over two years in our cost base. That is massive. You can’t just put that straight into admissions prices or the cost of goods, because our customers are struggling too.”
Commercial income from shops, restaurants and accommodation dropped by more than half a million pounds, while six individuals received exit payments totalling six figures.
Visitor numbers also slumped by 16% to 175,940 – one of the lowest levels in 15 years – and something that Ms Brewer attributed to wider pressures in Jersey’s tourism economy.
“The tourism economy is still below pre-Covid levels, so that creates more challenges,” she said. “But visitor levels are still a good level, which I’m proud about, because it shows people still have confidence in us.”
Donations, which make up about 11% of the trust’s income, also fell by around £1m compared to 2023.
While the charity’s accounts noted a “significant decline in donation income” linked to the wider “economic landscape” in the charity sector and a “decline in support from corporate donors”, Ms Brewer rejected the idea that loyal supporters were walking away.
“Our core donors, the ones who give regularly, haven’t changed,” she said. “Our donations did drop slightly, and that’s something that we continue to analyse.
“But it has taken a lot of time dealing with media interest and engaging with a small group of members. That time was taken away from donor engagement. You’re not going to go heavy with an ask during turbulent times, but that has taken up quite a lot of capacity.”
Much of that turbulence came from a campaign by We Love the Zoo to oust the trustees in an attempt to counter what the group saw as ‘Disneyfication’ of the charity to the detriment of the species it looks after.
Their motions were defeated last year, but the disputes absorbed significant time and resources.
“I feel confident that we’re moving to a point where everyone is moving on, and we’re all behind the trust.”
Rebecca Brewer, chief executive of Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
Ms Brewer said: “There are additional costs that come with that extra scrutiny and governance.
“But we’ve never shied away from anything – whether it’s with the Charity Commission, BIAZA [the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums] or EAZA [the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria].
“It’s really important to us that those bodies who have responsibility for oversight are confident and comfortable, and they absolutely were.
“I feel confident that we’re moving to a point where everyone is moving on, and we’re all behind the trust.”
While Ms Brewer says oversight bodies – including the States Vet – were satisfied with Durrell’s standards and that the organisation is moving forward, critics have continued to question its approach to animal care and the decision to put some animals to sleep – something Ms Brewer describes as an “emotive issue”.
Earlier this year, an outbreak of pasteurellosis killed ten endangered fruit bats, while others were euthanised on welfare grounds.
“Animal welfare comes first when we’re caring for the animals,” Ms Brewer said. “Unfortunately, there are times when euthanasia might be the right approach – maybe because they are unwell or very old and their quality of life has declined.
“We have quality-of-life and welfare assessments filled in by keepers, reviewed by vets, and there have to be multiple sign-offs. It happens across zoos everywhere. We do it from a welfare and quality of life perspective only.”
The bats, she added, are now “doing really well.”
For Ms Brewer, the priority now is restoring financial stability and strengthening the zoo’s role in Jersey life.
“One of the brilliant things about Durrell is that we’ve got diversified income,” she said. “When one dips down, you’ve got others.”
She pointed to admissions, special events, the redevelopment of the glamping site and future projects as areas for growth – but stressed that her wider aim is for Durrell to be recognised as part of the community and a real asset to the Island.
“We already offer free entry for Jersey schools, but we’re looking at holiday clubs and bursary places for families who need support. It’s about being part of the solution for Jersey, as well as delivering our global mission.”
Central to that, she added, is collaboration – both within Durrell and with partners elsewhere.
“Collaboration is super important – we don’t deliver any of our work without partnerships. By coming together, you can do more.”
Ms Brewer added: “When Durrell hits the sweet spot, that’s when we bring all the elements of Durrell together – our training, our education, our science and impact team, our field programmes and the Zoo itself.”
She said Durrell also wants to amplify its voice alongside other conservation groups to “be part of the change that’s needed to protect biodiversity “by bringing “people, ecosystems and species together”.
And on International Zookeeper Day today, she reserved special praise for her staff.
“It is a moment to celebrate the incredible people who care for our animals with such dedication and heart,” she said.
“Our keepers are not just caretakers, they’re conservationists, educators, and advocates for wildlife. Their work, often quiet and behind the scenes, is the backbone of our mission to save species from extinction.”
And her final message, is one of gratitude and resolve.
“Thank you to everyone for how much they have supported us,” she said. “I really want them to get behind us in terms of moving forward positively.”
“We want Jersey Zoo to thrive. We want Durrell to thrive. We are more than a zoo.”
