A NEW species of beetle has been named in honour of Gerald Durrell by a scientist who was inspired by his conservation work as a child.
Dmitry Telnov, now an expert in beetles after being inspired by Durrell’s books while growing up in the secluded Soviet Union, has named a newly found species after the renowned British naturalist.
The Macratria durrelli, is found in Madagascar and is part of the genus Macratria, which is a large group of beetles containing over 320 species.
They are found on every continent except Antarctica, but mainly live near the tropics, according to the Natural History Museum.
“Gerald Durrell has been a huge inspiration to me throughout my life,” Mr Telnov said.
“He helped me realise, as a scientist, that we have to use our knowledge to help conserve nature and not just study it.”
He added: “This new species of beetle is from Madagascar, a country where Gerald worked for a long time. It was part of his work here that made him realise that species were disappearing and we had to do something about it.”
The news also comes as the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust marks Durrell’s would-be centenary in 2025.
“This year also marks 100 years since the birth of Gerald Durrell, so I felt it was a perfect time to honour his extraordinary legacy,” Mr Telnov added.
