Gerald Durell (1925-1995) was a British naturalist born in India, who wrote a number of books based on his life as an animal collector and enthusiaist. He was also a zookeeper, conservationist, author and television presenter. He founded the Durell Wildlefe Conservation Trust and the Durell Wildlife Park in 1959. His most popular works include the Corfu trilogyof My Family and other Animals, Birds, Beasts and Relatives and The Garden of the Gods. The text is an abridged extract of the last chapter of the novel My family and other Animals.